One of the definitions for manners is “good form.” The wonderful high school student who helps me with social media was traveling recently. The family had their adorable poodle with them. She had gone in several shops with them, but when they got to a particular big box store, they asked (good manners) and were told they could not bring her in. Then the friendly clerk said, “She is so cute. You should just go online and order a service dog in training vest for her.” (Cue sound of Clare’s head exploding when my assistant told me.) This sort of action is bad form, bad manners and IMMORAL BEHAVIOR.
This behavior is lying and cheating. It’s cheating because people who need service dogs and who have well-behaved service dogs have issues because of the bad behavior of others. Imagine being challenged or harassed in public because someone thinks your service dog should not be allowed. Then imagine that part of your disability makes it difficult for you to interact with people sometimes; you just want to go quietly to the grocery store and have your dog help you with physical or other issues.
So, manners, people!! Thinking about others as well as just what is fun or easy for you is part of good manners.
(Tank is a service dog-in-training for vetstovetsunited.org and I love working with him!)
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I see this issue come up all the time unfortunately, because a lot of people just don’t understand the difference between a service dog, therapy dog, or an emotional support animal. People who lie about their animal’s training and job make me so frustrated.
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Thanks for giving me a blog topic; all those definitions. On it!!!
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Happy to be of service!
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I have seen people use those vests illegally and it makes me so mad, but I have also seen certified dogs with their owners disrespect others and do what they want to do which is also not fair, so will not go into a rant here but do know how you feel.
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I hear you Ruth and I agree there needs to be responsibility on all sides.
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So true! Great reminder. I tend to leave disability dogs to their jobs. I know they aren’t there for me to pet.
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Oh no. That’s just not good. It’s great that you are letting it be known so people understand that’s not the right thing to do. Love your blog name by the way!
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Thanks! YAYDog! stands for “you and your dog” š
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Thanks for writing this! Too many people don’t understand that it is wrong to claim a dog is a service dog if it isn’t!
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I see this issue being spoken about more and more often these days online. It’s certainly a concern that we have people claiming to have service dogs when they don’t. There’s a lot of work involved with a pet being certified and that should be recognized, not only out of honor for the certified team but also so that our society can continue to have these important services offered.
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Why is it not a criminal offence to put a service jacket on a dog (or cat) who is not a qualified therapy animal? Really???
What is happening is abuse!!!!!! This brasses me off totally. Unless a dog or cat can present papers proving their qualification (or a therapy card maybe – something like a card or even a licence discs for a collar) It should be a spot fine for abuse of the law.
* sits grinding teeth in anger *
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Some states are looking at just such laws!
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I have heard several comments like this as well. I don’t think people really get it and how this kind of deception really impacts real service dogs and the people who depend on them.
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This is a great article topic! I wish more people understood what goes in to training a service dog and why not all dogs should be allowed the privileges that a well-trained service dog has. I have heard stories about people’s emotional support animals acting up/behaving poorly and creating a bad rap for service dogs as many people don’t know the difference. Service dogs are trained for years and upheld to high standards to gain the status required to travel everywhere their handler does. Thank you for the article.
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I actually think that there ought to be some type of documentation, whether it’s electronic simply because people are abusing the system. Everyone thinks their dog is well-mannered, until they aren’t. Please – many of us know people with legitimate needs who need to have trained service dogs. It is not fair to these folks to game the system.
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Wow. I’m amazed and often times stunned at how people think sometimes. You are right about that IMMORAL behavior with no consideration for those that REALLY need and have SERVICE dogs. Okay to rant…totally understandable and valid concern.
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