Service Dog Question

[el_em_en_oh]

*By Federal Law, a Service Dog is Defined as any Animal who performs 3 or more tasks to help their owners live normal lives. Tasks they do Almost without fail given any circumstance*

Are service dogs tax deductible?

1) Emotional Support
~ rain or shine, hot or cold, hungry, playing, running, barking... whatever their doing and whatever their mood, without fail, my dogs are ALWAYS there to cheer me up and make me happy, and I couldn't live a normal life without them
2) Cleaning Up
~ If food is dropped on the floor, no matter what the food or the circumstance, my dogs are there to clean it up, saving me from bending over and having to do it myself (I have lower back problems and can't bend over easily). Furthering my back injury constantly bending over to clean up food would cause me to not live a normal life.
3) Guard Duties
~ I live in a rough neighborhood, and gain comfort from my dogs presence. If not for them, i would walk around in fear of home-invasion, but i feel safe & secure with them around, and can subsequently lead a normal life

Now, I know these aren't 'classic' Service-Dog tasks, but one could argue...

[Hedgewitch]

You sound like you love your dogs; however, a service dog tasks have to be trained tasks to negate your disability. A service dog is never a gaurd dog.
The first one you mentioned:
"~ rain or shine, hot or cold, hungry, playing, running, barking... whatever their doing and whatever their mood, without fail, my dogs are ALWAYS there to cheer me up and make me happy, and I couldn't live a normal life without them "
Could fall under an emotional suport dog or an ESA. An ESA could also be a cat.
The second one of cleaning up food would not fly.:
Service dogs are trained to not eat food off the floor. To not beg for food and they do not eat people food unless it is placed in their dish.
The last one; I am sorry to hear about the neighborhood you live in, but a service dog is never a gaurd dog.

[lindapalm]

Your  first three services are great, don't forget the medical service they give you by lowering your blood pressure and giving you a healthy heart by walking them, and you don't have to wait in a waiting room to be seen by them, they do house calls.