Thank you for posting this. I have always wondered about the affect on legitimate service dogs.
Oh I am a huge advocate of not bringing a dog to Disney, yet I do it out of absolute need. I have gone with and without my dog. But a real working dog compared to the non service service dogs is huge. And there is so much to worry about. Yes the dogs health, the kennels Disney supplies I think are great, but I worry about the health of my dog. I worry about her health, I come from WA and FL is a lot different, the heat, her paws, 10 miles a day on hot pavement, I have to grease her paws two or three times a day when there. How to get water to the dog, that I disney CM many of them are very very nice and bring ice and water to the kennel and when we stop to eat or another times, like at parades and such, they have been great.
I worry because WA does not have a heart worm problem, but FL does, but my school makes us do heart worm meds, but most pet owners don't. My school makes us do frontline or one of those expensive flea treatments, most pet owners don't.
I have had non service animals at Disney come flying towards us, barking, and scaring me who can not see, my dog does nothing without me giving it a command, so when a dog comes flying at me and I'm in a crowd and don't know how to get away, my dog and I both get scared. Okay now we will have that problem at the resort also.
As I say, my dog is not perfect, it has $60,000 worth of training, but it is a dog. Funny story, I was sitting in Epcot last May, early morning waiting for the tea tour to start so before that section of park opened, thank god. I thought I could trust my dog since it never did this before, so I told her down and very loosely had her leash. A bunnie ran right across her nose and she jumped up and ran after the bunny, scaring everyone around us, or maybe better word startaling everyone. I had her under control in less than a minute, but can you imagion that with a pet and a very in experienced owner when a bunnie runs across its nose at POR. No thank you.
Like I say, Disney is not even a place for service dogs, but in some cases we have no choice, my dog leads me all around and there is no way I could do 15 days without her. I already feel Disney should be kicking out the non service animals they allow in, those that bark, those that are not in control (within seconds, after the bunnie incident I have to say), those who are one person but need 5 different service animals. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want there dog at Disney. Those who are responsible pet owners, will either use the kennel or leave the dog at home. But there will be lots of barking dogs in rooms all day long.
Also, I will get less and less services with my real service animal, which I believe Disney has gone above and beyond what they need to do, if dogs become the norm, my dog will be seen as a pet not as a working dog who needs some special accommodations once in a while.