Oh that would be so fucking COOL.
A fucking pig, you say? Is that like a special-use service animal?
Well, they say pigs are pretty smart, I wonder what a pig could be taught that a dog couldn’t.
Insert obligatory ‘To Serve Pig’ Twilight Zone reference.
There seems to be on-going confusion regarding Jewish law and pigs. The only thing forbidden by Jewish law is eating pigs. Owning a pig, touching a pig, using a boar-bristle brush, being around pigs, images of pigs, etc. etc. are not forbidden by Jewish law. Using pig-derived pharmaceuticals or medical devices (replacement heart valves, for instance) to save a life is arguably required because saving a life takes precedence over the prohibition. (Likewise, if actual starvation would be the alternative then eating pork is not just permitted but required, as saving life is more important. And by “starvation” I don’t mean “breakfast is an hour late, pass me the bacon” as reasonable people know.)
It’s Muslims that see pigs as so unclean that they are not to come into contact with humans, and if they do, said humans need to be cleansed.
There have been issues involving Muslim cab drivers and service dogs, like seeing eye dogs, in Chicago due to Islam regarding dogs as “unclean” (apparently, not quite as bad as pigs but getting there). However, it is my understanding that the Koran makes a distinction between working dogs or those providing a service (which would apply to the Seeing Eye or Guide Dogs for the Blind) and those that are essentially useless [del]parasites pets.[/del] So actual service/working dogs should be OK, but as often happens, theory and practice do not always match and the average member of the group may not be fully informed or have mistaken ideas about the rules of that group.
Personally, I think there should be some sort of certification and licensing of service animals. Something to demonstrate basic training and socialization even for emotional support animals. This will probably vary a bit by species but certainly for dogs there should be such basics as “sit”, “stay” and being reliably housebroken.
That would piss me off, as well. I’m allergic to many kinds of dogs. Sadly, exactly the kind that I would want to own myself.
If someone has a trained animal, I will gladly make any necessary accommodations so they can have their trained support animal at work. Bring on the Claritin. But a snugglepuppy so they feel less stressed? Not so much. And I certainly have days when having my snugglekitty around would really reduce my stress.
These fake “service” dogs are a plague in my neck of the woods, which is lovely, liberal brownstone Brooklyn.
I’m sick of them. Every clown with a badly-behaved, noisy dog has gotten a vest for the dog online somewhere and insists that the animal is a service animal.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the area is also a hotbed of anti-vaxxers.
The same kind of asshole who is perfectly happy to let all the other kids take the (minimal) risk of getting vaccinations so that their kid doesn’t have to, and can free-ride on the herd immunity, is the kind of person who insists on bringing their dog with them to dinner in restaurants, to dentist visits (not kidding), into grocery stores and everywhere else.
Wouldn’t be surprised if I saw one in church soon.
True but they can ask what service does your animal provide.
I really think service dogs that are exempt from “No Dogs Allowed” under ADA should be licensed by the state and proof provided upon request.
That’s a great article, coffeecat. Thanks for posting it. Nice to read that one of the violators (or as the article calls them, liars) was Ivana Trump. Also pretty depressing to read that the number of emotional support animals registered (with an organization that sells products, not the government) went from 2,500 in 2011 to 11,000 in 2014. Who knows what it’s up to by now?
Another thing that few seem to talk about: do pets really enjoy being dragged everywhere? I don’t have dogs so maybe they love going to Home Depot and the opera. But my cats do not (DO NOT) want to be dragged anywhere. They want to be in their house. With their toy mice and their cat tree and several soft chairs and beds to sleep in. Period. I’m pretty sure that turtle in the article wasn’t having a great time. Leave the animals alone, people!
(BTW coffeecat I love your screen name.)
Cat at the opera. Best unintended visual of the day. Thank you.
My dog is particularly fond of Broadway. She’s been to see Cats at least a dozen times.
I’m a botanist. I wouldn’t be caught dead without my service ficus.
I could see a dog wanting to be everywhere, not because of the location, but because their person is there. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be their specific person. I’m dog-sitting for a friend’s mother this week, and her neurotic chihuahua goes into a panic if she’s not RIGHT BY ME ALL THE TIME.
Oh. My. God. I’m surprised I haven’t had more trouble.
My dogs love going bye-bye but not always where we end up as it could be very boring. Even knowing that, and even tho I have an actual honest to gawd service dog, I do not take him everywhere.
I generally go by the “Swing your fist” rule - that is, your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins. Basically, if it causes no distress, damage, or liability, I don’t care. I may thing they’re a particularly useless tool, but whatever. It’s not my place to fix people’s bad upbringing.
Now, that said, I HAVE seen legitimate service animals barred beause of a particular proprieter’s bad attitude. In THAT respect, abuse of the Service Animal privilege violates the ‘swing your fist’ rule, in that abuse of the privilege inflames bad attitudes, and makes it more likely that someone with a legitimate need will be abused.
Bolding mine.
What about seeing eye dogs? Would you object to seeing them in church? Sheesh, a properly trained seeing eye dog is better behaved than many kids.
HA! Fortunately someone else saw it and warned me but it was RIGHT in front of an elevator. Shockingly I don’t think anyone else did before we found a cleanup person.
Im willing to be educated. How does a service dog help the deaf? its not like they do any good barking to warn their person if they cross a street and theres a bus careening towards them.
Im as patriotic as the next guy, but often resent someone getting special privileges just because they were in the military (topic for a different thread). Unless I see Sparky getting up and hand feeding an armless, legless vet Im skeptical how they are “service dogs”.
See that to me is the “weirdo” category. Millions of people have severe mental disorders but can leave their pets at home to go out in public then come back to them. I’m not mocking PTSD: but the military doesn’t have a monopoly on mental illness.
All that said, I agree with you there is a gulf of difference between a wounded marine being accompanied by a German Sheperd wherever they go versus some old bat smoking a cancer stick blowing her car on a slot machine with Poochy sitting next to her developing a bowel movement. Im probably wrong: pets do a world of good for the deaf, wounded and PTSD sufferers; but someone who really shouldn’t be bringing a dog into a public establishment only to have it shit on the floor sure leaves me with a negative opinion on the whole thing!
They alert deaf people to noises. So, for example, such a dog will go to their owner when someone knocks at the door and get the person’s attention, indicating a knock, after which the deaf person knows to answer the door. Likewise ringing phones, smoke alarms, crying babies, etc. While sound-activated flashing lights can also do some of this, animals don’t require power or various devices to do this. So, for example, if a deaf person is traveling their service dog could wake them up when a standard alarm clock goes off, or when the hotel gives them a wake-up call.
I’m not as familiar with “hearing ear” dogs as seeing eye dogs, but they do serve a purpose.
It’s not just emotional support - some of the PTSD dogs are working with people who also have permanent injuries and are trained to, for instance, stand very still while the person uses them to help steady themselves while getting up or down from a seated position, or help steady the person on uneven footing. These sorts of injuries aren’t always very visible, but they are real.
The dogs can also be trained to do things like turn on a light switch. So if the PTSD suffer wakes up in the dark screaming due to a flash-back the dog can turn on the bedroom light, thereby helping to re-orient the person to the present and help end the “episode”.
I’m not 100% conversant with everything the vet service dogs are trained to do, and no doubt there is some fine-tuning depending on the needs of the individual vet. I’m occasionally skeptical about their use in particular cases, but I think there is a niche for them.
And, certainly, ANY service animal needs to be reliably house-broken and socially trained to behave in public.