My library knows that service animals provide vital assistance to patrons with disabilities, and that they must be allowed on library premises without pre-approval.
We also know that when a service animal is brought into the library by a visitor, we can only ask if the animal is needed for a disability, and what work or task it has been trained to provide.
We also know that some disabilities are not easily observed, and not every person using a service animal will be perceived as having a “real” disability.
Our library is small and we prohibit all animals—other than service animals—for a combination of reasons (including cleanliness, allergies, and fear).
Our question is this: we have a patron who we think is faking it. The patron sometimes comes in with a dog, and based on a variety of factors, it seems the patron is bringing in the dog not to accommodate a disability but to taunt staff members and dare them to confront this patron. What can we do?