Poll: Pet Ownership and Costs

[QuietlyListening]

True therapy dogs are great, I am all for them. But not a fan of people calling their pet a therapy dog so they can bring it in stores, restaurants etc. There was even case of a true therapy dog that was being attacked by non ones at a store and as it was trained to not attack was injured until they could get the other animal off the therapy dog.
Had a patient who had a dog that could detect when she was about to have a seizure. Have heard of dogs smelling cancer.

[mike]

True therapy dogs are great, I am all for them. But not a fan of people calling their pet a therapy dog so they can bring it in stores, restaurants etc. There was even case of a true therapy dog that was being attacked by non ones at a store and as it was trained to not attack was injured until they could get the other animal off the therapy dog.
Had a patient who had a dog that could detect when she was about to have a seizure. Have heard of dogs smelling cancer.

The terms are service animals and emotional support animals. In my state, a business cannot turn away a service animal except under certain conditions. However a business may exclude ESAs. Businesses are not allowed to ask for documentation of the animal's certification.

When a Service Animal Can Be Kept Out

A business or state/local government does not need to allow a service animal if the dog’s presence would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, programs, or activities provided to the public. A business or state/local government can ask someone to remove their service animal if: The dog is not housebroken. The dog is out of control, and the person cannot get the dog under control.

We have asked a customer with an ESA to remove the dog because it was out of control and, even though on a leash, would lunge and bark at other customers.

Even service animals can be excluded by a business if they are not housebroken or not under control. A friend of mine had a customer who would bring an emotional support bird in a cage into his store, and he took a lot of flak online from the community when he began disallowing entrance because of the noise and debris the bird made.

Because we are not allowed to ask for documentation, and because service animals are not required to wear an identifying vest, we do not necessarily know the difference between the two other than going by the customer's word.

[JohnH]

There are, essentially, zero consequences for lying about whether or not a dog is a service dog.

[QuietlyListening]

I thought all true certified service animals had a vest- tho then again- you can probably buy one on the internet or other places now so. But if it is a true service dog - it is well trained. At least to my knowledge. Had a friend who had service animals for the first year training them before they were sent for further training and they had to pass certain tests.

ESA- many are just people wanting to take their pet into the store- not a true ESA- which I can understand for someone with PTSD or other disorders where an ESA would be helpful. But carrying dogs in your purse, pushing them in a stroller etc? sorry to me that is not a true ESA but just an excuse to take your pet everywhere.

[mike]

There are, essentially, zero consequences for lying about whether or not a dog is a service dog.

Exactly. There are many similar scenarios. For example, our local food bank must verify a person's income for them to qualify. And how do they do that? By trusting what the client tells them. They are forbidden by law to ask for documentation. Zero consequences for lying.

[mike]

I thought all true certified service animals had a vest- tho then again- you can probably buy one on the internet or other places now so. But if it is a true service dog - it is well trained. At least to my knowledge. Had a friend who had service animals for the first year training them before they were sent for further training and they had to pass certain tests.

ESA- many are just people wanting to take their pet into the store- not a true ESA- which I can understand for someone with PTSD or other disorders where an ESA would be helpful. But carrying dogs in your purse, pushing them in a stroller etc? sorry to me that is not a true ESA but just an excuse to take your pet everywhere.

No vest required - see https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/

A trained service animal is usually fairly obvious by the very high level of control and discipline.

[Soloist]

There are, essentially, zero consequences for lying about whether or not a dog is a service dog.

Exactly. There are many similar scenarios. For example, our local food bank must verify a person's income for them to qualify. And how do they do that? By trusting what the client tells them. They are forbidden by law to ask for documentation. Zero consequences for lying.

Wife: USDA Paperwork makes it sound pretty scary if you lie about it, although I don’t think all food banks bother checking anyway because they get more money based off of how many people are using their services (also, it’s food they are giving away, not money). at least some places require last few paystubs, although that might be because they also offer healthcare.

I actually have a relative who wanted to go the therapy dog route in order to bring her dog to college dorm. Didn’t work (or she didn’t bother trying after all).

[JohnH]

There are, essentially, zero consequences for lying about whether or not a dog is a service dog.

Exactly. There are many similar scenarios. For example, our local food bank must verify a person's income for them to qualify. And how do they do that? By trusting what the client tells them. They are forbidden by law to ask for documentation. Zero consequences for lying.

Same here. I stopped by there once and filled out the form and asked them a question about how to fill out some of the data. They told me it didn't matter what I put down.

[JimFoxvog]

For some people, dogs, or other pets, can really play a therapeutic role in reducing trauma, ptsd, and other anxieties. They are very calming. Dogs also, some, are very good at predicting seizures prior to their occurrence.

Yes.

If my wife were to die before me, I might get a cat. Human affection is much more important, but if it's unavailable, having something to show affection to physically is probably better than nothing.

[Soloist]

For some people, dogs, or other pets, can really play a therapeutic role in reducing trauma, ptsd, and other anxieties. They are very calming. Dogs also, some, are very good at predicting seizures prior to their occurrence.

Yes.

If my wife were to die before me, I might get a cat. Human affection is much more important, but if it's unavailable, having something to show affection to physically is probably better than nothing.

Wife: I could totally see myself becoming a weird cat lady if soloist died.Other than the fact that I hate litterboxes, and would have to live somewhere more rural.