# Depression Dogs **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 13, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665 "2009-06-13T15:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/61 "2009-06-15T17:08:03Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > Entering the water, I can find no cases of. I have heard of a case where US passengers tried to bring their service animals on-shore in the UK, and were stopped cold, threatened to sue (it’s the American Way!), and then the story drops off the radar. That is interesting. I suppose in those cases, the strict quarantine trumps the right to bring a service animal along, which makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/62 "2009-06-15T17:15:45Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > That is interesting. I suppose in those cases, the strict quarantine trumps the right to bring a service animal along, which makes sense. It’s fairly strict due to the rabies fear. Fierra’s a UK citizen and she can’t even take her dogs back and forth without a pet passport, $, and waiting period. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/63 "2009-06-15T19:09:48Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Do you really think the regulations against dogs were put into place, or continue to be enforced, for the benefit of allergic people? That’s ridiculous. For one thing, they’ve been in place far longer than allergies have been very common. For another, there are allergens in the air everywhere, and everywhere there are people, even more so. Dander and pet hair doesn’t stay at home. I’m one of those people who are mildly allergic to animals. Walking by them doesn’t bother me. Stopping in a pet store for a few minutes will make my nose itch. No big deal. Eating at the home of a pet owner means I take an antihistamine on the way over. If I stay at the home of someone with a dog, there is a good chance that I will spend the whole stay with watering eyes and a runny/stopped up nose. It’s bad enough when the person behind me on the airplane turns out to have a dog in a carrier under their seat. I’m likely to have a runny nose the whole trip. I don’t want to even imagine what I would be like if I was assigned to a room on a cruise ship, where someone had had a dog in there on the trip before. You can pretty well bet that the carpetting, furniture and bed quilt weren’t cleaned well enough to keep me from reacting to them. So no, I don’t support forcing businesses to allow all pets at all time, as long as they behave well. Just as this society has decided that your (generic you) right to listen to loud music at 2AM is limited by my right to NOT listen to your loud music at 2AM, your right to have your puppy with you at all times should not supercede my right to not have to deal with your puppy at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/64 "2009-06-15T19:22:47Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > So no, I don’t support forcing businesses to allow all pets at all time, as long as they behave well. Just as this society has decided that your (generic you) right to listen to loud music at 2AM is limited by my right to NOT listen to your loud music at 2AM, your right to have your puppy with you at all times should not supercede my right to not have to deal with your puppy at all times. In other words, your fist, my nose, etc. > [@WhyNot](#): > > \*Which would be a pisser for the poor, of course. So are prescription meds. What’s your point? **Hello Again** – most, if not all, service animals wear special harnesses, and MUST go through training before they’re certified as “service animals.” Seeing-eye dogs and service animals nowadays are pretty much the same thing, and go through the same certification process, IIRC. Service animals aren’t pets. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/65 "2009-06-15T19:57:49Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > . . . that the Yorkie bothered anyone, except insofar as people got self-righteous and “where’s MY cookie?!” about the whole thing. > > I’d rather share a boat with a dozen polite Yorkies than one sanctimonious twit who can’t mind his own business. Standing ovation here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/66 "2009-06-15T20:06:44Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > It’s fairly strict due to the rabies fear. Fierra’s a UK citizen and she can’t even take her dogs back and forth without a pet passport, $, and waiting period. Indeed. I don’t see why someone is a sanctimonious twit if they’re genuinely asking why they can’t bring their dog but someone else can if it’s under the guise of “Oh, it’s a depression dog.” ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/67 "2009-06-15T20:17:52Z")
Some thoughts on cruise lines and pets: At one time it was quite common to take your pets onboard ships. The QE2 has a kennel, I believe. And of course Titanic had one. Clearly this is something they no longer build ships to include. Probable reasons - the lost income from the poorly utilized space, passenger allergies, differing laws and quarantine times between countries, and the fact that the liners evidently didn’t need the business of people who insisted on bringing their pets. Out with kennels, in with onboard surfing and ice skating. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/68 "2009-06-15T20:34:22Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > See, here’s the real problem I have: people who put \*depression \*in scare quotes, like it’s not a worthy illness. I’m allergic to straw. Under the ADA you need to keep it out of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/69 "2009-06-15T21:05:36Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > **Hello Again** – most, if not all, service animals wear special harnesses, and MUST go through training before they’re certified as “service animals.” > Seeing-eye dogs and service animals nowadays are pretty much the same thing, and go through the same certification process, IIRC. Service animals aren’t pets. Precisely my point. I am disputing that a dog who generally keeps you calm is in fact a service dog, when it is not trained as such. And argue that a dog NOT trained as such should not have privilege do go anywhere a human goes, as a service dog does. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/70 "2009-06-15T22:43:56Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Precisely my point. I am disputing that a dog who generally keeps you calm is in fact a service dog, when it is not trained as such. And argue that a dog NOT trained as such should not have privilege do go anywhere a human goes, as a service dog does. Oh, okay, sorry I misunderstood. **kidchameleon** , I’ve been needing a new sig – may I? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/71 "2009-06-15T23:05:26Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > That’s actually quite interesting, but it would surprise me if depression were considered a to be disability under the ADA. There’s a billboard around here that says, “Nobody says, ‘Get over it, it’s just diabetes!’ Depression is real.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/72 "2009-06-15T23:22:58Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > There’s a billboard around here that says, “Nobody says, ‘Get over it, it’s just diabetes!’ Depression is real.” I don’t think anyone’s saying it’s not – just that it doesn’t necesitate use of a service dog. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/73 "2009-06-15T23:23:20Z")
[Apparently, only some instances of depression qualify](http://depression.about.com/cs/disability/a/ada.htm): > [@](#): > > Although clinical depression is a mental impairment under the ADA, not everyone with clinical depression will qualify for coverage. In 1999, the Supreme Court ruled ( Sutton v. United Airlines, Inc., Murphy v. United Parcel Service, Inc. and Albertson’s Inc. v. Kirkinburg) that the determination of whether a person has an ADA “disability” must take into consideration whether the person is substantially limited in performing a major life activity when using a “mitigating measure”. This means that even though clinical depression is a permanent condition, if you are able through medications and therapy to perform major life activities without difficulty you will not meet the ADA’s definition of “disability.” > > Some feel that these decisions weakened the ADA as it applies to those with depression. Those diagnosed with depression will no longer automatically fall under the ADA’s protection. This does not mean, however, that persons with depression are without recourse. Instead, it means that they must prove that they continue to experience limitations despite their medications and therapy. If your job performance is compromised by your illness despite the fact that you are in treatment, you would still be protected under the ADA. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/74 "2009-06-15T23:37:35Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > [Apparently, only some instances of depression qualify](http://depression.about.com/cs/disability/a/ada.htm): You may want to acquaint yourself with the ADAAA that came into force this year. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/75 "2009-06-16T01:57:35Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > There’s a billboard around here that says, “Nobody says, ‘Get over it, it’s just diabetes!’ Depression is real.” > [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t think anyone’s saying it’s not – just that it doesn’t necesitate use of a service dog. And I’d like to add that I’m saying this as someone who has suffered from depression, and is still taking Paxil to treat an anxiety disorder. > [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > You may want to acquaint yourself with the ADAAA that came into force this year. If that’s the case, then perhaps you could post us a cite for that. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/76 "2009-06-16T02:11:54Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If that’s the case, then perhaps you could post us a cite for that. [http://www.access-board.gov/about/laws/ada-amendments.htm](http://www.access-board.gov/about/laws/ada-amendments.htm) Sec 4(a)(3)(E)(i) The determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measuress… ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/77 "2009-06-16T04:00:59Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Oh, okay, sorry I misunderstood. **kidchameleon** , I’ve been needing a new sig – may I? By all means. Send it to all ends of the dope! ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/78 "2009-06-16T07:05:55Z")
I gotta say there are some fucked up abuses of the ADA law. I mean SHEESH! I’ve dealt day to day with someone with “anxiety” that she HERSELF creates. Other day I was over her house. She’d received a power shut off notice… She was having her anxiety attack. She was all " I want to keep my Christmas lights on …they make me feel happy." She’s also abnormally attached to her dog. She HAS to be with him 24/7…It is SO fucking insane. A lot of the people who have “theraputic” animals that aren’t really certified theraputic are like this…merely really messed up. I mean under ADA, I could have claimed that I needed my cats as “hearing ear” cats in college. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/79 "2009-06-16T14:30:24Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > There’s a billboard around here that says, “Nobody says, ‘Get over it, it’s just diabetes!’ Depression is real.” Yeah, I know. I have it. Which you would know if you had read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665/80 "2009-06-16T15:18:44Z")
The point of having service animals trained isn’t just to help the disabled person, it’s to ensure that the animal in question doesn’t bite someone, crap on the rug, hump strangers legs, start fights with other service animals, or do any of the ill-mannered things that untrained animals do. If someone asserts that their pet is a service animal because it keeps them calm, it should still have all of the socialization training a service animal goes through to be certified, and not given a free pass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-dogs/499665.md?page=5)