Newsflash! Your dog doesn't have to go EVERYWHERE with you!

[SAHDad]

While there are leash laws in town, many of the mountain trails are leash or voice control.

. . .

FWIW - my dogs rarely go anywhere. I cannot walk the trails because they are too protective of me and some people's definition of voice control is laughable. Also, taking a 100lb corded dog somewhere is not conducive to making forward progress as people constantly stop you and ask if I spent all day with the curling iron doing their cords

That's very considerate of you. As a runner, I encounter a couple dogs a month (during the warm parts of the year) where the verbal control is either non-existent/non-present, or close to "sic 'em, boy!" (Dogs rank right below motorists in my book - we have no sidewalks, and we have a fair number of idiots who think it is "fun" to try and run me off the shoulder into the ditch below.)

 

[Heidict]

I just don't see the need for people to bring their dogs everywhere.

Because the entitlement attitude is running wild. They could care less how their actions affect other people, even if it compromised someones health. All that matters to them is that get to do what they want to do, regardless of what the rules of the establishment say. They are selfish and to wrapped up in themselves and there dog to extend even in ounce of common courtesy to others.

An employee of our nearest Lowes got bit not long ago by a beagle that jumped out of a cart in the store. Course it was "the first time it had ever done that".

I'm sure that is not the only case where someones precious doggy bit some one, either a worker or another customer. I wouldn't doubt it if they were trying to blame the worker.

I got bit by some little dog back when I was 18 or so. I went to a friends house and they had some little ankle biter (not sure what kind). They told me "be careful" around him because he startled easy. All I did was stand up from the couch and it's flew at me and latched onto my achilles tendon area.

The mother was saying how it was all my fault because "I moved to quickly". Seriously lady? I stood up, what the heck was I supposed to do? How is that moving quick? I was just shocked that I got bit and didn't really say anything to her. If that happened now? Oh, it would not be a pretty sight. I have gotten a bit more outspoken in my old age.



If a person has a service pet and it is not clearly marked as such, then they should have to provide proof that the animal is a medical necessity. Something in line with a handicap parking card. It doesn't have to be specific, but could only be provided by a doctor. It could state "Animal is needed for medical reasons", that's it. I bet if something like that was enforced we would be amazed at how few service animals there really are.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

That will be fun in a store where dogs are banned, but dog whistles are not.

Folks seem to think the public fell of the idiot truck yesterday--sure there are service animals....but there is no way that ALL of these dogs are service animals. Especially when a dog owner has two of them.

I get your point--but mgmt won't do anything even if the animal is a violation (note the dog poop post).

So when the police arrive, the person can point to the sign.

Do they still have the papers for the service dogs? When I was in high school I worked at a school for challenged individuals. The ones with service dogs had papers stating that their animal was a service animal and had gone thru the appropriate training. These papers were kept in the vest worn by the animal so they would be available when needed.

Now I know that you can't ask why someone needed the animal but why can't you ask for the animals paperwork? The paperwork that I remember didn't say anything about the owners disability.

If it truly is a service animal then noone should have a problem with producing the paperwork to prove it.

 

[Heidict]

If it truly is a service animal then noone should have a problem with producing the paperwork to prove it.

I have a feeling that the people who would raise the biggest stink about it are those that really don't have these animals for medical reasons or they self diagnosed and decided that they needed an animal for whatever "medical issue" they have.

 

[KPeveler]

I have a feeling that the people who would raise the biggest stink about it are those that really don't have these animals for medical reasons or they self diagnosed and decided that they needed an animal for whatever "medical issue" they have.

Well I am disabled, and I am getting a service dog, and I would ABSOLUTELY be offended if I had to prove to every person who was nosy that I really needed the dog! If my dog was not bothering anyone, why would I need to prove I needed it?

Also, there are no "papers" to prove you need a service dog. Some training agencies give papers, but you are allowed to train your own service animal, which is especially useful for people who are low income or who have complex and specific needs. It costs about $10,000 to get a service dog from an agency, so a lot of people just cannot afford it.

In a similar way, I refuse to prove I need my wheelchair. It does not affect anyone else, so I will not give my personal information to every nosy person out there.

Store managers ARE allowed to ask if a dog is a service dog, but if the answer is YES, then there is little they can do, unless the dog is creating a disturbance.

 

[DisneyKT]

Because the entitlement attitude is running wild. They could care less how their actions affect other people, even if it compromised someones health. All that matters to them is that get to do what they want to do, regardless of what the rules of the establishment say. They are selfish and to wrapped up in themselves and there dog to extend even in ounce of common courtesy to others.

You are so right. I have had large dogs in the past. Now I have a puppy. I would never bring my dog into a store it doesn't belong in. People are very selfish. Oh my dog would never bite etc. I also love when they don't pick up after the dog. Until stores start enforcing rules it won't change.

 

[jrmasm]

but you are allowed to train your own service animal

Sorry, but that's a terrible idea.

 

[BamaTigger]

I am so tired of the "dog is my child/family" thing, really???? Really, a dog is the same as a human to you?

Yes, my 3 dogs and my 2 cats are my kids. And they are much better than humans!

Some people really do consider their animal their "child" and I think its great. I for one do because i CANT have kids, so I treat my animals as such. Granted, I dont take them in stores...LOL, but they are MY KIDS.

 

[Scurvy]

Sorry, but that's a terrible idea.

I agree! I think for an animal to be going to be accepted as a service animal, it ought to receive professional training both for the task it's supposed to be performing and to ensure it will be well behaved in public and it then should receive paperwork (or something - a badge or whatever) that proves it completed that training. People with service animals should be required to present the paperwork (or badge, license, etc) to the owner or manager of an establishment if they are asked if the animal is a service dog. Otherwise, there's nothing stopping people from taking their pets everywhere and claiming they are service animals. I can't imagine that a person with a legitimate service animal would object to something like that - I would think that they would be more annoyed than anyone at all the people with their fake service animals.

ETA - I know service dogs in training need to go out in public as well. They should also be issued some sort of paperwork so they can do that. But I shouldn't be able to call my pet a service dog and take him to the grocery or the movie theater where pets aren't allowed, no matter how much I enjoy his company. There should be a clear and easy way to distinguish between real service animals (including those in training) and pet animals.

 

[Mermaid02]

Well I am disabled, and I am getting a service dog, and I would ABSOLUTELY be offended if I had to prove to every person who was nosy that I really needed the dog! If my dog was not bothering anyone, why would I need to prove I needed it?

Also, there are no "papers" to prove you need a service dog. Some training agencies give papers, but you are allowed to train your own service animal, which is especially useful for people who are low income or who have complex and specific needs. It costs about $10,000 to get a service dog from an agency, so a lot of people just cannot afford it.

In a similar way, I refuse to prove I need my wheelchair. It does not affect anyone else, so I will not give my personal information to every nosy person out there.

Store managers ARE allowed to ask if a dog is a service dog, but if the answer is YES, then there is little they can do, unless the dog is creating a disturbance.

There should be papers- to prove the dog is legit. The health department has rules about animals in stores/restaurants for a reason.

YOU CAN TRAIN YOUR OWN SERVICE DOG? The average Joe doesn't know how to train his dog to sit and stay, let alone be a service dog. Gimme a break. This has to be one of the biggest scams I have ever heard of.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I recently moved out to the suburbs (and am crying a bit inside, although I do love our house and our neighborhood) but when living in downtown Seattle, we would see dogs EVERYWHERE. Central Seattle is not car-friendly at all, and so many people use their feet, bikes, and public transit to get everywhere. I have two German Shepherds and I'll be honest that if I was going to walk 60 minutes roundtrip to go to the post office, the bank, and to grab a coffee, my dogs were sure as heck coming with me. Why would I walk around all day running errands, and then come back home and take the dogs for a walk? Many businesses here are dog friendly and have water bowls on the patios and dog biscuits at the counter. I think that this level of integration in an urban setting means that the dogs that are taken out on errands are generally more well-behaved than an average suburb pooch. My husband's office (with several thousand employees) is also dog-friendly - however the dogs must be on a leash and under your control at all times and any dog that shows aggression will be asked not to return.

That said, I can't imagine taking my dog to a grocery store. Ewwww! There are simply places that dogs don't need to be. A grocery store that we used to frequent in the downtown area had a "tie up" area outside the store that was shaded and had a water bowl. I also don't even take my dogs to the pet store anymore - can you imagine navigating the store with 60 lbs of kibble and 200 lbs of German Shepherd? So I can't imagine taking my dogs on any errands that require more than a few minutes at a bank or post office counter. And my dogs are very well-behaved and friendly, but even I don't want to deal with them when I'm trying to get something done!

 

[LisaR]

Whatever happened to the time when service dogs were required to wear a vest that prove they were actually a working dog? Just because granny feels better when she shops with Fido doesn't make him a service dog.

 

[DBL101]

I used to be bothered by this. I have decided not to let it bother me (or my allergies, or my children's allergies, etc), and am going to stop at a pet store tomorrow and get a good dog whistle. That way, if I see an dog which is almost certainly not a helper animal (no, I am not going to buy that your teacup Chihuahua is "helping" guide you around the store), I can simply pull out the dog whistle and see if I can whistle a jaunty little tune on it.

I don't care for it, but will ignore them if they're aren't many and they don't bother me. I will complain or refuse to visit the store if there are too many. I started running into too many dogs off-leash while just trying to walk thru the park, so that is why I purchased an electronic baton. If they get close enough to touch me or my family, they'll find it a shocking experience.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

FTR I am not a pet person, I don't like the stray hairs, the smell, the face licking, crotch sniffing, need I go on? I don't hate animals, I do not mind animals as long as they are not humping my leg or attacking me and my children. I don't even mind them at festivals or parks or any outdoor open area even if it's against the rules as long as you have control over your pet and don't let it loose to bother others.

BUT there are certain places that animals should not be allowed like grocery stores or public open food areas, that is gross and should be prohibited of course unless it is a service dog. and I agree with a PP just because your dog does not want to be left alone in the car does not make it a service dog.

 

[VillageMama]

Whatever happened to the time when service dogs were required to wear a vest that prove they were actually a working dog? Just because granny feels better when she shops with Fido doesn't make him a service dog.

I totally agree with you about the folks who feel they "need' Muffin with them for emotional assistance.

But unfortunately you are wrong about service dogs being required to wear a vest to prove their credentials. I wish that was so... we used to raise service puppies for a legitimate group.

When the federal laws were being established, advocates for the disabled (rightly) lobbied to have as much access as possible for their service dogs. To make it easier on the person, they are not required to prove the legitimacy of their dog.

That way, if Mrs. Smith needs to hurry to the market for her meds and forgets Roscoe's cape or papers, they can not be turned away.

I don't think anyone envisioned all of the abuses of those laws back when they were written. The culture was a little different then. People didn't take their dogs to people places just for fun. Maybe people didn't have as big a sense of entitlement as many do now. Paris Hilton hadn't made travel pups popular yet.

 

[LisaR]

I totally agree with you about the folks who feel they "need' Muffin with them for emotional assistance.

But unfortunately you are wrong about service dogs being required to wear a vest to prove their credentials. I wish that was so... we used to raise service puppies for a legitimate group.

When the federal laws were being established, advocates for the disabled (rightly) lobbied to have as much access as possible for their service dogs. To make it easier on the person, they are not required to prove the legitimacy of their dog.

That way, if Mrs. Smith needs to hurry to the market for her meds and forgets Roscoe's cape or papers, they can not be turned away.

I don't think anyone envisioned all of the abuses of those laws back when they were written. The culture was a little different then. People didn't take their dogs to people places just for fun. Maybe people didn't have as big a sense of entitlement as many do now. Paris Hilton hadn't made travel pups popular yet.

Thanks! I never knew if it was an actual law or not. I can certainly see both sides. I definitely don't want to make it harder on the person that needs a service dog but there are so many people that take advantage.

 

[HelenePA]

Charley would. He loves going anywhere with us. Honestly. He's just happy to be with us, all the time.

Your dog enjoys being with you.. he does not enjoy the shopping itself. I'm pretty sure he doesn't not want to help you pick out a new shirt at the mall, or your veggies at the grocery store

 

[PatsMom]

I love my cat and I tolerate dogs. I have friends who own dogs. I will play with them. I will pet them. I will let them climb on my lap. I am not allergic to them. But I don't like to see them in stores. They just don't belong there.

And because of a childhood experience I am very afraid of a lunging large dog. I have a pretty good size bite scar on the back of my leg to show anyone who cares to know why I am afraid.

I recognize that service dogs fulfill a necessary duty. They hear for the deaf, sense seizures, see for the blind, etc. And a legitimate service dog trumps my fear of large animals. If I see a German Shepard on a harness wearing a vest, I understand the dog is a well trained service dog and I can deal with it. I've even shared a Disney bus or two with a service dog who was staying in the same building at Saratoga Springs as we were one trip.

A dog does not belong in a grocery cart, I don't care whether it is a service dog or not. If it is an emotional support dog, and your needs are so bad you can't grocery shop without the dog, make it walk or carry it at least. And what is wrong with making the dog wear a vest? By taking the dog into a place where animals are not normally allowed, you are already labeling yourself as disabled in some way and needing the dog.

Some businesses near my home choose to be pet friendly. One large outlet mall comes to mind. I choose not to patronize those stores.

 

[Mermaid02]

I totally agree with you about the folks who feel they "need' Muffin with them for emotional assistance.

But unfortunately you are wrong about service dogs being required to wear a vest to prove their credentials. I wish that was so... we used to raise service puppies for a legitimate group.

When the federal laws were being established, advocates for the disabled (rightly) lobbied to have as much access as possible for their service dogs. To make it easier on the person, they are not required to prove the legitimacy of their dog.

That way, if Mrs. Smith needs to hurry to the market for her meds and forgets Roscoe's cape or papers, they can not be turned away.

I don't think anyone envisioned all of the abuses of those laws back when they were written. The culture was a little different then. People didn't take their dogs to people places just for fun. Maybe people didn't have as big a sense of entitlement as many do now. Paris Hilton hadn't made travel pups popular yet.

If Mrs. Smith's forgets her handicapped placard and parks in a handicapped parking space and gets a ticket- she's out of luck and pays the fine. I dont' see why it would be anymore difficult to keep her dogs vest in the car than it is a handicapped placard.

 

[Scurvy]

If Mrs. Smith's forgets her handicapped placard and parks in a handicapped parking space and gets a ticket- she's out of luck and pays the fine. I dont' see why it would be anymore difficult to keep her dogs vest in the car than it is a handicapped placard.

Or Mrs Smith could be issued a license in a plastic holder (like those people use on lanyards) that stays attached to her dog's leash or harness all the time. That way any time she put the leash or harness on she'd be sure to have the license, and surely she wouldn't be taking him out without the leash or harness.

I know that there was no way to know back when the rules were devised that purse pets would become so popular, but I think that now those rules need to be revisited.