Posted on 04/03/2016 9:59:59 AM PDT by PROCON
The Saint Bernard was wearing a service vest and tearing into a quadriplegic woman’s golden retriever on the floor of the mall food court. Both dogs were allegedly service animals. But after mall security tore the Saint Bernard off, its owner blamed the other dog owner’s disability.
“He said his dog was startled by her wheelchair,” Angela Eaton, one the golden retriever’s trainers told the Daily Beast. “Well service dogs should be growing up around a wheelchair.”
Service animal fraud is a growing problem in dog-friendly Colorado, says Eaton, who has been training service dogs for 35 years. State legislators agree; the Colorado House unanimously passed a bill on Monday that would make it a crime to misrepresent a pet as a service animal in the state. But vague service dog guidelines and a growing acceptance of “emotional support dogs” have blurred the line between pet and working animal.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I recently saw this fraud while working at a major, national grocery store.
People would bring their dogs in, no service dog markings, and either plop them down in their grocery cart and go shopping or just let them accompany them during their shopping. Quite often, clean-up of "doggy mistakes" was necessary.
Management's position was to let them be, as they didn't want lawsuits emerging in the event the dog was an "emotional support" animal.
The whole thing has gotten out of hand and I'm glad someone is cracking down on the frauds.
My dog is a support animal, and as such is not allowed to be in restaurants or grocery stores, only certified Service dogs and a very few other animals, yet I see all sorts of dogs in grocery stores, usually Chihuahuas, Pekingese and toy varieties of many breeds, which just creeps me out because a lot of people carry them and then handle food they don't purchase.
It’s time to start regulating this policy and enforcing the law on violators. I’ve seen all manner of ‘Companion Animals’ with the owner expecting to gain full access.
I know someone who considers his Iguana as his ‘Companion’, and puts him on a thin leash.
Can an Iguana be trained in any meaningful way? How about a Cockatiel, or maybe a Pot Bellied Pig in a tailored sweatervest? Personally, I really don’t know. The animals are adorable, but probably not officially Companions. The owner wants to sit down in a restaurant with everybody else, and nobody wants to be the ‘mean person’ who questions that choice.
I’m a big dog lover, but abusing the rules and claiming your dog is a service dog just to be able to take the dog everywhere with you is dishonest and wrong. There are plenty enough businesses that welcome pets, patronize them. Don’t lie.
When I worded in a grocery store the only time we got involved was if said dog was aggressive. Too much hassle and and the fact that corporate always sided with the customer ev if they admitted it wasn’t a service dog made it not worth it.
One of my dogs is a therapy dog, not a service dog. We belong to Faithful Paws Therapy Group.
We are heading over to a convalescent home in an hour to meet our group and visit with the folks who are stuck in this facility for weeks, months or for the rest of their lives.
This is different than me saying he is my service dog, just because I say he is.
Nowhere more than in California is this abuse so rampant.
One HIV+ illegal alien from Guatemala had an IGUANA, another lady had a baby KANGAROO.
The list goes on and on, and if you so much as ASK if they’re legit they can sue you to all hell.
I’m glad to see that, too. Recently, I was shopping and heard a small dog yapping. Rounding the corner of one aisle, I saw a person in a wheelchair with a small dog on his lap. If the dog were a service dog, it would have been trained not to bark at strangers.
No service vest was visible, but the owner still had the dog in the store.
I have also seen several service dogs in the same store, properly trained and very obedient. The other animals are giving certified service animals a bad name.
This country is going down the tubes with the number of emotionally handicapped people or outright scammers who bring a dog into places where they should not be, including restaurants and grocery stores. I find it hard to believe that times and people are so much worse now than 20 years ago that a dog is necessary in every situation.
I see the obnoxious frauds all the time and tbey should be prosecuted.
My local Home Defect is starting to really get out of hand with this. One day I thought I was in a pet store.
A few times my first stop was the plumbing aisle to grab a 2 foot 3/4” iron pipe nipple for protection. Just in case. Then on to other shopping.
One time a Shepard really started getting out of control but luckily the owner calmed him down.
The day is coming when we have regular attacks in stores.
Few weeks ago at the local Home Depot I saw 4 different dogs being walked around in the store. Asked a clerk and he said they were service dogs in training. Trainers were allowed to bring them to get used to things like the fork lifts etc.
I was eating at Taco Bell recently. There was a lady there with her pathetic little rat on a leash Waltzing around making sure everyone saw her stupid dirty little “service dog.” She never explained what service the little cur actually provided.
I’m not a big fan of pets and couldn’t wait to get out of the place. What right does she have to force others to look at her dog.
Real service dogs are awesome but not for phantom maladies.
And don’t get me started about people who bring their stupid cats on airplanes.
Sheesh, I’m glad I haven’t flown since before 9-11-2001.
Yes, retailers are cowed (npi) by these frauds. Funny how they have no problem questioning people about parking in handicapped spaces.
We have seen the same in a lot of stores and grocery stores.
This past week we went to our local Walmart, and a street person was trying tell the door ladies that his adult pit bull was his service dog. The big dog had a length laundry drying rope around his neck.
A 6’+ Marine, with a t shirt, hat and arm tats saying US Marine and his posture said that, stopped and listened for a few seconds. He, then used some Good Marine/Navy language and told the bum to get his bleeping dog outside and away before he use the dog as suppository on the bum.
The scumbag and his pit bull left. The Marine got some fist bumps and Semper Fi’s.
All three of my varmints are “emotional support” dogs. I can’t imagine life without them, but I’m still grown up enough and stable enough to go out in public and leave them home whining for a bit. ESPECIALLY in a grocery store...really??
No reason to be sorry.
When the time comes, if it comes, I’ll protect myself.
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