Service Dog at Fort Wilderness Cabins?

[leopardspot]

What do I have to do in order to bring my service dog with me? We are staying in a cabin at Fort Wilderness. Can my SD stay in the cabin alone?
Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Basically the answer would be no.

Several thoughts/questions I had immediately on reading this are what kinds of service does your dog provide, and why would you want to leave the dog alone if it is a service dog.

I do know there are certain areas at FW where people are allowed to have pets.

I do not need/use an SD. However, why would you not need to take the dog with you to a park?

I am not raising these questions to challange your integrity, but I am sure questions such as these would be asked by the CMs at the Front Desk. And if you leave the SD in the cabin and Mousekeeping comes along, there could be a problem. Also if the dog is barking while you are away.

 

[dclfun]

I am also a SD user and would also wonder why you'd leave your dog alone. I am not questioning your disability and need for a SD either but most of us who travel with SD's do so for a reason, and that reason is that we need our SD's with us at all times to do tasks for us that we cannot perform for ourselves and would be at a real disadvantage w/o them. Other than that, no, you could not leave your SD alone in any of the resorts. There is housekeeping coming in, your dog could panic without you and bark, have an accident if you're not there to take him/her out, etc. If you must leave your dog while you visit the parks then there are kennels for that purpose. ---Kathy

 

[leopardspot]

I am not talking about leaving the SD at the resort for hours on end. The SD would be going to the parks with us. I am talking about leaving the SD at the resort for maybe an hour or so alone. The SD is for depression/bi-polar and we try to take my son out without the dog daily. The doctor has told us to do this. I know this is an invisible disability but even so it IS a disability.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

It probably wouldn't be a good idea to leave the SD in the cabin while you're away, just in case Mousekeeping came in. They do have a kennel at FW though, where you could leave the dog while you and your son go for a walk. It's marked as number 11 on this map (down near the bottom right hand corner) and is near the main entrance to the campground. I think I read on here that Disney doesn't charge to use the kennels for SDs, though I don't know whether this is all kennels on property, or just some.

Don't worry, a lot of us here understand a fair bit about invisible disabilities, and none of us would ever dream of questioning your son's disability. The only reason these guys were asking these questions is to prepare you in case CMs ask similar questions. If your son needs to spend a little time away from his SD every day, then that's what he needs, full stop.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[SueM in MN]

I think I read on here that Disney doesn't charge to use the kennels for SDs, though I don't know whether this is all kennels on property, or just some.

Someone had posted that they were not charged when they let their service dog at a kennel. That is not official policy and it is not required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Other people who have left service animals at the kennels have posted that they were charged.
So, expect to be charged and if they don't charge, consider yourself the recipient of some pixie dust.

If you had your own camper and were parked in a 'dog allowed area' , you would be allowed to keep your dog (any dog, not just a service animal) in the camper while you were gone for the day. There are no 'pet allowed' cabins in Fort Wilderness Cabins, so if you need to leave your dog, you would have to bring it to one of the WDW kennels. They might make an allowance for an hour or so for a walk without your service animal, but I would not leave it there without making sure you have an official OK in case anyone sees/hears it there and complains.

Many people have Service Dogs for invisible disabilities, and those dogs would have the same protection under the ADA. No one is saying that service animals for invisible disabilities are any less valid than having a service dog for visible ones (and in fact, no one knew your SD was for an invisible disability until you posted it).
Since you did not mention only leaving the dog alone for short times, people made assumptions that you meant to leave it while you went to the parks/for longer periods.

One of the problems with internet communication is that sometimes what is perfectly clear to the writer is not clear to the people who are reading it.

In general, the only questions that someone with a service animal can be asked are:
- is this a service animal?
- what tasks has the animal been trained to perform?

 

[zorro77]

If a service dog comes to OKW is their a site that gives me the information of where we can take the dog for exercises. Also, does that site include information about service dogs at all the parks. See you in April.
OKW 4/4 to 4/14/08

 

[SueM in MN]

You would need to ask at the resort if there is a the specific place for that resort.
For the parks, the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park lists the service animal break areas. There is a link to the text for the Guidebooks in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can pick up a copy of the Guidebook at Guest Relations any park (they may have one at your resort also).

 

[patchchild]

Would it be possible for one adult to stay at FW with the dog while you and your son went off for a while?

 

[SueM in MN]

What do I have to do in order to bring my service dog with me?

I noticed that this question didn't get answered.
You should let the resort know that you will have a service dog. That will prevent some problems; in case anyone makes a complaint that they heard or saw a dog, the front desk will already know that you have a service dog there. Also, if there are any specific places for dog 'break areas' you could find out when you check in.

 

[terri01p]

Whenever you make your reservations at the FW Cabins you need to let them know of your service dog, you will have to bring with you your paperwork proving he's a service dog and all of the doggies medical records etc. All his acredited papers, so just bring all his paperwork because they are very strict but after that whatever you do with your doggie in the cabin you won't be bother, they will go out of there way to help you. Have fun, we love FW.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Whenever you make your reservations at the FW Cabins you need to let them know of your service dog, you will have to bring with you your paperwork proving he's a service dog and all of the doggies medical records etc. All his acredited papers, so just bring all his paperwork because they are very strict but after that whatever you do with your doggie in the cabin you won't be bother, they will go out of there way to help you. Have fun, we love FW.

That is false information. You are not required to show any type of paperwork for a service dog in the US. You don't need to show certification or any veterinary records/certificates for a service dog in the US. You also do not need to inform them beforehand about your service dog if you do not want to (I never do - some hotels will say they have no rooms or that they don't allow dogs [even though SDs are ALWAYS allowed except for in small B&Bs 5 rooms or less if the owner lives on the property] and not accept a reservation from you).

Like others said, leaving your SD in the cabin/room isn't a good idea, especially if you've never travelled with him before (since you won't know how well he travels, you don't know if he'd be frightened to be left in a strange place alone - he may bark or be destructive or make a "mess" out of fear/anxiety). Disney is only a short trip, so ask your doc if it will be okay for you to not do your one-on-one (two-on-one?) time with your son on those days (you might be too tired to do it after being in the parks all day, anyway!).

 

[dclfun]

Agreed- no veterinary paperwork or credentials are required however his SD should of course have current vaccinations. As Sue also mentioned, the only thing that can be asked, and may possibly be asked to someone whose disabilities aren't apparent are:, are you disabled?, is this your service dog?, and also, what TASKS does your dog do to help you that you are unable to do for yourself?. The task question is key and it must be something that mitigates a disability. No task(s)=no service dog= no public access. Other than that nothing else can be legally required. I've always asked at WDW resorts whether or not there's a dedicated break area but usually just go to an out-of-the-way place at the edges of the resort or on some grass across from the parking lot. It sounds like you will have someone in your party to pick up any "leftover gifts". ---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

As Sue also mentioned, the only thing that can be asked, and may possibly be asked to someone whose disabilities aren't apparent are:, are you disabled?, is this your service dog?, and also, what TASKS does your dog do to help you that you are unable to do for yourself?. The task question is key and it must be something that mitigates a disability. No task(s)=no service dog= no public access. Other than that nothing else can be legally required.

In my first post on this thread, I posted a link to the Department of Justice page of information.
They suggest printing copies of the information and giving them out to places/businesses that need education.

Airline are under a slightly different set of rules (they come under the Air Carrier's Act, not the ADA). I don't have time to look for it right now, but if you google Air Carrier's Act and dogs or animals, it should come up.

 

[terri01p]

All I was going by was my experience whenever we stayed in the cabins at FW, I was asked to bring all my dogs paperwork along with me whenever I went and I did and they did ask to look at it, so false information or not all I can go by is what happened to me whenever we went to FW.

I did ask them when making my reservations their procedures for taking our service dog and this is what happened to us so maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all, I don't know, I can only go by by experience.

 

[Schmeck]

If you plan to leave the dog in a kennel, I'd bring proof of all necessary vaccinations. Every single kennel we've ever used required paperwork of vaccinations. I'd want all the other dogs that could be in contact with my dog to have the proper shots, and if I worked at the kennel I'd want to be certain the dogs that I might have to handle have had their shots.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you plan to leave the dog in a kennel, I'd bring proof of all necessary vaccinations. Every single kennel we've ever used required paperwork of vaccinations. I'd want all the other dogs that could be in contact with my dog to have the proper shots, and if I worked at the kennel I'd want to be certain the dogs that I might have to handle have had their shots.

good point.
The specific information about what is needed to kennel a dog is in this link to the DIS site's page about kennels at WDW. I included the link in the first post I made, but it's good to highlight it.

All I was going by was my experience whenever we stayed in the cabins at FW, I was asked to bring all my dogs paperwork along with me whenever I went and I did and they did ask to look at it, so false information or not all I can go by is what happened to me whenever we went to FW.

I did ask them when making my reservations their procedures for taking our service dog and this is what happened to us so maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all, I don't know, I can only go by by experience.

No, I think it is important to know this happened to you. You only did what you were told was needed; it's not your fault that they asked you for something that they should not legally done. Posting it here allows people to get some education about their rights, so maybe the next person won't have it happen to them.

 

[dclfun]

I'm wondering if, since Ft. Wilderness also allows pets in designated pet loops that they DO require proof of vaccinations? Perhaps the CM who asked for the paperwork didn't realize it was a SD and that rules are different for SD's. That said, it's easy just to show a rabies tag and I do carry my SD's veterinary paperwork including proof of all her vaccinations. I do this for my own benefit in case she were to become ill and need emergency care. I also travel with a little basic medical kit for her including ear wipes, meds for diarrhea and allergies, baby aspirin, and her doggy toothbrush.---Kathy

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Yeah, I'm sure the CM who told her to bring paperwork didn't realize the dog was an SD or that there is a difference - or maybe she was so used to saying the info. for ppl with pets that she forgot. Either way, such paperwork isn't required for an SD inside the US.

If your city/state requires a rabies tag to be worn (I think most do), that should be on the dog, of course.

For a kennel, yes, for health/safety reasons I'm pretty sure they can require proof of vaccinations (usually this includes the majors as well as the bordetella [kennel cough] vaccine).

I recently got a new SmartPhone for a cell phone and will be scanning all my dog's docs into it for in case of emergencies. If you don't have a phone with which to do that, you can scan them in and save them onto a USB drive. That way, you're not having to carry around a binder of paperwork.

I have the RuffWear first aid kit and added some other items to it, including an in-ear thermometer, stethescope, first aid swabs (the cotton swabs you break for the liquid to flow down into the cotton), etc. I still need to get a tube of EMT Gel to add to it. Ear wipes, ear cleaning liquid, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are part of her luggage when we travel, as well (along with many other items ... perhaps TOO many other items!!).

 

[Schmeck]

I recently got a new SmartPhone for a cell phone and will be scanning all my dog's docs into it for in case of emergencies. If you don't have a phone with which to do that, you can scan them in and save them onto a USB drive. That way, you're not having to carry around a binder of paperwork.

But then you'd have to carry a laptop (and maybe a printer) - for no CM in their right mind would let someone else plug an external device into one of the WDW computers.