Why Pretending Your Pet Is A Service Dog Is So Wrong
I haven’t seen anybody address the subject of why pretending your pet is a service dog is so wrong and the damage that it causes better than Casey Lomonaco does in “My Thoughts on “Fake” Service Dogs”.
Really nothing else I need to say here – just go read the whole thing (it’s not that long) and give the link to anybody you think might be “unclear on the concept”.
“Oh, Yeah – My Service Dog Does That For Me, Too.”
I stay on top of things and always pay attention to trends in the service dog world, especially where veterans are involved, and several I’ve seen lately concern me. Here’s one…
I’ve read a number of recent stories where a veteran has a service dog, the veteran has no physical injuries, the dog has been given to the veteran solely to help them deal with post-traumatic stress, and yet the dog has been trained to perform physical tasks (e.g., picking up dropped objects) for someone with physical issues who requires those functions. Sometimes you have to read between the lines to figure that out, other times I’ve seen the articles come right out and say the tasks weren’t needed for this person, but were taught in case the dog had a partner with physical issues that needed them.
Bet You Have No Idea Just How Low The Bar Is To Say Your Dog Is A Service Dog
I used to say “You can slap a cape on any dog and call it a service dog.”, but that’s not really true – you don’t even need the cape.
You know, I honestly didn’t write this today because it’s the 20th anniversary of the ADA with all the associated attention, or because the revisions to the existing part of the regulation covering service animals were just signed by the Attorney General Friday, although both those things make it a great time to bring this up.
Judge Who Raises Guide Dogs Upheld In Barring ‘Service Dog’ From Courthouse
Moral of this story is it’s not the smartest move to take your questionable “service dog” into the courtroom of a judge who raises guide dog puppies with his wife (I believe for Guide Dogs for the Blind, but haven’t verified that):
“Federal judge rejects Ryderwood woman’s service dog discrimination suit”
Haven’t heard much about this case, either, even though it’s been going on for over a year, but I can’t say I’m surprised – it’s exactly the opposite of those “service dog discrimination” stories the “outraged public” waits around to pounce on and be outraged about all the time.
Another Perfect Example Of Why We Have Service Dog Access Problems
I said I was gonna concentrate on positive stuff, but no way can I pass this one up.
“Pink poodle, owner get apology from Denny’s”
Yeah, maybe the dog is legit, and, yeah, service dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and, no, the ADA doesn’t say you can’t have a poodle and dye it pink.
But, seriously, c’mon – we gotta be smarter than this.
Remember this one next time somebody starts giving you the lecture about how there’s really no problem on the service dog end of the public access issue and it’s all businesses’ fault.
Why Haven’t We Heard More About This Well-Known Veteran’s Service Dog Discrimination Case?
Haven’t had a lot to say lately, largely because I haven’t seen a lotta good things to write about, or even bad things that have enough substance to make them worth commenting on.
There is one story, though, that, while not a good one, definitely got my attention and I wanna talk about because no one else seems to be. It’s been 11 days since I first saw it on October 30th, and there’s still no reaction on major news services, Twitter, or blogs, which, given that I routinely see all three erupt over much, much less serious service dog incidents than this one, really strikes me as odd.
Service Dog ‘Advocates’ Could Take a Lesson From Emily Litella
Remember Emily Litella?
In case you don’t, she was a fantastic Gilda Radner character on Saturday Night Live some 30 years ago now (a show which, BTW, in all the years since has never come remotely close to the level of talent and associated comedy back then) whose trademark was to always get confused about a story, start going off with the classic moral indignation, then find out she had it all wrong, and look at the camera and slowly say “Oh…never mind!” If you have a minute, this video is a classic example:
Do You Really Think The ADA Is Working When It Comes To Service Dogs?
This story about a guy with a seizure alert dog in Madison, Wisconsin getting Tasered, pepper sprayed, and arrested when he refused to leave a McDonald’s has been getting a ton of publicity daily for some time now. You may already be familiar with it, but please read the latest:
“Madison man tussles with police over service dog”
I’ve written about this subject before (“How Do I Know If That’s Really a Service Dog?”) and, to me, this case is a classic example that the ADA is not working as currently written, things are messed up, and we need to do something different.
About Me
I'm very active with Canine Companions for Independence as a former member of the Veterans Task Force and puppy raiser. Retired US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant with my last assignments at the Air Force Academy as the Fourth Group Sergeant Major and Dean of Faculty Superintendent.
I'm actively looking for a paid position doing what I already do full-time as a volunteer.
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