Service dog people.

[draggar]

This is clearly fratching so I took it here. This was said on a morning show this morning:

Backstory until about 3:00 when the real serious parts come up and then a few minutes later when the personality comments about his own dog.

I'm in the middle of writing a letter about this that I want to send to the show, the station management, the parent company, the ADA, and maybe a few local service dog clubs.

Before I do this, though, I want to hear other opinions about this - am I overreacting?

[DrFaroohk]

I guess I'm not sure where the bad part is...I would have a problem with people taking their faux-service dogs on planes too if the thing barks and pees on me.

[Andara Bledin]

I didn't listen to the whole thing, and I'm not sure what the "reaction" even is, since the OP doesn't mention the actual subject of their letter, so I have no way to judge if it's an overreaction or not.

Some clarification would be useful.

^-.-^

[draggar]

Listen to the audio - about 3 minutes into it is where my concerns begin and then later where the personality comments what he wants to do with his dog.

The story about the lady at the airport (and the other one on the plane) are irrelevant but just a back story so people can see where the comments are coming from.

[jackfaire]

Overreacting to which part even listening to the audio no I have no idea what your issue is.

I agree the service dog thing seems like BS. However it could be it's a service dog that is being flown to someone that needs the dog I don't know.

However their entire radio show sounds less like it should be on the air and more they should be sitting in a bar after work.

[HYHYBT]

It's rather hard to form an opinion on whether *you* are overreacting when we have not heard the contents of *your reaction to* that audio. And that is, after all, the question you asked.

[Hyena Dandy]

How can we tell whether or not you're overreacting if we don't know what the reaction is?

[Jester]

I have no idea what your reaction is, but I do have a few comments of my own.

We have seen more and more people, almost always women, coming in with lap dogs, toy dogs, purse dogs, whatever you want to call those ridiculous little things, and claiming they are "service dogs," which means we have to let them have the dogs in our establishment. Now, health code precludes pets in our restaurant/bar type establishment, with the exception of service dogs. So they claim these little dust mops are service dogs, and some of them even have the little service dog sweaters, what have you, despite the fact that these dogs are clearly not doing anything, the people who have them are clearly not impaired in any way, and there is no apparent service that the dog is rendering.

Here's the fucked up part.

We recently learned at one of our regular alcohol safety seminars that, by Florida law, we are not legally allowed to question people who claim their animal is a service dog, even if we think it is a load of hooey. We can't ask what service the dog is performing, we can't ask to see the paperwork, nothing, nada, zero, zilch, squat, dinkus. In other words, all these people have to do is SAY that their pet is a service animal, and we are powerless to prevent them from bringing said animal into our food service establishment.

Welcome to Florida. Would you like to counts some chads with us?

Now let me say a few things right here. I have absolutely nothing against people with genuine service dogs who are actually, you know, providing a service, like seeing eye dogs, etc. These animals perform a noble service, and no one I've ever heard bitching about this latest trend is including them in their vents. Also, while I am not overly fond of these ridiculous little toy dogs the size of small rodents, I have nothing against them per se. But calling them service animals just so you don't have to be apart from your Widdle Pwecious is utterly fucking ridiculous, and is a mockery and an insult to those people who require actual service animals.

Hint: If your pet can fit in your purse, it is not a fucking service animal!
Hint: If your pet is not performing any kind of useful or functional service for you, it is not a fucking service animal.
Hint: if the idea of your pet being a service animal makes people giggle, chuckle, or laugh, it is not a fucking service animal.

So yeah, I have no doubt that this idiocy being foisted upon the food service industry is also affecting the air travel industry. My condolences to my brethren in the friendly skies.

[Andara Bledin]

Actually, Jester, you're wrong on that.

There are many services that pets of many different types can provide that do not require them to be large or even mammalian.

These include animals that help warn of seizures, animals that can help calm owners who have issues with psychosis, and help as an extra set of hands.

Unfortunately, if these assholes who don't actually have service animals keep up with their douchebaggery, they're going to start ruining it for people with actual service animals.

^-.-^

[Eisa]

I think the only one that really applies there, Jester, is if it isn't performing some sort of service for you.

But it's also true that if people don't stop being douchewaffles and calling their fluffy pwecious diddykums "service dog," it's gonna fuck people up with legit needs and legit service animals.

[Jester]

There are many services that pets of many different types can provide that do not require them to be large or even mammalian.

These include animals that help warn of seizures, animals that can help calm owners who have issues with psychosis, and help as an extra set of hands.

And how many of those perch on their owner's lap, or sit in their purse, looking around at everything and doing precisely nothing?

And by the way, I have no doubt that there are service animals I know nothing about. No doubt at all. But I also have no doubt that the vast majority of people bringing in these questionable service animals in to restaurants, bars, and airplanes are more full of shit than a port-o-potty at a Mexican food festival during Cinco de Mayo.

[Hyena Dandy]

Andara's not saying nobody lies about it. What she is saying is that there's no way to tell a service dog from a non-service dog/other animal without knowing the specifics.

[Jester]

That's true. But what I am saying is that most of these "service dogs" aren't.

I'm sorry, can anyone here give me an example of a lap dog or toy dog that serves an authentic service animal function? I could be wrong--and often am--but I just don't see a Yorkie or a Chiuhuahua as a freakin' service dog.

[Andara Bledin]

The smaller breeds, including chihuahuas, are often trained for use as service dogs for issues such as epilepsy and other neurological disorders that have an initial physiological effect that humans won't notice but that they will. They can alert the person who they service to those changes, giving the person the opportunity to take medicine to avoid an actual episode.

It really is a shame that the law has gone so far on the side of the disabled that scammers are going to ruin it for everybody who doesn't require a full sized dog to help them live a more normal life.

The law needs to change to allow for fakers to be challenged. And fined as heavily as anyone who would use a handicapped placard without need.

^-.-^

[bainsidhe]

It's not even just the purse dogs, it includes the big dogs that jump up and slobber all over other customers, get excited and go into fits of barking. You know, like many untrained pets will do that don't belong in a store setting. I too want to give people the benefit of the doubt, I really really do. But it gets hard when you see people who seem to be taking clear advantage of the law. And then you have legitimate folks with a service animal getting grief because now employees are jaded about ANY animal coming into a store/restaurant.