Mayor Fred Eisenberger is exploring the possibility of designating his canine office buddy Dash as a "therapy" dog to try to evade a looming pet ban at city hall.

The mayor started bringing his golden doodle to his offices at city hall in 2016, spurring a mix of delighted reactions and howls of protest — including a human rights complaint that was quashed in 2019.

The canine controversy eventually spurred council to ask staff to look at a blanket no-pets policy — still under development — for municipal buildings, including city hall.

But the mayor raised hackles again this week when he told Global News that Dash will be able to stay at city hall as a "registered service dog."

Under provincial law, public-serving places like city hall must allow "service animals" trained to help people with disabilities. But in such cases, the owner is expected to have an ID card or letter from a health practitioner.

That point was hammered home on Twitter by Deanna Allain, a well-known advocate for better accommodation of service-dogs-in-training in Hamilton and across the province.

"If Fred does have a service dog he would have a note from a medical professional stating that Dash mitigates his disability. The mayor would also be attending most events with his service dog from now," she tweeted.

Eisenberger told The Spectator in a series of messages Tuesday he is "looking at all options" to keep Dash legal but added the search is a "work in progress."

He also backed away from the legally recognized label of "service dog" that spurred online outrage Tuesday, specifying he has not sought a medical opinion or other documentation related to a disability.

"I believe the terminology is more appropriately therapy or emotional support (animal)," he said.

Those labels could leave the mayor with dashed hopes, however.

Therapy and emotional support animals are increasingly used as a comfort aid for a wide range of people. The local SPCA has a volunteer pet-visit program that sends therapy dogs into classrooms and senior residences, for example.

Some certification programs for 'therapy' dogs are offered via reputable organizations like the Canadian Kennel Club.

But only animals trained to perform a specific task related to a disability are recognized as 'service animals' under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

So, emotional support dogs — or ducks, pigs and other popular pets — don't make the legal cut when it comes to mandatory access in public buildings, for example.

It remains to be seen what exemptions will be suggested by city staff in Hamilton's proposed no-pets policy in the new year.

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