Dogs at DL

[jtl2411]

Thanks for the info, I never took into account small dogs can also be used as service companions as well.

Oh and for the comment about a dog releaving themselves in the park. Well we saw a small wiener dog do that in front of Pirates last night around closing. I was glad the owners had a doggy bag with them.

@Lil Mermaid do you happen to know if DL has an official policy when it comes to bringing dogs to DTD?

 

[maberlyne]

I work in a hospital and I recently did a little inservice about ADA (disability). For us, anyway, if a person brings an animal and says they're a service animal, we have to take their word. And they do not have to have a vest or anything particularly designating them. This is also in CA. I don't know if this is specific to hospitals or what, but thought I would share it.

I've seen a lady in DL with a service rat. I believe it was for seizures. She had buttons mentioning "service rat" on. I thought that was very interesting.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I've seen a lady in DL with a service rat. I believe it was for seizures. She had buttons mentioning "service rat" on. I thought that was very interesting.

How cute! Rats are very smart and make good pets. Too bad they don't live very long.

 

[fairycat]

I work in a hospital and I recently did a little inservice about ADA (disability). For us, anyway, if a person brings an animal and says they're a service animal, we have to take their word. And they do not have to have a vest or anything particularly designating them. This is also in CA. I don't know if this is specific to hospitals or what, but thought I would share it.

I've seen a lady in DL with a service rat. I believe it was for seizures. She had buttons mentioning "service rat" on. I thought that was very interesting.

This is actually the law. While training and things might be expected you can not ask for proof. Several places I have worked have had issues with this. Sadly we have even over heard some people admit to cheating the system but we can do nothing. It stinks that a few bad apples have to ruin it for the whole bunch. Especially when service animals are coming so far.

I love the idea of a service rat they are so awesome! I have two myself. I also love the idea of the service mini horses, they live longer then dogs and are super smart!!!

 

[MCSfromWA]

I believe the policy for non-service dogs is that they are allowed to walk through DTD on their way to the DL kennel. We brought our dog, Snow White, with us on two of our trips to DLR when her regular kennel at home was full and we were using the DL kennel. We stayed off-property (of course) but once parked in the Mickey and Friends lot. We walked our dog through DTD to get to the kennel. We prefer to keep her at home because the kennel at home keeps her active and the kennel at DL is basically a crate and the owner is required to come and take care of their pets throughout the day (so it is very boring for the dogs). You might also notice dogs being walked outside the DL gate but in the security area. Pet owners are allowed to walk their pets in that area as well. Some of the dogs that we see in DTD may just be on their way to the kennel.

I was also surprised at the number of dogs that I have seen in the parks. I know that there are people with allergies -- and I have sympathies for people exposed to dogs when they have allergies -- but I am also glad that people who need service animals are able to have them at Disneyland.

 

[Mugglemama]

Even if it is a service dog that is allowing someone to enjoy the park with their family while not disturbing your family at all?

i don't really get that, though. i mean, if a person is there with their family, why do they need the service dog? can't their human companions assist in place of the dog?

seriously, i love disneyland. and i personally, have never, ever seen a dog inside the parks. but if we start noticing this more and more, it will likely affect whether or not we keep going back.

the reality is, is that people will abuse the system, and patrons of disneyland will be the ones who are put out because of it. we'll be the ones stepping in animal droppings, for instance. far too many people are irresponsible with their animals, and one of the things i hate most is when people who are walking their dogs purposely allow their animals to walk over and lick my kids. SICK! that's like me letting my kids walk up to them and lick them, in my opinion. but many dog owners seem to think it's all so "cute" and that we must welcome their fluffy little companion's slobber all over our kids' faces (which i, for one, do not. that dog spends half the day licking it's anus...i do not want the same tongue on my kids' face!). not to mention, it scares the heck out of my kids when dogs do this.

so no, i definitely don't want to deal with that kind of stuff at disneyland. i understand that some people who have their animals there for very legitimate reasons might be better behaved with their animal than i've described. but you KNOW people will abuse the system, and then we'll have the kind of people in there that don't control their animal properly, or clean up after it properly, etc. soon there will be people saying that their 60lb. pit bull is a "service animal" and some kid will get mauled in the park.

 

[Pomlover2586]

Mugglemama- You do not seem to understand the responsibilities of a "service dog". Yes some handicaps can be assisted by a human companion- such as blindness.

However a lot of service dogs perform other highly train skills that NO Human is capable of- such as seizure alert, heart defect alert, and anxiety calming.

Also service dogs are very rarely, IF EVER, away from their human companion, because of the intense bond that MUST exist between the two.

Yes some people "Abuse" the system as you call it.....but who ARE YOU to decide who is an abuser and who is not? Butt out of it and Mind YOUR OWN Business......

As far as I'm concerned, if you see a service dog and don't want to deal with it....walk away.....leave......you don't have to be around it and let it interfere with your precious "Disney vacation"

But bottom line, a lot of people require their service pet to be with them to even enjoy the true experience of Disneyland- or any experience for that matter.....

Oh and For your info Pit Bulls can make AMAZING service dogs, and search/rescue dogs as well......

 

[Mugglemama]

Mugglemama- You do not seem to understand the responsibilities of a "service dog". Yes some handicaps can be assisted by a human companion- such as blindness.

However a lot of service dogs perform other highly train skills that NO Human is capable of- such as seizure alert, heart defect alert, and anxiety calming.

Also service dogs are very rarely, IF EVER, away from their human companion, because of the intense bond that MUST exist between the two.

Yes some people "Abuse" the system as you call it.....but who ARE YOU to decide who is an abuser and who is not? Butt out of it and Mind YOUR OWN Business......

As far as I'm concerned, if you see a service dog and don't want to deal with it....walk away.....leave......you don't have to be around it and let it interfere with your precious "Disney vacation"

But bottom line, a lot of people require their service pet to be with them to even enjoy the true experience of Disneyland- or any experience for that matter.....

Oh and For your info Pit Bulls can make AMAZING service dogs, and search/rescue dogs as well......

pit pulls also eat children.

and don't get me wrong, i do blame that on the owners, not the dog.

i don't have to "butt out of it", it's a public discussion forum.

i know people get VERY emotional about animals, and hey, i get that. i may not relate with it, but i understand it.

and i'm not isinuating ANYTHING negative about people who would behave responsibly with their animals. and you're right, i am not overly educated about service animals, per se.

i think the problem lies within the reality that disneyland can not, by law, ask for proof that an animal is in fact, a service animal. so, theoretically, any irresponsible dog owner could potentially bring their dog in. those are the ones i don't want to deal with.

as for the person who brings in the rat to help with seizures, hey, more power to them! a rat isn't going to freak out and maul anybody. it's droppings are no big deal. but frankly, a lot of dog owners are pretty nasty about their animals' hygiene issues, and i don't want to be forced to be exposed to it in a theme park.

so, rant and rave all you want. you're taking it way too personally. i wasn't saying anything bad about people who are considerate and responsible with their animals.

have a nice day!

 

[fairycat]

I have to agree Mugglemama you might not completely understand how service animals work. Large dogs can pull wheelchairs, help people with balance and other tasks. Small and large dogs can actually warn people for things like seizures sometimes up to an hour before so the person can get to a safe location and the dog will be with them while the seize. Amoung so many other tasks.

As to licking a properly trained service dog owner is far more worried about you and your child coming up to their dog and distracting them then letting their dog near your kids. These dogs are "working". In most trained dogs the minute that vest goes on their are special rules and behavior. I know many people who train guide dogs and the first thing they ask is not to pet their dogs when they have their vests on.

Also most every owner of a service dog is very concientious about cleaning up after their dogs. These are dogs they need they do not want to take advantage of the system. Yes, so people abuse the system but even most of them seem to have some common courtesy about clean up.

Overall I think you might learn a lot by some research on the topic it really is amazing what jobs they have for animals these days. Again I can't wait to see my first guide mini horse in person.

ETA: Sorry I just read you last post and Pit Bulls are not naturally more agressive they can be great dogs or terrible dogs depending on the dog. One of the few dog breeds not known for ever giving a lethal bite is a basset hound even some small dogs have been associated with terrible, terrible injuries. One breed is not better or worse then another, popularity and bad human involment ruin more breeds then nature.

Also BTW the ADA doesn't allow you to ask, but at the same time I think this is for the best. I do not want any one being discriminated because we might not be able to see their illness or disabilty. I had a friend who was physically attacked for parking in a handicapped spot for which her car had a plaque. She was a 6ft tall, 30ish, very beautiful blond, she also had her first open heart surgery at 17. She had many surgeries later and was very ill, but looked so healthy. Until she showed her enormous chest scars she was not left alone. I learned a lot from her that you can not judge someone based on looks alone. I only mentioned some taking advantage because I have heard some people saying this too me, but I think it is the exception not the rule.

 

[lolinmr]

I'm not join in on the breed bashing, name calling etc. but will say this.
We just returned from the parks and can't imangine my dogs enjoying any part of being there.
It's hot, crowded, noisy and sooooo different from what they are used to. They would be nothing but stressed and scared. I did see one family pick thier dog up from the kennel at the end of the night and that poor dog looked terrified. It's tail was down, it was pulling left, right and centre and and it's head was turning all around.
Although my dogs are a huge part of my family and wouldn't take them with me.

 

[fairycat]

I'm not join in on the breed bashing, name calling etc. but will say this.
We just returned from the parks and can't imangine my dogs enjoying any part of being there.
It's hot, crowded, noisy and sooooo different from what they are used to. They would be nothing but stressed and scared. I did see one family pick thier dog up from the kennel at the end of the night and that poor dog looked terrified. It's tail was down, it was pulling left, right and centre and and it's head was turning all around.
Although my dogs are a huge part of my family and wouldn't take them with me.

I agree it is not a dog's life at DL unless you are Goofy or Pluto! It's hot, loud and for the people you have to have some one babysit your dog on almost every ride, since service dogs are not allowed on many rides. Not fun at all!

 

[Mugglemama]

I have to agree Mugglemama you might not completely understand how service animals work. Large dogs can pull wheelchairs, help people with balance and other tasks. Small and large dogs can actually warn people for things like seizures sometimes up to an hour before so the person can get to a safe location and the dog will be with them while the seize. Amoung so many other tasks.

As to licking a properly trained service dog owner is far more worried about you and your child coming up to their dog and distracting them then letting their dog near your kids. These dogs are "working". In most trained dogs the minute that vest goes on their are special rules and behavior. I know many people who train guide dogs and the first thing they ask is not to pet their dogs when they have their vests on.

Good to know! My kids never want to walk up and pet a dog, and I very much appreciate when people don't have their animal running up to my kids to lick them.

Also most every owner of a service dog is very concientious about cleaning up after their dogs. .

In all fairness, I think it's impossible for you to know what "most every owner of a service dog" does. We have several so called "service dogs" in our complex, and some owners clean up their poop, some don't. It's pretty gross.

Overall I think you might learn a lot by some research on the topic it really is amazing what jobs they have for animals these days..

Possibly. However, I work from home, raise 4 kids, and homeschool. I really have no time, or interest for that matter, in learning more about service animals.

ETA: Sorry I just read you last post and Pit Bulls are not naturally more agressive.

Yeah, okay. It cracks me up every time animal advocates say this. I never read or hear about a pomeranian murdering a 7 year old kid.

Also BTW the ADA doesn't allow you to ask, but at the same time I think this is for the best. I do not want any one being discriminated because we might not be able to see their illness or disabilty.

I don't want anyone being discriminated against, either. But I don't see why it would hurt for somebody who has a legitimate service animal to carry some kind of card or something that states the animal is, in fact, a service animal, before being permitted to bring them inside a place with thousands of people, like Disneyland. They wouldn't be required to defend their disability, just show documentation that the animal is legit.

That would stop those who are not legitimate, who might really bring a dangerous animal into the parks, from doing so.

 

[jtl2411]

I'm sorry this has turned into such a heated debate. I was just curiouse beacuse of the influx of dogs into the parks. Of course we are now in the summer season so more people are coming into DCA and DL.

All the dogs I've seen at both parks have all be well behaved and the owners do pick up any mess their animals may have made. Being a dog owner myself I wouldn't bring a dog into the park at all. It's not a place for a regular pet, I couldn't imagine any other pet owner doing this.

But service animals be it a dog, pig or rat =) are fine by me being in the parks. This is what they are trained for, and like a previouse poster said. Owners are normally more afraid what you will do to ther service animal then what the animal will do to you.

 

[fairycat]

Possibly. However, I work from home, raise 4 kids, and homeschool. I really have no time, or interest for that matter, in learning more about service animals.



Yeah, okay. It cracks me up every time animal advocates say this. I never read or hear about a pomeranian murdering a 7 year old kid.

First I think this might be a great subject for your kid's. Service animals and the tasks they do for humans are really amazing and something your kid's might learn a lot from.

As for the breeds, while not a 7 year old but did find a case very quickly of a pomeranian killing an infant so it does happen.

Again I agree this has gone VERY off topic and I am sorry!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Possibly. However, I work from home, raise 4 kids, and homeschool. I really have no time, or interest for that matter, in learning more about service animals.
.

I know. This is horribly off topic, but after reading this thread I just couldn't resist voicing my opinion. A service dog is an amazing animal. They have a very intense bond with their owner, and help someone with a dissability enjoy life to the absolute fullest. To put it simply, your naive opinion infuriates me. You don't have anytime to go and learn about a subject that you obviously know nothing about, yet you have plenty of time to voice your opinion on it? How can you even have such a strong opinion if you don't know the facts? And in response to your remark about the animals licking your children, I rarely see an incident like this happen with any dog. If you keep you children a reasonable distance away from the animal, an owner is no way going to pick your children out from a crowd, walk over, and have it slobber on their faces. If you see an animal you do not want to have your children interact with, just avoid it. Simple as that. If you or your children are standing leash distance from the animal, of course it will be interested. And that frankly is your own darn fault.

 

[Mugglemama]

To put it simply, your naive opinion infuriates me. You don't have anytime to go and learn about a subject that you obviously know nothing about, yet you have plenty of time to voice your opinion on it? How can you even have such a strong opinion if you don't know the facts? And in response to your remark about the animals licking your children, I rarely see an incident like this happen with any dog. If you keep you children a reasonable distance away from the animal, an owner is no way going to pick your children out from a crowd, walk over, and have it slobber on their faces. If you see an animal you do not want to have your children interact with, just avoid it. Simple as that. If you or your children are standing leash distance from the animal, of course it will be interested. And that frankly is your own darn fault.

you know, at disneyland, it's often a huge challenge to put much distance AT ALL between yourself and the next guest. let alone trying to keep a "leash length" between you and everyone else.

and, i live in a VERY dog friendly community....where we have, more than once, at a public park or on some other public space, had a dog run at us from more than 100 feet away, and jump in my kids' faces to lick them (and knock them down). i'd hardly say that's my fault (especially considering there's a leash law in our city). just because you "rarely see it happen", doesn't mean it doesn't happen all the time. clearly, you cannot be all places at once.

anyway, things have gone SERIOUSLY off-topic. all i was saying to begin with was that i was surprised disney would allow dogs in the park due to the liability they could incur if one of them bit a guest.

so hopefully, nobody ever gets bitten, and it never becomes a problem. i'm glad there are service dogs for people who need them. my position all along has been that i just don't see how, if the legitimacy of a service dog is not required upon entry to disneyland, that potentially dangerous non-service animals could be brought in by people who choose to abuse the system. or did you just skip over all of that and choose to pick out the parts you disagree with? geez.



these things get so SILLY sometimes, it's really astounding.

 

[Gisele]

I don't want anyone being discriminated against, either. But I don't see why it would hurt for somebody who has a legitimate service animal to carry some kind of card or something that states the animal is, in fact, a service animal, before being permitted to bring them inside a place with thousands of people, like Disneyland. They wouldn't be required to defend their disability, just show documentation that the animal is legit.

That would stop those who are not legitimate, who might really bring a dangerous animal into the parks, from doing so.

I agree with this rational. I love dogs, however, I do not want an agressive pooch, out in public.

In my opinion this thread is going to the dogs.
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[Ltl Mermaid]

It seems that people are confusing "normal" pets with service dogs. This thread is not what pets/their owners do in a public park. Service animals are supposed to be with their "person" at all times and in all likelihood would not be running and knocking down and/or licking a childs face.

Service animals are working dogs that have gone through rigourous training courses and testing.

Just to answer a question from earlier in the thread....the official DTD rules are as follows: all service animals are allowed inside all stores and restaurants (of course) non-service animals are only allowed waling to and from the kennal next to DL park. You are not able to shop or eat in restaurants.

Just an aside, I have NEVER seen animals droppings from a service animal anywhere I have been or on any of my service animal outings. I am not an owner but I am an approved handler/trainer.

Owners/handlers are trained as much as the dogs themselves. Sorry for you dog haters who are trying to point fingers and say otherwise but an irresponsible service animal owner is definitely the exception not the rule.

 

[Ltl Mermaid]

By the way....we are required to show documentation that the animal is a legitimate service animal, either an "in training" form or the official ID form and/or tag. On fact vests are not actually required but they are a visual que for security so they know the animal is performing a service and not just a pet!

 

[Disney Dreams]

...vests are not actually required but they are a visual que for security so they know the animal is performing a service and not just a pet!

Also a great visual indicator for fellow guests to know this is a working animal, not a pet.