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One of the problems is there are a lot of people abusing the service dog eligibility and it's making business owners and managers skeptical. Our local grocery store had an incident with a large dog in their produce department.
There are people who fraudulently claim their pet is a service dog. A civilian employee at Ft Riley carried around a Chihuahua as her "stress dog", and demanding that it be accepted as a service dog. She was fired for misconduct, for falsely presenting it as a service dog (including falsifying service dog documentation).
Velvet was the first service dog certified at Ft Riley and Irwin Army Community Hospital under the Army Service Dog Policy. That woman's misconduct made Velvet's certification more difficult.
I've been to places where people put ankle biting "service dogs" on the same counter that food is being served on when they pay. It's pretty gross. I think here in the Southwest people like to take their dogs everywhere and not run the a/c at home or the pet can't be left alone. Some people even have the dogs in casinos. Some have generic looking patches sewn on the dog's vest that reads "service animal" and others actually have some type of government issued ID.
A business owner may exclude a service animal for reasons of health, hygiene, safety, or disruption of business operations. Placing a dog on a counter or table is a hygiene hazard.
I'm not saying the guy in Oxford was right for refusing service, but this service dog bullshit is getting out of hand. There are also people that don't look like they need a service dog due to having the service dog, in those cases it has my blessing.
Hearing dogs, seizure dogs, diabetes dogs, and PTSD dogs provide service for people who often "don't look like they need a service dog". For many handlers, the service dog is the reason you see them at all; social isolation is common among the deaf and hard of hearing, or people with PTSD or seizure disorders- including Veterans.
My attitude as a service dog handler is the same as my attitude as a lawfully armed Citizen: If I'm not welcome in a place of business, my money isn't, either. If my friends decide that their money isn't welcome at that place of business, then it's the business's loss- and I have lots of friends.
It looks like the fella in the story has lots of friends, too.
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Hearing dogs, seizure dogs, diabetes dogs, and PTSD dogs provide service for people who often "don't look like they need a service dog". For many handlers, the service dog is the reason you see them at all; social isolation is common among the deaf and hard of hearing, or people with PTSD or seizure disorders- including Veterans.
I agree. Part of that was my point...the person with the service dog appears fine because of the service dog. If the dog was not with them, things might be different.
I know they are necessary, but it's also being abused. Some of these women I see with dogs on 10 foot leashes are not even paying attention to who their dog is sniffing or what it's doing when they are yacking up the gossip with someone they run into to. I seen one service dog almost get caught in an automatic door because a lady was not paying any attention to her dog. It was pissing me off! Poor dog.
I know one doctor's group that won't allow the dogs in the waiting or examination rooms any longer unless the person is blind. Everyone was showing up with dogs. It does not promote a sterile and sanitary environment.
You provided some great information which I agree with. The example you cited of the person using a fake service dog makes it harder on those that have a legitimate need.