Is that service animal real or a fraud?

It’s becoming a common sight: dogs, cats, and other animals — like pigs — in stores and restaurants.

Many times their owners call them service animals. The only problem is many of them are not.

Two months ago at a Seattle McDonald's, an incident involving pepper spray sent a man's cat flying across the counter.

The man walked into the McDonald's with what he called his service cat on a leash, and he was told he couldn't come in because he had caused trouble in the past, according to police. An argument ensued, and surveillance video shows the cat flying across the counter after pepper spray was released.

Other scenes aren't as bad -- but still leave business owners wondering what they can do when people and their animals cause problems.

Can you tell the difference between a legit service animal and a fraud? Take this quiz now and find out. 

"With animals making messes on their floors, barking at their customers, lunging at people — not all of these animals are well behaved," said Laura Lindstrand with the Human Rights Commission.

James O'neal is concerned and upset people are creating confusion about service animals. O'neal has neurofibromatosis -- a genetic disorder making him prone to tumors.
 
He works at the Woodinville Target and  right by his side is Honey Bear, his 6-year-old Chihuahua.  She is trained for a specific task and can tell if a headache is about to hit so O'neal can take his medication.
 
"If you have a service dog, it's there for a reason. It's there to help," he said. 

O'neal depends on Honey Bear.

But how can we all tell legit service animals from "fakes"?
 
Lindstrand also believes people taking their pet everywhere is a growing problem. She takes lots of calls about service animals -- the majority of which come from business owners.
 
"A lot of store owners are so frightened about being sued or having a complaint filed against them so they don't do anything about an animal misbehaving, " Lindstrand said. 
 
As for the McDonald's incident, Lindstrand says she's heard it all: from "service chickens, to snakes to cats" but if any handlers of those kinds of animals complained, she wouldn't take the case.

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Cox Media Group