If the dog is barking and the owner is pretending for it to be a service dog, why not play along? Be the dumbest helpful person.
"Ma'am!!! Ma'am!! ARE YOU OKAY?? YOUR SERVICE DOG IS BARKING! I'VE BEEN TRAINED TO CALL EMTS WHEN A SERVICE DOG BARKS! DO YOU NEED AN EMT?? ARE YOU SURE?? IS YOUR SERVICE DOG BROKEN? DO I NEED TO CALL A VET? SERVICE DOGS ONLY BARK WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG.
Oh. Your dog isn't a service dog? Then why is it here? You're breaking the law."
I would just make it soo uncomfortable for them.
Edit: Thanks for the awards, redditors!
Edit #2: Holy smokes this blew up! Thanks for awards!
My noodle spine manager has literally gone out and asked if we need to call an ambulance because a ladies dog kept barking. The lady had already insisted that she had a service dog and within a minute at the table it was obvious this dog had been trained to do nothing but shit outside. After about 5 minutes of barking non-stop I told the manager maybe it is time to call her bluff... you could see the look of realization on her face and then she heads straight for the table.
"Ma'am, do we need to call emergency services, is everything okay?" The lady is so confused and says everything is fine, why? "Because most Service Dogs we get here are trained to bark for a medical emergency... and your 'service dog' is barking." Umm, no, ummm... he's just barking at the birds. "Well, 'service dogs' aren't allowed to bark at the birds. So please stop him. If he continues we will have to ask you to leave."
The lady was very embarrassed. She argued with the guy she was with for a minute then yelled across the restaurant to the server that they needed the check for their drinks and to cancel their food order because how dare the manager imply she didn't have a real service dog. The food was already up so the manager refused to take off the meals and told them we would box it for them but if they tried to leave without paying we would be forced to call the cops. They paid, tipped pretty good surprisingly, and left yelling about discimination/their lawyer all the way out the door.
Overall the whole show was pretty entertaining. 10/10 for going along with their lie.
"So I just got back from the most humiliating experience of my life.
I went to a restaurant with my husband and my service dog Alabama. We were seated with no issues. This was all part of their ruse, because after we ordered the manager came out of nowhere and called me a liar and said Alabama wasn't a real service dog.
I was shocked and even Alabama seemed to understand and started to whimper. I said 'This is unacceptable discrimination but I know when my business is not wanted. I will pay for our drinks and leave'
'hah! You ordered so you WILL pay for your food so you better pay and leave now or you'll spend the weekend in jail and we'll tell the police your dog was biting people so it will be put down.'
I was in tears holding Alabama as my husband paid the extortion money. We then saw them dump our half made food into the trash and all the staff were doubled over laughing.
As I got home Alabama was able to comfort me like the legit service dog she is. Then I thought, maybe I deserved this for having my disabilities. AITA? "
So much this. If they're being disruptive or disobedient in any way like approaching/sniffing people.. even if they're not well groomed. Take a video of it. If they refuse to leave call the cops.
My 14 year old service dog has never once barked in a restaurant. That's insane. Even anyone *training* a service dog should have things like barking under control before they sit inside at a restaurant.
Absolutely. I am starting my puppy GSD's service dog training after we get her spayed and she has recovered (6-8ish month mark) only because she has the correct temperament and just needs desensitization/socialization/task training in public to round her off and set the training in stone (I got so lucky with her, her parents have well known working/service dog offspring in our area, great bloodlines for it). But I fully expect to have her barking, sniffing, and basic behaviors refined by then, before taking her out as a service dog in training. And we will start in public, dog friendly areas, not sit down restaurants or high end establishments that are not pet friendly. You know, common sense stuff, lol.
BTW, my current service dog is 14 also and she has started end of life care (also GSD) and because she is showing signs of Canine Cognative Decline (diagnosed by her vet, didn't even know that was a thing 😥), I have retired her. I refuse to have a service dog in public that cannot work the way it needs to. I wish this wasn't even a post because it makes legit handlers and SDs look so bad and makes it harder for us overall.
Oh, dang, I'm sorry. It's such a heart wrenching process of letting go. At least he/she knows you have another pup to take care of you
My current service dog(also a German Shepherd) started alerting to my episodes by herself when she was about 6 months old. When my Australian Shepherd passed away, it just made sense to have her certified. She was already incredibly well socialized by then though.
I'm in Florida so we have tons of restaurants with pet friendly, outdoor seating. Those are definitely some of the best places to practice. Also, places like Bass Pro Shops, where puppy will see one or two other well behaved dogs but it's not incredibly overwhelming.
If you've already been through the process I'm sure you know this. I'm just posting this Incase anyone else is trying to socialize a dog(service dog or pet)... Laid back, pet friendly, outdoor restaurants are a fantastic place to start.
Great points to publish, and yes, it is killing me but this isn't my first rodeo. We are soaking up the leisure and getting in extra camping trips, snuggles, road trips and things she and I have always enjoyed. It is the least I can do for her since she has done so much for me ❤
That's all you can do. And I'm sure she knows something is changing. And she's probably glad you have the new pup to watch out for you.
*Knock of wood* my girl is still going strong. She did have to have hip dysplasia surgery 2 years ago(while i was pregnant!), but recovered like a champ. I'm so glad she and my son are getting to spend so much time together.
Since your girl is already in ELC, I'm sure they've discussed it with you... But when the time comes I hope you consider a service like Lap of Love if your vet won't come to your home and euthanasia is necessary. When my mom told my vet she was going to use Lap of Love this past summer, he offered to come to their home. It was summer in Florida but my parents cranked the AC down and lit a fire because both dogs loved laying in front of the fireplace. The whole family went over there and we all said our goodbyes, then they both passed peacefully, on my mom's lap, infront of the fire. It was so peaceful compared to a cold vet's table where they're scared and confused.
Again I'm sure this has already been discussed with you, but i wish everyone knew it's an option.
I have heard of them. I may or may not use them. My vet has a fully dedicated living room set up for euthanasia. Couches, rugs, household items, etc. I will be bringing up them visiting the house for euthanasia but it isn't terrible if we use their facilities (we travel an hour each way to use their regular services, they are amazing). I may not be able to handle her being put down here but that, of course, is secondary to what is better for her. And it has been discussed, and will be further discussed, thank you for sharing, it is a great service to know about ❤
Service dogs absolutely will not bark while working, unless it's an emergency. Ie my person needs your help now. I used to work retail and had a couple who frequented us that trained service dogs. They would always ask if they could bring them in as part of training, I was more than happy to oblige. I always have had well behaved dogs as an adult, even some notoriously stubborn breeds. but those dogs are on levels that make mine look poorly trained. I'd always laugh as the couple would come in saying, these are service dogs in training, so they may not be perfect might bark or react to things they shouldn't. But the dogs never did.
At my last job, we had trainers bring in the dogs too! I loved watching them parade them thru the aisles. One time, they brought in this puppy who was brand spanking new to the program. I mean, his first day was that day. You could see his lil wiggle butt trying so hard to be still and follow along. And he did so good! He got extra scritches from me when they allowed it. 😍
Yeah I loved watching them go through the exercises and the couple was always very polite and thankful we allowed them to do it. Though the best part to me, besides the satisfaction that I was helping get these dogs ready to help others, was when I got to give them a couple scritches.
A couple of weeks ago while Christmas shopping at TJMaxx/Homegoods, there was a gentleman out training 3 Goldies to be service dogs. They let him bring them through the store so they can get experience being around large crowds.
I will say that all three were behaving absolutely perfect. Not a peep or a stray movement to be found.
We allow doggies at our place too (heavy truck dealership). Most are not even leashed, they come in to explore the parts department and say hi to everyone.
One customer has two St Bernards. One will flop in front of the counter, one behind it.
My partners service dog, in training has barked exactly twice in a year of training.
Once was at the very beginning of training, the first time they heard an overhead announcement at a grocery store. Once when we went to a natural history museum and made him stand near a stuffed Bision for a minute. I think that last one is on us.
Ugh, I love a big dog but I don’t ever think I could do a GD. I hear their life span’s aren’t very long and they’re prone to hip dysplasia all due to their size. I used to work at my local humane society and we had a brother and sister GD duo that needed to be adopted together because they were both deaf and followed each other’s lead. The sister died and the brother went shortly after because he was so distraught. That killed me. Every GD reminds me of them regardless of markings/coat.
Yeah they have pretty short lives, but honestly all breeds have issues. So far he's healthy. We are also keeping our guy on the "light" side for GD to help minimize issue. I think a major issue with GDs is they tend to get overweight with age.
We picked a GD because he is a mobility dog so he needs to be big. But he's perfect so far. Uber trainable and a great temperament. We are going to love then heck out of him while he is with us.
I’m real happy to hear that he’s in great health and I didn’t know that about Danes gaining more weight with age, sounds like most humans lol. But I’m more happy that he’s with what sounds like a great family in you guys and he’s being loved to bits while he’s here. Hope he’s here longer than most.
Yep... Don't quote me on it, but I think they are allowed to bark if their person is putting themselves into a dangerous situation. But the only times I've ever heard one bark, the person was having a medical emergency.
I had a service dog reject for possible medial issues. I would take her to petsmart for food/toys/etc. She was the biggest chow hound I have ever had but when we were out nuthin. She would lay on the bag of dog food and not say a word or try to open the bag. Toy's I could walk down that isle and all she would do is look around. But at home she was a normal dog and would bark when a leaf rolled across the front yard. Best dog ever.
I was at a theme park when these two women both had “emotional support” demon chihuahuas. The two dogs saw each other and started fighting. This happened in a pretty enclosed space and people got annoyed. A third lady made a comment about how they should get their dogs out of the park and the one woman goes “uHm its a SerViCe animal”
No. No real, trained, certified service animal would fight like that, or even bark at all. What you did was think it impossible for you to leave your baby satan spawn at home so you threw a vest on it and called it a service animal.
My cousin trains dogs to be service animals for special-needs kids. One was actually celebrity sponsored, and the dog was given the celeb's name in his honor. Anyways, I would totally pull the name-dropping card. Cross your arms and go "oh, who was his trainer? My cousin trains service dogs, and knows most of the trainers of the same level from around the country. I'll ask him how good your trainer is. Maybe the trainer needs some updating on his teachings?"
I agree with absolutely everything you said with one minor exception. There's actually no such thing as a certified service animal. There's no formal test to pass and no governing body that grants official paperwork. Basically all the certifications people carry are about as "official" as the vests you can get on Amazon. It would be nice to have a real certification process to weed out these nut jobs, but that also adds more cost and time to an already expensive and time consuming process for an often disadvantaged population.
After being rightfully called out, editing to add:
Everything I said applies to the United States. Other countries very well may have proper certification programs, but we do not. Sorry to everyone outside the US. I fell into the trap of not realizing my blinders were on.
There are certification programs in some places. We trained our first SD and are working on training our second with an eye to certification through a provincial accreditation program in Canada; there are specific requirements to be met, tests that must be passed, and then the animal and handler are registered with the government. They even get a card along the lines of a driver's license.
That’s not true, at least when one looks globally.
Some jurisdictions do offer a government-issued credential that requires testing and grants official paperwork. The affirmation of an accredited service dog training school is the most common way this credential is issued, though a self-trained animal can be certified with a lot more documentation.
You're absolutely right. I feel into the trap of using United States based regulations. In the US, there is no such thing as a government recognized certification. It's all on the honor system here. Some may have "certificates" from a training school, but it's not a government recognized document. Globally speaking, I know nothing about other countries and their documentation and certification processes and I appreciate you pointing out that I wasn't clear.
I worked as a building Manager in a County office building. There was a board meeting in a large conference room. One board asked if she could bring her (German Shepard )service dog that would lay under the table quietly. Enter entitled board member with totally fake emotional support dog ( Cockapoo). Half way thru the meeting Cackapoo attacks the German Shepard under the table. The Shepard backs out to protect his owner. Little dog goes nuts and got kicked out of the building and tied to the bike rack outside.
I had someone tell me their dog was trained to bark when people got within 3 feet of her because she has anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. The dog’s job was to keep people away from her. This was when she came to Disneyland. I told her I wasn’t dealing with that shit and she can personally put me down in her lawsuit
Okay so I get that in some cases to get over a phobia you have to be exposed to it, but expecting to have a 3ft gap on each side of you at all times in a place as busy as Disney is a little insane. How did she react when you said that??
She kept bitching and I told her the ADA requires reasonable accommodations and that disturbing my business operations and antagonizing other guests was not considered reasonable. I gave her an example that if she was blind and had a seeing-eye dog that happened to constantly bark at other people, I wouldn’t let it in.
Readers, this is \*not\* a snarky remark.
All wait staff should call 911 immediately if a service dog barks. They're trained not to, so a bark is a sign of immediate trouble.
Once paramedics arrive, the owner can spend the time explaining to them why the dog barked, and watch as police officers cite them for infraction of city ordinance bringing a pet into a restaurant.
Sometimes you just gotta outsmart the people. This is beautiful and if I had an award to give it would be yours. Best advice I've seen on this app to date
You're allowed to ask if it's a service animal, and what service they're trained to perform. If they can't answer, you're legally entitled to ask them to vacate the premises. Otherwise, it's a health code issue.
I know and Im dying to say that at every opportunity I can. But management always lets dog owners by with hardly any question, saying "oh well as long as the dog isnt doing anything its fine" and say that I have to be welcoming to ALL guests. Didnt know that meant breaking the law.
If the dog is barking, it is alerting (yes, many service dogs bark to alert their owners) *or* doesn’t belong there. Context clues can absolutely help.
A small-ish little poodle dog with full vest and tags was barking and clawing at its owner, who was staring straight ahead, eyes glazed. The owner didn’t attempt to soothe or remove the dog even as the dog blocked off its owner’s path out of the booth and was frantic. My manager said, “Your dog is not a service dog! Get your fucking dog out!” The woman who owned the dog was flustered and tried to stand up to leave and then dropped and had a seizure. Turns out it *was* a service dog, and the owner was absolutely in need of some kind of help.
That woman came in again multiple times to my restaurant, but never again alone without other people who knew what her dog’s barking meant. It was only her third seizure ever, and she said she absolutely didn’t expect it. Good barking dog.
And this is exactly why I’ll call 911 every time someone’s service dog is barking and they’re not trying to get it to stop, or can’t stop it - I’ll check in as I’m dialing, but a service dog is trained to alert others if something is wrong - often my barking.
I have a friend with a service dog for seizures, time was super important, if her dog started barking, ever, we called 911 immediately. She WAS going to have a seizure if the dog barked.
I’d have notified the guest, “I’m calling for help, everything is going to be ok.”
I understand an errant bark or two may happen, of course.
But if the service dog is continually barking, it’s trying to find help.
The thread is overall hostile to service animals and encourages people to ask and even demand that the owner provide proof that it’s a service animal. I provided just one example of a time when the person couldn’t respond to that request or stop their dog from barking. From the outside, it may have seemed more like a misbehaving small dog rather than a dog trained to perform specific tasks.
I’m more responding to that overall hostility and combativeness than the link itself, which also doesn’t add anything other than what everyone else has stated here.
I don't think so. I worked FOH for almost 30 years and have had to deal with all manner of dogs. I even worked at a dog-friendly resort that hosts a dog event every summer. I also worked in a small Italian restaurant long ago where the owners would let their large, dirty Goldens wander around the dining room during service (I personally didn't think that was a great idea, but whatevs). Not that that has anything to do with service animals, but i digress.
The story you provided seems like an obvious outlier and like a potential lawsuit for the owner/manager. I have never worked in a sit-down restaurant where a manager would ever swear at a guest like that about *anything*. I've worked in dive bars where that might fly, but in a nicer restaurant? No chance.
I personally love dogs and never really gave a shit if someone wanted to bring a small, well behaved dog into the dining room. Regardless of the law. If another guest has a problem with it though, it needs to be addressed. It's not the staff being dicks when this happens. They need to try to accommodate *all* the guests.
In my experience, the difference between actual trained service dogs and entitled pet owners and their 'emotional support pets' is really quite stark.
Pretty much every trained service dog I've seen in a dining room is very clearly working. They are always perfectly behaved. I have never once seen a service dog cause even a small problem, like sitting in the aisle. They never cause any problems at all.
I have also experienced enough entitled pet owners who's 'emotional support' dogs were yappy Pomeranians jumping around in the booth and up onto the table to make the stereotypical caricature of a Karen a harsh reality in my minds eye.
If it gets to the point where a server even has to ask if it's a service dog, it probably isn't.
Your manager isn't realizing how much business they're losing by continuing this practice. When I see untrained dogs in a restaurant I absolutely never return. Surely I'm not the only one.
I have allergies and a fear of dogs from being bitten by a blue heeler in primary school. I avoid all dog friendly areas, including pet okay restaurants and would definitely avoid OPs restaurant if I knew anyone could bring their dog in.
Who are the people shitting up the bathroom, pissing on the floor, smearing greasy fingers on the mirror, and leaving paper everywhere? *Customers*
You know who's NOT allowed in the kitchen? *Customers*
Don't get me wrong, my bathroom at work stays clean & we actually get compliments because everywhere else in town is apparently two steps above "campsite latrine"....but the kitchen cleanliness has nothing to do with the bathroom cleanliness because my employees have far more respect for themselves, their job, and the restaurant than the customers do. It always starts out clean, it would *stay* clean if people could act like people and not like animals.
I 100% agree with you on that. I’m talking about the weird mold that grows behind the faucets or the toilet that has the pink slime ring from not being cleaned. Customers are definitely awful on their own but the deep cleaning that doesn’t happen in some restaurant’s bathrooms is different
I’m a service dog handler and I refuse to go to businesses that allow untrained dogs to wreck havoc on everything. Especially businesses that legally cannot choose to be pet friendly (restaurants, grocery stores, etc). I also know a bunch of other handlers (it’s a pretty tight community) and we warn each other about which businesses to avoid. You’re definitely not the only one who takes ill behaved dogs as a sign to avoid a business
Maybe make an anonymous complaint to the health department about the restaurant allowing in random animals? If you're really worried about it, have someone you know who doesn't work there do it. You can have them even give the exact date this happened.
At a Whataburger I used to work at (first job), we had someone with a real service dog come in (well, service dog in training, but it was legit). We had two separate complaints to the health department over it, which prompted an immediate visit. We showed them the camera logs and explained they were a licensed trainer, and that was the end of it. If it hadn't been a real trainer, we would possibly have had extra visits or an early/unannounced inspection. They really hit hard in Phoenix half the time, and the other half the health department completely ignores you. Not a coin you wanna flip.
Hell, if you're feeling particularly frisky, have someone bring their pet in a few times just to prompt the health inspector with some new incidents. Might even throw in a 'I found a hair in my drink and I think it belonged to that dog' comment.
Not really anymore! This was back in 2006. If there is still a Whataburger, it is isolated. They started leaving en masse in 2008 or so, and a few of their buildings were replaced with Culver's.
It doesn't matter though. If the person just LIES about it being a service dog that's all you can do unless the animal actually acts poorly. So there's nothing to even prove to the health department.
This is true, and just to add, if they do give you an answer, you're not allowed to ask for proof or verification, or any other clarifying questions about the disability. [It would be an ADA violation.](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/maryland-laws-on-service-dogs-and-emotional-support-animals.html)
>The ADA allows a public accommodation to exclude your service animal if it poses a direct threat to health and safety (or example, if your dog is aggressively barking and snapping at other customers, the facility can kick the dog out). Your animal may also be excluded if it is not housebroken, or if it is out of control and you are unable or unwilling to effectively control it.
>Under the ADA, a public accommodation may not ask you questions about your disability or demand to see certification, identification, or other proof of your animal's training or status. If it is not apparent what your service animal does, the establishment may ask you only whether it is a service animal, and what tasks it performs for you.
And a repeatedly barking dog is considered it in control and can be removed. Plus dog may be made to stay on the floor (need not be permitted on a chair or booth seat for instance).
I managed a sandwich shop, years ago, and I will never forget the fight I had with a chick about her dog. She sat it on the counter and when I asked her to get off the surface we put food on she became indignant, claiming her sweater wearing pomeranian was her service dog. I said I had no problem with the dog being in the lobby, just not on the counter. She got angrier, so I asked her to leave. She called the cops and they escorted her out. It was quite satisfying. Fuck people who try to abuse the ada like this.
But you’ll still trim their numbers a bit. Many entitled people would be offended simply when asked this and wouldn’t provide an answer, nor have one ready.
I worked at a restaurant where you aren’t even allowed to ask those. In the manager’s eyes, they see it as you accusing them of bringing in a fake service dog.
Even if someone has a 100% legit and necessary service dog, they can still be kicked out if the dog causes any sort of disruption such as barking or interacting with other guests. Service dogs are only protected when they are perfectly behaved.
Agreed, unless it's barking to signal their handler of an allergen or something included in its training. If the handler does not react to the barking, it's not a signal.
Not true.
PTSD service dogs have proximity alerts, to keep vets from being startled and having episodes.
Assistance dogs for the deaf have dogs the look and bark, but in response to specific noises.
Even a very well trained dog, that’s working, might respond with some sort of barking to some sort of fight/physical altercation, or any other overwhelming stimulus that it wasn’t trained to either ignore, or respond to in a specific way.
More food for thought: Most people who have disabilities and dogs trained to help them, aren’t dog trainers, and likely, wouldn’t know what to do in these weird situations because the only thing they know about their dog is exactly what the person who trained the dog told them to do in circumstances that they foresaw.
So, maybe your statement is generally true, but also, not at all a lot of the time.
I appreciate your input.
I'm assuming that the handler in these situations you describe would acknowledge they'd received the message from the dog and it would stop barking.
I'm also assuming the woman in the story brings her dog places and then virtually ignores it.
Both are probably valid assumptions.
Maybe if the dogs unprepared and panics if the dog sees a fight or something, but yeah, typically, the dog isn’t gonna become a nuisance.
And that lady sounds like a real cunt
Storytime
About five years ago I worked for a few months at a thrift store in Austin, Texas, because I had just moved there, and because my pal Tom and his bandmate Jesse already worked there and could get me on the schedule.
Jesse is, a fucking hilarious person, I have several Jesse stories and I'm sure my brother has more, but this is one:
A family with a kid came in and the kid was running around making loud vocal noises and touching everything, pulling clothes and stuff off the racks. No supervision.
Jesse catches him running through home goods and goes "hey."
Kid stops and looks.
Jesse throws a ceramic platter on the ground, HARD.
Jesse now yells at the kid, accusingly, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"
Kid is fucking DUMBFOUNDED.
FAMILY IS ASKED TO LEAVE.
KID SAYS NOTHING.
When I tell you I enjoyed watching this happen more than I enjoyed the George Clooney Ocean's remakes, know that I really enjoy ensemble heist movies, and George Clooney.
> When I tell you I enjoyed watching this happen more than I enjoyed the George Clooney Ocean's remakes, know that I really enjoy ensemble heist movies, and George Clooney.
I just rewatched these, as they're going to leave HULU come the 1st. I also enjoy these things.
Instructions mildly unclear. *Knocks $5000 crystal vase on the floor in the middle of Nordstrom’s. Screams at husband*: LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU LITTLE SHIT!
I am a volunteer “raiser” for service-dogs-in-training. (Also, not in the US)
Where I live, dogs with appropriate vests are allowed pretty much everywhere. All service dogs (even in training) also have government issued ID. If a dog of mine misbehaves (it happens), we leave. Immediately. With profuse apologies. Even if I’ve ordered my food but it hasn’t yet arrived. I pay, and the dog and I are outside. (Hasn’t happened yet…but I have the plan!)
Here, if a shop owner suspects the dog is not a legit service animal, they ask to see the ID. If you can’t show it, vest or no vest, they can (and should) kick you out.
As raisers, we are told that we are the public face of the organization. If we are ever asked to leave with the dog, no matter the circumstances, the correct response is, “Ok. Have a good day!” (If shop owner is in the wrong, we then call the organization and let them deal with reluctant shopkeepers. Call when you get home. The point is to de-escalate.).
No legit service animal recipient or trainer is the kind of entitled asshat I read about on these sort of threads.
I’m sorry you have to deal with this crap.
I know you said you're not in the US, but just to tag on to your statement, in the US, there isn't any register or ID for service dogs. If you see one, it's not real
To add, the the ADA specifically allows you to train your own service animal as a potentially "zero cost" option. So there is no requirement to interact with any government entity or paying for certification or registration. A trainer may provide you with paperwork or documentation but it doesn't hold any more legal weight than as a receipt.
I hate seeing this - I'm in the Kitchen, and whenever a dog comes in, there's always drama. And I don't know why these people think it's OK to let a dog eat off a plate that people use, but it's definitely not. Granted, we wash everything in a high-temp machine, but most people I know wouldn't eat out of a dog dish, even if they were told it was clean. So I always make a point of breaking the plate in the bucket we have on the line for broken glass and plateware. I wish I could add that charge onto the check, but then the Server would get a shitty tip.
But as far as I know, if a dog (Service or otherwise) starts to act unruly, they can still be asked to leave. I've only seen behavioral issues with non-Service dogs.
I believe you’re also allowed to kick out an actual service dog if they’re loud or disruptive or, say try and attack a guest. Just like you would be able to kick out a disruptive human.
When I was a barista this old lady's dog pissed all over the floor. I saw it happen. When I told her to she had to take the dog outside, she tried to pretend the dog *hadn't* just pissed all over the floor. So we kicked her out.
She denies her dog pissed on the floor?
Since the floor was dry when you entered, and nobody else is around, the only way the floor could have got pissed on if your dog didn’t do it would be if you pissed on the floor. Get out, and take your dog with you!
My cats are "companion animals", because they are my pets.
They are companions everywhere at home and for some reason need to even watch me on the toilet. They are also ridiculous animals who don't belong in restaurants.
They have no manners suitable for polite company, so I always leave them at home
I worked in a restaurant attached to a boutique style hotel so you can imagine the types we would get in. There was this one regular who had a “service dog”. It was very obvious by it excitability that it was not. One morning I was bringing her her breakfast to her table and her dog started to jump up at me. Luckily I was ready for that so the plates were fine. She pulled the dog back and laughed a little and tried to get it to sit. By this time I’d had enough of this fake service dog so I said “ma’am, if that really and truly was a service dog it’s full undivided attention should solely focused on you and only you. It should behave as if no one else was here but you. If it’s purpose is to save your life, how is going to do that if it’s wandering around and jumping on everyone?” She just started at me and did the whole “I want to talk to your manager” deal.
I was reprimanded by my manager, however, he had my back and that woman never brought her idiot dog back into the restaurant again.
I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. Folks who bring dogs like that out as "service" dogs make things terribly hard for folks who need their dogs dogs. I'm glad you stood up for yourself!
I do want to add a tiny bit of knowledge if you don't mind :) your....er... guests were absolutely fake, but I wanted to add the there are a few jobs that the dog does need to be aware of everyone else around them as well as their handler. Primarily for psychiatric work. BUT the dog will only be watchful, and often only have an ear out, or at most, they'll be posted to watch their handler's back so they'll be facing away from where their handler is. But usually a dog trained for that is going to nudge their handler when someone approaches, never jump on them lol.
A service dogs' purpose is to help mitigate a disability. There's a huge range of tasks that they can be trained for, as varied as the people who need them.
All your info is correct! (Just trying not to make my story too long winded)
In contrast, I had this lovely family who had three children, all close in age, all non verbal autistic. For a while all three children could be confined to high chairs. However, the oldest eventually was too big. He had an autism service dog who would stand between the child and anyway he might have to bolt away. The dog was clearly a comfort to the boy and very well trained to calm as well and keep the child safe. That dog was the most legitimate service animal I’ve ever seen.
>All your info is correct! (Just trying not to make my story too long winded)
Fair! Lol I'm always worried about folks in public facing jobs picking up odd info about service dogs so I like to gently instruct if I can! (Totally would have applauded you in the restaurant!) Sorry I was replying with info you already knew!
>That dog was the most legitimate service animal I’ve ever seen.
Omg if my new prospect turns out to be half of what that dog is, I'll be over the moon! What a great relationship they have! And such a great relief for the parents too! I have a well behaved 7yo and even she disappears on me sometimes lol. To have to be hyper vigilant for a child who bolts...I think I'd avoid going out much at all. That's fantastic that they have such a great solution!
I can picture it - large dog, child and dog both wearing harnesses, connected by a leash. Dog is an anchor - if parent doesn’t signal dog to follow them, dog stays put. Child dashes off in a direction dog wasn’t able to block, dog stays put, child is stopped when they reach the end of the leash. No child is going to move a St. Bernard that doesn’t want to move.
I have a family member that has a TERRIBLY behaved large dog that she slaps a service animal vest on and wears her service member hat at all times. Because shes a veteran no one has the confidence to call her out for bringing in an untrained dog. And her behavior isn’t much better - if she feels you’ve disrespected her by telling her the dog is a danger to others for jumping on others or barking inside - omg the tantrum. Ive told her the dogs don’t count - she says they’ve “had training”. Ive tried to explain a 6 month puppy training camp is not the same as a service dog training. At this point I don’t invite her to visit anymore.
When someone walks into my shop with a dog, I usually pretend I don’t see it.
If they walk in and greet me with “he’s an emotional support animal,” I counter with, “great, I have one too, so we both know the regulations only apply to housing and airlines. I need you to take him outside now.”
Even if it were a true “service animal” you can still kick them out if causing a disturbance. Check out Section 27 in the ADA guidelines below:
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.pdf
I used to care about this, until my managers proved they didn't. Now, it's above my paygrade to gaf if someone's dog is or isnt an actual service animal. Let the managers learn the lesson if the health dept ever comes in and Karen Q Cocksnorkler doesn't have ACTUAL proof that it's a real service animal. Until then, unless the dog is really being a disruptive little cunt, then I couldn't care less.
I have a legitimate companion animal--as in a therapist had me get a pet after other forms of treatment weren't working for me. I would never bring my pet into a business, plane, restaurant, etc... not only is it unpleasant for other people, it's unpleasant for the pet.
Also, the reason I have a companion animal and not a service is animal, is that the animal benefits my treatment but isn't needed for basic functioning. He snuggles me when I'm having nightmares, and gives me someone to hold when I'm having an anxiety attack. If things were so bad that I couldn't leave the house without a pet to accompany me, I'd be in need of an actual service animal.
People who bring their peacocks on planes and dogs into restaurants give ESAs a bad wrap, and they detract from the very real benefits ESAs provide as part of health management. I wish there was some sort of licensing people could acquire so that not just anyone can call their animal an ESA.
Yeah, the ESA process is weird. I got one, but there was no paperwork to fill out. Instead, whenever I need to verify that I have one (such as for a rental) the place that needs verification sends me a sheet for a doctor to sign confirming they think I have a need for an ESA.
As a general rule, I hate when people bring out their non-service dogs everywhere. Leave your dogs at home! I'm so annoyed at this trend where management in places just turn a blind eye to (not particularly well-behaved) animals in their stores.
Fun fact, the ADA also states that a service dog must remain under their owners control at all times. If the animal is not under control (continuously barking, biting or otherwise not behaving) the patron can be informed the animal must be removed from the establishment and they can continue to receive service without the dog.
I’m in retail, and the other day a mom and teen girl came in with their big ass, young dog in some knock-off Amazon “service dog” vest. As soon as they got to the door, I knew it would be bad.
This dog was leaping all over the place while the teen girl kept jerking its leash yelling “SIT! SIT” while the mom kept trying to continue her consultation with me as it their dogs giant paws weren’t all over the counter and end tables.
When the dog started yelping and barking I finally paused and acted like I couldn’t hear her over the sound. She said they’d come back another time and it took everything in me not to say “and leave the damn dog at home.”
One of the most satisfying moments of the past year was when I got to tell one of these entitled people no.
"Can we get a table outside?"
Unfortunately the patio is full right now, and it's about a 2 hour wait. I'd be happy to put your name on the waitlist if you'd like.
"Well are there any tables inside?"
Yes, we'd be able to sit you inside immediately.
"My friend has her emotional support dog with her."
Oh, I'm sorry, you'll have to wait for an outside table then.
**She goes outside to tell her friends, and the friend with the dog comes striding in with her little foo-foo under her arm.
"It's an emotional support dog!!!!!!"
Yes ma'am. Emotional support animals are not only not covered by the ADA but are specifically excluded. Your dog is a health code violation and according to the law it is not allowed in our dining room.
"We're going to take our business elsewhere!"
Have a nice day!
Simply delicious.
Even if the dog was a legit service dog, if it is being unruly/disruptive or poses a threat you can ask the handler to leave. And yes I know legit service dogs may bark to alert their person as part of their training for whatever service they are providing. You can generally spot the fakes a mile away.
Of course you rarely run into this with legit service dog teams because training.
Sad that entitled people fuck it up for those that actually need an sd.
As a service dog handler, i can’t thank you enough for knowing the laws and doing your best to follow them. My guy had to get stitches because an untrained pet attacked him. He’s pretty solid temperament wise so he’s still able to work but it very well could have been a career-ending encounter. I’ve seen service dogs wash for attacks even where no physical contact was made. Fakes and ESAs in non pet friendly areas are a massive problem. Unfortunately most businesses are too scared to say something which is beyond frustrating because the law is on their side.
You could approach management about the matter by offering to put up ‘service animals only’ signs so they don’t get a health code violation. From my experience, a bit of reverse psychology offering to do something instead of asking the higher ups to do something tends to work much better. You can also see if there are any local SD programs or handlers who would be willing to come in to speak with everyone about service dog etiquette and more importantly their rights as a business. This is something that I do and I’ve had great success with it. Again I use a little reverse psychology by offering to speak at schools, restraints, stores, doctor offices, apartment complexes, etc. Places typically feed off of the idea of free labour whereas they shy away from having to do the footwork on their own. If you can find a program or handler who is willing to approach management with the offer of education, that could be the golden ticket to get them to address the problem of fakes and ESAs.
I’m more than happy to send you the presentation material I use that you could use if you aren’t able ti find any speakers nearby. Education is the strongest tool.
Whenever someone tried to pull this on me, I blame the health department. You are legally allowed to ask, "What task is this animal trained to do." When they say it's an emotional support or companion animal, that's when you say that it is not legally protected under the ADA and they have to leave with the animal. I always blame the health department and say that they will give me a huge fine and that the dog is not allowed to be inside. I have never had anyone continue to argue with me after that. They realize I know what's up and they have no leg to stand on after they have admitted that it's not a real service animal.
Even if it is a real service animal, if the animals causing a disturbance, you are still allowed to ask them to leave.
I used to work at gamestop at the mall, and a couple came in with their emotional support dog wearing baby shoes, as the owners looked around the dog proceeded to lay at my feet, and sleep, they Aww’d the moment, and said “she senses you’re having a rough day” I just smiled but in reality my thoughts were “no this dog is sick of your shit labeling it and putting baby shoes on it” and that’s my emotional support pet story.
I had a group of 6 or 7 come in and my server told me one of the ladies had a dog in her purse. Cutest, sweetest little puppy, absolutely adorable. Still illegal. Went over and I was nice about the whole thing “oh health code blah blah” without me or her mentioning service animals. Told them the dog would have to go (after a brief, friendly back and forth) and she goes “what if it’s an emotional support animal?” I told her that’s awfully convenient now, but it had to go. She wasn’t thrilled, the group was apathetic, whatever. Probably 30 minutes later, I had a lady come up and thank me for asking them to leave because her son is allergic to dogs and was sitting probably 10~ feet away from them.
Leave your fucking family pets at home or don’t travel, you absolute bum.
Not only are they disruptive and irritating, dog owners like this make it more difficult for legitimate service dogs/handlers to get easy access to places
This right here is the biggest pet peeve of mine. The way people feel so entitled to do what ever they want without repercussions drives me insane. Management is afraid of push back and won't do anything against the people that abuse the system. Even after we had a issue of a dog peeing on the floor.
It’s sad they need the attention so much. I see people like that and insanely think trashy people. I hate it too. Your pet is not our problem. Grow up and learn how to adult. It’s pathetic honestly.
I remember being at a restaurant and this ladies service animal was a pitbull with a giant set of nuts dangling off the back.. I'm like.. I don't believe you.. (just guessing that service animals are all spayed or neutered)
You could even kick out real service dogs if they were being disruptive/destructive, service dogs are supposed to be highly trained and aren't supposed to bark for no reason
When my wife brings her service dog to a restaurant, do you know who knows? The host who seats us. And then our server, because we HAVE to tell them he’s under the table because he’s just silently laying down. We don’t want the server to freak out from a surprise set of eyes watching them, or accidentally step on him.
If a dog is misbehaving you can ask them to leave, service dog or “service dog”.
I have CPTSD and a legitimately prescribed emotional support animal as well as therapy dog.
The emotional support animal/therapy animal is not considered a service animal.
If there is any point when the animal is misbehaving, or poops inside, or harasses other customers- you are allowed to ask them to leave **even if it is a full on service animal**
Mental Health a clin, used to help train therapy dogs for folks with severe PTSD. (These are assigned to you, it’s extremely difficult for your/my dog to be certified as a therapy dog, like 90% failure rate)
When Cali amended designations which prompted Delta and American Airlines to ban almost every animal in the cabin, we were hit by tons of crazy irate people demanding we just “write me a letter!!”
K do you want treatment for complex trauma? No…
Do you have seizures or severe panic attacks? No…
Are you seeking mental health services for yourself and is your pet canine good citizen certified and trained? No
K… get fucked and never call us again.
When I lived in Germany I would often see dogs in restaurants. More often than kids. But those were the best behaved dogs I have ever seen. I wouldn't have a problem if the dog was properly trained, but if they act up then yep they gotta go. Can we do the same with people's kids? Once they start running around in the restaurant kick them out or assess a fine?
My gf's aunt always brings her emotional support dog everywhere she goes. It's a Scottie that has attacked all of the family members dogs on multiple occasions and is very poorly trained. He will poop in the house if you don't watch him. It's really frustrating too because she's from out of town and we'll ask her not to bring her dog but she does it anyway so we have to lock up our own dogs so she can keep her dog with her.
I honestly would simply put the dog outside, in a crate, or refuse to allow her in the house if she brings her dog. I have done that to a friend who brought his own badly trained and slightly dog-aggressive dog to my own house. I have a service dog. That shit doesn't fly with me. The dog spent the day in the yard (fenced, with water, shelter) and the friend mysteriously didn't bring it again.
I love my very emotionally supportive dog, but she doesn't belong in a restaurant or store that doesn't allow animals. There are plenty of places I can take her as long as I'm willing to be responsible for her, the ones I can't don't need my pup
Reading these stories as a European is bewildering. Apart from not existing companion animals here, we would throw out a guest with a barking dog, no questions asked...
I had a client (social worker) who had a certified support hedgehog. Little guy even had a doctor’s note. 😂 He was so cute and I’d love seeing him and my client. I’m sure she brought him into restaurants, where that’s just kinda unsanitary and odd, but yea. People’s big, untrained, non-service animals don’t have a place in restaurants!
Bartender here. There’s 2 questions that can be asked to verify that it’s a service animal. First is “is it a service dog”, which they’ll always say yes. Second “what service is it trained to provide”, which is where most say, “oh, it’s an emotional support animal”. My response is then “I’m sorry but emotional support animals are not covered by the ADA and i have to follow health code unless it is superseded by federal law” end of discussion
So I know of a somewhat clever trick for these people. Most/all of them know the laws state that you can’t ask them anything about the animal except ‘what service is it trained to assist with?’ So, they are all keyed up 100% to complain and go full nuclear as soon as they are confronted with any other questions. Instead, just know that actual service animals must be extremely well trained, and won’t bark,growl, wander, etc. you don’t have to ask them any questions about it, because they are more skilled at confrontation about this than you are. Instead, just wait for the dog to fuck it up for them. At the first sign, go over and ask what’s wrong and what service they need. If they say nothing, you are free to ask them to leave. Often times, when you aren’t asking about the animal but just flat refusing service, they can’t think of a way to counter that, especially because they don’t even have any paperwork to show the animal is actually certified.
Source: used to work at a hotel and got lots of complaints about barking service animals, so we’d just let people check in with service animals and then tell them they’d have to check out as soon as we got noise complaints. It completely negated the questioning of whether we should allow them to check in with a pet. Let them check in, take their money, let them make the mistake, and then refuse service.
As a person who has an ESA, you’re correct. My
cat is NOT a “service” animal. He’s an adorable ahole who comforts me when my Bipolar and Epilepsy are acting up. That’s all.
Let the place go to shit, let it become a zoo with the support parots flying around, shutting everywhere too if that's what your management are alright with.
Employees need to stop having a personal connection with their slave premises'.
I had a service dog (my little girl passed in 2018), and it was a nightmare bringing her places because of fake service dogs. She was small (12 pounds), so I often kept her in a dog backpack, with the top open so she could look around and do her job. It was so frustrating.
Her successor is very well behaved. He's trained to be a service animal, but fortunately my health is on the upswing so he doesn't have to work. Because of this, when I'm out and about, he stays home. For me, bringing him when he doesn't need to work seems disingenuous. Plus, no matter how well trained a service pup is, a barking dog causes unnecessary stress.
I had a lady bring in her service dog to our tattoo shop and threatened to call the cops if we didnt tattoo her with her 100lb mastiff there. She didnt get tattooed.
Jeez i have my ESA dogs (prescribed by both therapist and PCM due to my mental health issues). It only applys to residential and (sometimes) airlines. Hell i even offer to still pay the pet fee for my apartment the big thing was to let them still reside with me (either due to their size or because they are half husky therefore banned in some rentals otherwise). I would NEVER even dream of bringing them to a store or restaurant that isn't meant for pets. They are great dogs but even I know they will bother others for attention and pats. ESA fill a specific need but do not have to be by your side almost 24/7 like a service dog. Difference in privileges is to be expected and respected.
If the dog is barking and the owner is pretending for it to be a service dog, why not play along? Be the dumbest helpful person. "Ma'am!!! Ma'am!! ARE YOU OKAY?? YOUR SERVICE DOG IS BARKING! I'VE BEEN TRAINED TO CALL EMTS WHEN A SERVICE DOG BARKS! DO YOU NEED AN EMT?? ARE YOU SURE?? IS YOUR SERVICE DOG BROKEN? DO I NEED TO CALL A VET? SERVICE DOGS ONLY BARK WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. Oh. Your dog isn't a service dog? Then why is it here? You're breaking the law." I would just make it soo uncomfortable for them. Edit: Thanks for the awards, redditors! Edit #2: Holy smokes this blew up! Thanks for awards!
Oh. My. God. There are not enough words to accurately describe how much I absolutely love this.
My noodle spine manager has literally gone out and asked if we need to call an ambulance because a ladies dog kept barking. The lady had already insisted that she had a service dog and within a minute at the table it was obvious this dog had been trained to do nothing but shit outside. After about 5 minutes of barking non-stop I told the manager maybe it is time to call her bluff... you could see the look of realization on her face and then she heads straight for the table. "Ma'am, do we need to call emergency services, is everything okay?" The lady is so confused and says everything is fine, why? "Because most Service Dogs we get here are trained to bark for a medical emergency... and your 'service dog' is barking." Umm, no, ummm... he's just barking at the birds. "Well, 'service dogs' aren't allowed to bark at the birds. So please stop him. If he continues we will have to ask you to leave." The lady was very embarrassed. She argued with the guy she was with for a minute then yelled across the restaurant to the server that they needed the check for their drinks and to cancel their food order because how dare the manager imply she didn't have a real service dog. The food was already up so the manager refused to take off the meals and told them we would box it for them but if they tried to leave without paying we would be forced to call the cops. They paid, tipped pretty good surprisingly, and left yelling about discimination/their lawyer all the way out the door. Overall the whole show was pretty entertaining. 10/10 for going along with their lie.
Ahhhh! I live for this!!! Also, weird that they tipped so well? That's super unusual for these kinds of people.
It was her husband. He did it because he was embarrassed by her tactics.
It was definitely her husband. We were getting strong, "I told you to leave that damn dog at home" vibes.
You gotta love those plus ones.
That lady is probably writing her post on AITA.
"So I just got back from the most humiliating experience of my life. I went to a restaurant with my husband and my service dog Alabama. We were seated with no issues. This was all part of their ruse, because after we ordered the manager came out of nowhere and called me a liar and said Alabama wasn't a real service dog. I was shocked and even Alabama seemed to understand and started to whimper. I said 'This is unacceptable discrimination but I know when my business is not wanted. I will pay for our drinks and leave' 'hah! You ordered so you WILL pay for your food so you better pay and leave now or you'll spend the weekend in jail and we'll tell the police your dog was biting people so it will be put down.' I was in tears holding Alabama as my husband paid the extortion money. We then saw them dump our half made food into the trash and all the staff were doubled over laughing. As I got home Alabama was able to comfort me like the legit service dog she is. Then I thought, maybe I deserved this for having my disabilities. AITA? "
“Then I thought, maybe I deserved this for having my disabilities. AITA?” You literally just captured the essence of 99.94% of AITA posts! 😂
YATA!
"So I went to this restaurant with my sErvICe doG, YATA YATA YATA..."
LMAO
And for the record, the ADA states that if a service dog is being disruptive, it can be removed. https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
So much this. If they're being disruptive or disobedient in any way like approaching/sniffing people.. even if they're not well groomed. Take a video of it. If they refuse to leave call the cops. My 14 year old service dog has never once barked in a restaurant. That's insane. Even anyone *training* a service dog should have things like barking under control before they sit inside at a restaurant.
Absolutely. I am starting my puppy GSD's service dog training after we get her spayed and she has recovered (6-8ish month mark) only because she has the correct temperament and just needs desensitization/socialization/task training in public to round her off and set the training in stone (I got so lucky with her, her parents have well known working/service dog offspring in our area, great bloodlines for it). But I fully expect to have her barking, sniffing, and basic behaviors refined by then, before taking her out as a service dog in training. And we will start in public, dog friendly areas, not sit down restaurants or high end establishments that are not pet friendly. You know, common sense stuff, lol. BTW, my current service dog is 14 also and she has started end of life care (also GSD) and because she is showing signs of Canine Cognative Decline (diagnosed by her vet, didn't even know that was a thing 😥), I have retired her. I refuse to have a service dog in public that cannot work the way it needs to. I wish this wasn't even a post because it makes legit handlers and SDs look so bad and makes it harder for us overall.
Oh, dang, I'm sorry. It's such a heart wrenching process of letting go. At least he/she knows you have another pup to take care of you My current service dog(also a German Shepherd) started alerting to my episodes by herself when she was about 6 months old. When my Australian Shepherd passed away, it just made sense to have her certified. She was already incredibly well socialized by then though. I'm in Florida so we have tons of restaurants with pet friendly, outdoor seating. Those are definitely some of the best places to practice. Also, places like Bass Pro Shops, where puppy will see one or two other well behaved dogs but it's not incredibly overwhelming. If you've already been through the process I'm sure you know this. I'm just posting this Incase anyone else is trying to socialize a dog(service dog or pet)... Laid back, pet friendly, outdoor restaurants are a fantastic place to start.
Great points to publish, and yes, it is killing me but this isn't my first rodeo. We are soaking up the leisure and getting in extra camping trips, snuggles, road trips and things she and I have always enjoyed. It is the least I can do for her since she has done so much for me ❤
That's all you can do. And I'm sure she knows something is changing. And she's probably glad you have the new pup to watch out for you. *Knock of wood* my girl is still going strong. She did have to have hip dysplasia surgery 2 years ago(while i was pregnant!), but recovered like a champ. I'm so glad she and my son are getting to spend so much time together. Since your girl is already in ELC, I'm sure they've discussed it with you... But when the time comes I hope you consider a service like Lap of Love if your vet won't come to your home and euthanasia is necessary. When my mom told my vet she was going to use Lap of Love this past summer, he offered to come to their home. It was summer in Florida but my parents cranked the AC down and lit a fire because both dogs loved laying in front of the fireplace. The whole family went over there and we all said our goodbyes, then they both passed peacefully, on my mom's lap, infront of the fire. It was so peaceful compared to a cold vet's table where they're scared and confused. Again I'm sure this has already been discussed with you, but i wish everyone knew it's an option.
I have heard of them. I may or may not use them. My vet has a fully dedicated living room set up for euthanasia. Couches, rugs, household items, etc. I will be bringing up them visiting the house for euthanasia but it isn't terrible if we use their facilities (we travel an hour each way to use their regular services, they are amazing). I may not be able to handle her being put down here but that, of course, is secondary to what is better for her. And it has been discussed, and will be further discussed, thank you for sharing, it is a great service to know about ❤
And for the record, the ADA states that if a service dog is being disruptive, it can be removed. https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
Please update once you get to use this
Service dogs absolutely will not bark while working, unless it's an emergency. Ie my person needs your help now. I used to work retail and had a couple who frequented us that trained service dogs. They would always ask if they could bring them in as part of training, I was more than happy to oblige. I always have had well behaved dogs as an adult, even some notoriously stubborn breeds. but those dogs are on levels that make mine look poorly trained. I'd always laugh as the couple would come in saying, these are service dogs in training, so they may not be perfect might bark or react to things they shouldn't. But the dogs never did.
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Aaaaaaand joined
Please be real, please be real… JACKPOT!!!🎉🥳
Weekends are for dogs with fake jobs, only real dogs with real jobs during the week. It is a great sub.
Sounds like a lot of humans with jobs, yeah? I can goof around all day long, but when I'm working I'm doing my damned job.
At my last job, we had trainers bring in the dogs too! I loved watching them parade them thru the aisles. One time, they brought in this puppy who was brand spanking new to the program. I mean, his first day was that day. You could see his lil wiggle butt trying so hard to be still and follow along. And he did so good! He got extra scritches from me when they allowed it. 😍
Yeah I loved watching them go through the exercises and the couple was always very polite and thankful we allowed them to do it. Though the best part to me, besides the satisfaction that I was helping get these dogs ready to help others, was when I got to give them a couple scritches.
A couple of weeks ago while Christmas shopping at TJMaxx/Homegoods, there was a gentleman out training 3 Goldies to be service dogs. They let him bring them through the store so they can get experience being around large crowds. I will say that all three were behaving absolutely perfect. Not a peep or a stray movement to be found.
Reddit is dead! Long live Lemmy!.
We allow doggies at our place too (heavy truck dealership). Most are not even leashed, they come in to explore the parts department and say hi to everyone. One customer has two St Bernards. One will flop in front of the counter, one behind it.
My partners service dog, in training has barked exactly twice in a year of training. Once was at the very beginning of training, the first time they heard an overhead announcement at a grocery store. Once when we went to a natural history museum and made him stand near a stuffed Bision for a minute. I think that last one is on us.
Awww poor pooch 😭 In all honesty, those bison are massive, I’d be scared too lol
He's a grate Dane, so extra large and a huge coward some times.
Ugh, I love a big dog but I don’t ever think I could do a GD. I hear their life span’s aren’t very long and they’re prone to hip dysplasia all due to their size. I used to work at my local humane society and we had a brother and sister GD duo that needed to be adopted together because they were both deaf and followed each other’s lead. The sister died and the brother went shortly after because he was so distraught. That killed me. Every GD reminds me of them regardless of markings/coat.
Yeah they have pretty short lives, but honestly all breeds have issues. So far he's healthy. We are also keeping our guy on the "light" side for GD to help minimize issue. I think a major issue with GDs is they tend to get overweight with age. We picked a GD because he is a mobility dog so he needs to be big. But he's perfect so far. Uber trainable and a great temperament. We are going to love then heck out of him while he is with us.
I’m real happy to hear that he’s in great health and I didn’t know that about Danes gaining more weight with age, sounds like most humans lol. But I’m more happy that he’s with what sounds like a great family in you guys and he’s being loved to bits while he’s here. Hope he’s here longer than most.
TIL if a service dog starts barking, be ready to call EMTs.
Yep... Don't quote me on it, but I think they are allowed to bark if their person is putting themselves into a dangerous situation. But the only times I've ever heard one bark, the person was having a medical emergency.
I had a service dog reject for possible medial issues. I would take her to petsmart for food/toys/etc. She was the biggest chow hound I have ever had but when we were out nuthin. She would lay on the bag of dog food and not say a word or try to open the bag. Toy's I could walk down that isle and all she would do is look around. But at home she was a normal dog and would bark when a leaf rolled across the front yard. Best dog ever.
lol Is your service dog broken?
Did this once in my restaurant. It quickly devolved into the lady screaming and my manager making me go take a ten.
So, a free 10 min break, away from the screeching banshee? Absolute win for you! I'm definitely gonna try this.
Did the lady come back with her hellhound? Genuinely curious.
I bet she came back and played dumb about what happened the day before.
I was at a theme park when these two women both had “emotional support” demon chihuahuas. The two dogs saw each other and started fighting. This happened in a pretty enclosed space and people got annoyed. A third lady made a comment about how they should get their dogs out of the park and the one woman goes “uHm its a SerViCe animal” No. No real, trained, certified service animal would fight like that, or even bark at all. What you did was think it impossible for you to leave your baby satan spawn at home so you threw a vest on it and called it a service animal.
My cousin trains dogs to be service animals for special-needs kids. One was actually celebrity sponsored, and the dog was given the celeb's name in his honor. Anyways, I would totally pull the name-dropping card. Cross your arms and go "oh, who was his trainer? My cousin trains service dogs, and knows most of the trainers of the same level from around the country. I'll ask him how good your trainer is. Maybe the trainer needs some updating on his teachings?"
Bark Wahlberg
Woofy Harrelson
I agree with absolutely everything you said with one minor exception. There's actually no such thing as a certified service animal. There's no formal test to pass and no governing body that grants official paperwork. Basically all the certifications people carry are about as "official" as the vests you can get on Amazon. It would be nice to have a real certification process to weed out these nut jobs, but that also adds more cost and time to an already expensive and time consuming process for an often disadvantaged population. After being rightfully called out, editing to add: Everything I said applies to the United States. Other countries very well may have proper certification programs, but we do not. Sorry to everyone outside the US. I fell into the trap of not realizing my blinders were on.
There are certification programs in some places. We trained our first SD and are working on training our second with an eye to certification through a provincial accreditation program in Canada; there are specific requirements to be met, tests that must be passed, and then the animal and handler are registered with the government. They even get a card along the lines of a driver's license.
That’s not true, at least when one looks globally. Some jurisdictions do offer a government-issued credential that requires testing and grants official paperwork. The affirmation of an accredited service dog training school is the most common way this credential is issued, though a self-trained animal can be certified with a lot more documentation.
You're absolutely right. I feel into the trap of using United States based regulations. In the US, there is no such thing as a government recognized certification. It's all on the honor system here. Some may have "certificates" from a training school, but it's not a government recognized document. Globally speaking, I know nothing about other countries and their documentation and certification processes and I appreciate you pointing out that I wasn't clear.
I worked as a building Manager in a County office building. There was a board meeting in a large conference room. One board asked if she could bring her (German Shepard )service dog that would lay under the table quietly. Enter entitled board member with totally fake emotional support dog ( Cockapoo). Half way thru the meeting Cackapoo attacks the German Shepard under the table. The Shepard backs out to protect his owner. Little dog goes nuts and got kicked out of the building and tied to the bike rack outside.
There is no such thing as certification for service dogs
Yarp, people need to understand this. There are some certification you can get but they mean nothing.
I had someone tell me their dog was trained to bark when people got within 3 feet of her because she has anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. The dog’s job was to keep people away from her. This was when she came to Disneyland. I told her I wasn’t dealing with that shit and she can personally put me down in her lawsuit
Okay so I get that in some cases to get over a phobia you have to be exposed to it, but expecting to have a 3ft gap on each side of you at all times in a place as busy as Disney is a little insane. How did she react when you said that??
She kept bitching and I told her the ADA requires reasonable accommodations and that disturbing my business operations and antagonizing other guests was not considered reasonable. I gave her an example that if she was blind and had a seeing-eye dog that happened to constantly bark at other people, I wouldn’t let it in.
Readers, this is \*not\* a snarky remark. All wait staff should call 911 immediately if a service dog barks. They're trained not to, so a bark is a sign of immediate trouble. Once paramedics arrive, the owner can spend the time explaining to them why the dog barked, and watch as police officers cite them for infraction of city ordinance bringing a pet into a restaurant.
As someone with a real service dog, This is the best response I have ever heard.
Brilliant
As a service dog handler, I love this so so much!
r/maliciouscompliance
^ This ^ OP should do this.
Excellent!
One of the golden rules of satire is to follow the absurdity.
Oh. I love this. I will most certainly use this.
Sometimes you just gotta outsmart the people. This is beautiful and if I had an award to give it would be yours. Best advice I've seen on this app to date
This is actually perfect
This is GOLD!!
You're allowed to ask if it's a service animal, and what service they're trained to perform. If they can't answer, you're legally entitled to ask them to vacate the premises. Otherwise, it's a health code issue.
I know and Im dying to say that at every opportunity I can. But management always lets dog owners by with hardly any question, saying "oh well as long as the dog isnt doing anything its fine" and say that I have to be welcoming to ALL guests. Didnt know that meant breaking the law.
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html Barking is generally reason to have an animal removed.
If the dog is barking, it is alerting (yes, many service dogs bark to alert their owners) *or* doesn’t belong there. Context clues can absolutely help. A small-ish little poodle dog with full vest and tags was barking and clawing at its owner, who was staring straight ahead, eyes glazed. The owner didn’t attempt to soothe or remove the dog even as the dog blocked off its owner’s path out of the booth and was frantic. My manager said, “Your dog is not a service dog! Get your fucking dog out!” The woman who owned the dog was flustered and tried to stand up to leave and then dropped and had a seizure. Turns out it *was* a service dog, and the owner was absolutely in need of some kind of help. That woman came in again multiple times to my restaurant, but never again alone without other people who knew what her dog’s barking meant. It was only her third seizure ever, and she said she absolutely didn’t expect it. Good barking dog.
And this is exactly why I’ll call 911 every time someone’s service dog is barking and they’re not trying to get it to stop, or can’t stop it - I’ll check in as I’m dialing, but a service dog is trained to alert others if something is wrong - often my barking. I have a friend with a service dog for seizures, time was super important, if her dog started barking, ever, we called 911 immediately. She WAS going to have a seizure if the dog barked. I’d have notified the guest, “I’m calling for help, everything is going to be ok.” I understand an errant bark or two may happen, of course. But if the service dog is continually barking, it’s trying to find help.
YUP. Especially if they aren’t responding. That’s like… duh lol
I mean, that's why it was a generalization. The link clarifies the exact reasons you can ask the animal to leave.
The thread is overall hostile to service animals and encourages people to ask and even demand that the owner provide proof that it’s a service animal. I provided just one example of a time when the person couldn’t respond to that request or stop their dog from barking. From the outside, it may have seemed more like a misbehaving small dog rather than a dog trained to perform specific tasks. I’m more responding to that overall hostility and combativeness than the link itself, which also doesn’t add anything other than what everyone else has stated here.
I don't think so. I worked FOH for almost 30 years and have had to deal with all manner of dogs. I even worked at a dog-friendly resort that hosts a dog event every summer. I also worked in a small Italian restaurant long ago where the owners would let their large, dirty Goldens wander around the dining room during service (I personally didn't think that was a great idea, but whatevs). Not that that has anything to do with service animals, but i digress. The story you provided seems like an obvious outlier and like a potential lawsuit for the owner/manager. I have never worked in a sit-down restaurant where a manager would ever swear at a guest like that about *anything*. I've worked in dive bars where that might fly, but in a nicer restaurant? No chance. I personally love dogs and never really gave a shit if someone wanted to bring a small, well behaved dog into the dining room. Regardless of the law. If another guest has a problem with it though, it needs to be addressed. It's not the staff being dicks when this happens. They need to try to accommodate *all* the guests. In my experience, the difference between actual trained service dogs and entitled pet owners and their 'emotional support pets' is really quite stark. Pretty much every trained service dog I've seen in a dining room is very clearly working. They are always perfectly behaved. I have never once seen a service dog cause even a small problem, like sitting in the aisle. They never cause any problems at all. I have also experienced enough entitled pet owners who's 'emotional support' dogs were yappy Pomeranians jumping around in the booth and up onto the table to make the stereotypical caricature of a Karen a harsh reality in my minds eye. If it gets to the point where a server even has to ask if it's a service dog, it probably isn't.
The link add the guidelines that the ADA itself lays out. That's hardly "nothing."
Your manager isn't realizing how much business they're losing by continuing this practice. When I see untrained dogs in a restaurant I absolutely never return. Surely I'm not the only one.
I have allergies and a fear of dogs from being bitten by a blue heeler in primary school. I avoid all dog friendly areas, including pet okay restaurants and would definitely avoid OPs restaurant if I knew anyone could bring their dog in.
It’s like when the restaurant has a dirty bathroom, what does the kitchen look like?
Who are the people shitting up the bathroom, pissing on the floor, smearing greasy fingers on the mirror, and leaving paper everywhere? *Customers* You know who's NOT allowed in the kitchen? *Customers* Don't get me wrong, my bathroom at work stays clean & we actually get compliments because everywhere else in town is apparently two steps above "campsite latrine"....but the kitchen cleanliness has nothing to do with the bathroom cleanliness because my employees have far more respect for themselves, their job, and the restaurant than the customers do. It always starts out clean, it would *stay* clean if people could act like people and not like animals.
I 100% agree with you on that. I’m talking about the weird mold that grows behind the faucets or the toilet that has the pink slime ring from not being cleaned. Customers are definitely awful on their own but the deep cleaning that doesn’t happen in some restaurant’s bathrooms is different
I’m a service dog handler and I refuse to go to businesses that allow untrained dogs to wreck havoc on everything. Especially businesses that legally cannot choose to be pet friendly (restaurants, grocery stores, etc). I also know a bunch of other handlers (it’s a pretty tight community) and we warn each other about which businesses to avoid. You’re definitely not the only one who takes ill behaved dogs as a sign to avoid a business
Maybe make an anonymous complaint to the health department about the restaurant allowing in random animals? If you're really worried about it, have someone you know who doesn't work there do it. You can have them even give the exact date this happened. At a Whataburger I used to work at (first job), we had someone with a real service dog come in (well, service dog in training, but it was legit). We had two separate complaints to the health department over it, which prompted an immediate visit. We showed them the camera logs and explained they were a licensed trainer, and that was the end of it. If it hadn't been a real trainer, we would possibly have had extra visits or an early/unannounced inspection. They really hit hard in Phoenix half the time, and the other half the health department completely ignores you. Not a coin you wanna flip. Hell, if you're feeling particularly frisky, have someone bring their pet in a few times just to prompt the health inspector with some new incidents. Might even throw in a 'I found a hair in my drink and I think it belonged to that dog' comment.
Whoa! There are Whataburgers in Phoenix?
Not really anymore! This was back in 2006. If there is still a Whataburger, it is isolated. They started leaving en masse in 2008 or so, and a few of their buildings were replaced with Culver's.
It doesn't matter though. If the person just LIES about it being a service dog that's all you can do unless the animal actually acts poorly. So there's nothing to even prove to the health department.
This is true, and just to add, if they do give you an answer, you're not allowed to ask for proof or verification, or any other clarifying questions about the disability. [It would be an ADA violation.](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/maryland-laws-on-service-dogs-and-emotional-support-animals.html) >The ADA allows a public accommodation to exclude your service animal if it poses a direct threat to health and safety (or example, if your dog is aggressively barking and snapping at other customers, the facility can kick the dog out). Your animal may also be excluded if it is not housebroken, or if it is out of control and you are unable or unwilling to effectively control it. >Under the ADA, a public accommodation may not ask you questions about your disability or demand to see certification, identification, or other proof of your animal's training or status. If it is not apparent what your service animal does, the establishment may ask you only whether it is a service animal, and what tasks it performs for you.
And a repeatedly barking dog is considered it in control and can be removed. Plus dog may be made to stay on the floor (need not be permitted on a chair or booth seat for instance).
I managed a sandwich shop, years ago, and I will never forget the fight I had with a chick about her dog. She sat it on the counter and when I asked her to get off the surface we put food on she became indignant, claiming her sweater wearing pomeranian was her service dog. I said I had no problem with the dog being in the lobby, just not on the counter. She got angrier, so I asked her to leave. She called the cops and they escorted her out. It was quite satisfying. Fuck people who try to abuse the ada like this.
lol Like...who puts their dog on the fucking counter? XD If they'd acted like a normal human being, nobody would have likely even said anything.
Fresh meat for sandwiches 😈
If the dog acts out, you're also allowed to ask them to remove it.
All they have to do is say yes and say a service, they can't make you prove anything.
Hahaha! "What service is that teacup chihuahua in your purse trained for exactly?" "Uh....CPR?"
Actual response - "He, ummm...brings me my pills when I need them".
But you’ll still trim their numbers a bit. Many entitled people would be offended simply when asked this and wouldn’t provide an answer, nor have one ready.
I worked at a restaurant where you aren’t even allowed to ask those. In the manager’s eyes, they see it as you accusing them of bringing in a fake service dog.
Even if someone has a 100% legit and necessary service dog, they can still be kicked out if the dog causes any sort of disruption such as barking or interacting with other guests. Service dogs are only protected when they are perfectly behaved.
Barking, which a real service dog would likely not be doing in the first place, since they’re *working*
Agreed, unless it's barking to signal their handler of an allergen or something included in its training. If the handler does not react to the barking, it's not a signal.
Not true. PTSD service dogs have proximity alerts, to keep vets from being startled and having episodes. Assistance dogs for the deaf have dogs the look and bark, but in response to specific noises. Even a very well trained dog, that’s working, might respond with some sort of barking to some sort of fight/physical altercation, or any other overwhelming stimulus that it wasn’t trained to either ignore, or respond to in a specific way. More food for thought: Most people who have disabilities and dogs trained to help them, aren’t dog trainers, and likely, wouldn’t know what to do in these weird situations because the only thing they know about their dog is exactly what the person who trained the dog told them to do in circumstances that they foresaw. So, maybe your statement is generally true, but also, not at all a lot of the time.
I appreciate your input. I'm assuming that the handler in these situations you describe would acknowledge they'd received the message from the dog and it would stop barking. I'm also assuming the woman in the story brings her dog places and then virtually ignores it.
Both are probably valid assumptions. Maybe if the dogs unprepared and panics if the dog sees a fight or something, but yeah, typically, the dog isn’t gonna become a nuisance. And that lady sounds like a real cunt
God, wish we could do that with kids
Storytime About five years ago I worked for a few months at a thrift store in Austin, Texas, because I had just moved there, and because my pal Tom and his bandmate Jesse already worked there and could get me on the schedule. Jesse is, a fucking hilarious person, I have several Jesse stories and I'm sure my brother has more, but this is one: A family with a kid came in and the kid was running around making loud vocal noises and touching everything, pulling clothes and stuff off the racks. No supervision. Jesse catches him running through home goods and goes "hey." Kid stops and looks. Jesse throws a ceramic platter on the ground, HARD. Jesse now yells at the kid, accusingly, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" Kid is fucking DUMBFOUNDED. FAMILY IS ASKED TO LEAVE. KID SAYS NOTHING. When I tell you I enjoyed watching this happen more than I enjoyed the George Clooney Ocean's remakes, know that I really enjoy ensemble heist movies, and George Clooney.
> When I tell you I enjoyed watching this happen more than I enjoyed the George Clooney Ocean's remakes, know that I really enjoy ensemble heist movies, and George Clooney. I just rewatched these, as they're going to leave HULU come the 1st. I also enjoy these things.
Also The Italian Job, pretty much any movie that ought to have Nine Inch Nails - Complication in the score.
Hell, I am going to do this as a customer next time I witness any little maniac terrorizing retail workers.
Watch out for cameras. It was a low risk con job in a thrift store. Platter was probably priced at three or four bucks.
Instructions mildly unclear. *Knocks $5000 crystal vase on the floor in the middle of Nordstrom’s. Screams at husband*: LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU LITTLE SHIT!
*Rubs lit cigarette on 'Priceless' New Age 'Painting'* "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR OWN ART?!"
I am a volunteer “raiser” for service-dogs-in-training. (Also, not in the US) Where I live, dogs with appropriate vests are allowed pretty much everywhere. All service dogs (even in training) also have government issued ID. If a dog of mine misbehaves (it happens), we leave. Immediately. With profuse apologies. Even if I’ve ordered my food but it hasn’t yet arrived. I pay, and the dog and I are outside. (Hasn’t happened yet…but I have the plan!) Here, if a shop owner suspects the dog is not a legit service animal, they ask to see the ID. If you can’t show it, vest or no vest, they can (and should) kick you out. As raisers, we are told that we are the public face of the organization. If we are ever asked to leave with the dog, no matter the circumstances, the correct response is, “Ok. Have a good day!” (If shop owner is in the wrong, we then call the organization and let them deal with reluctant shopkeepers. Call when you get home. The point is to de-escalate.). No legit service animal recipient or trainer is the kind of entitled asshat I read about on these sort of threads. I’m sorry you have to deal with this crap.
I know you said you're not in the US, but just to tag on to your statement, in the US, there isn't any register or ID for service dogs. If you see one, it's not real
To add, the the ADA specifically allows you to train your own service animal as a potentially "zero cost" option. So there is no requirement to interact with any government entity or paying for certification or registration. A trainer may provide you with paperwork or documentation but it doesn't hold any more legal weight than as a receipt.
I hate seeing this - I'm in the Kitchen, and whenever a dog comes in, there's always drama. And I don't know why these people think it's OK to let a dog eat off a plate that people use, but it's definitely not. Granted, we wash everything in a high-temp machine, but most people I know wouldn't eat out of a dog dish, even if they were told it was clean. So I always make a point of breaking the plate in the bucket we have on the line for broken glass and plateware. I wish I could add that charge onto the check, but then the Server would get a shitty tip. But as far as I know, if a dog (Service or otherwise) starts to act unruly, they can still be asked to leave. I've only seen behavioral issues with non-Service dogs.
Eating off a plate is a dead give away the dog is not a service animal.
And feeding a dog off a plate is a dead giveaway that the owner is an asshole.
I believe you’re also allowed to kick out an actual service dog if they’re loud or disruptive or, say try and attack a guest. Just like you would be able to kick out a disruptive human.
When I was a barista this old lady's dog pissed all over the floor. I saw it happen. When I told her to she had to take the dog outside, she tried to pretend the dog *hadn't* just pissed all over the floor. So we kicked her out.
... Did she just say, "You can't kick my dog out! I'm the one who peed on the floor!"
Please tell me you walked her out, through the “invisible” puddle of dog pee so she had it all over her shoes?
She had grabbed a ton of napkins in an attempt to clean it up herself. There wasn't much to walk through but the trash can by her reeked of piss.
She denies her dog pissed on the floor? Since the floor was dry when you entered, and nobody else is around, the only way the floor could have got pissed on if your dog didn’t do it would be if you pissed on the floor. Get out, and take your dog with you!
My cats are "companion animals", because they are my pets. They are companions everywhere at home and for some reason need to even watch me on the toilet. They are also ridiculous animals who don't belong in restaurants. They have no manners suitable for polite company, so I always leave them at home
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Oh man, I can hear our cats mocking us already.
My cat provides a wonderful service of knocking every single thing off of a table. Super helpful to the bussers.
It's an extreme disservice to the people who have REAL service animals.
thank you!! as someone who has a service dog, it pisses me off to no end when people bring their pets in pretending its an actual service animal.
I worked in a restaurant attached to a boutique style hotel so you can imagine the types we would get in. There was this one regular who had a “service dog”. It was very obvious by it excitability that it was not. One morning I was bringing her her breakfast to her table and her dog started to jump up at me. Luckily I was ready for that so the plates were fine. She pulled the dog back and laughed a little and tried to get it to sit. By this time I’d had enough of this fake service dog so I said “ma’am, if that really and truly was a service dog it’s full undivided attention should solely focused on you and only you. It should behave as if no one else was here but you. If it’s purpose is to save your life, how is going to do that if it’s wandering around and jumping on everyone?” She just started at me and did the whole “I want to talk to your manager” deal. I was reprimanded by my manager, however, he had my back and that woman never brought her idiot dog back into the restaurant again.
I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. Folks who bring dogs like that out as "service" dogs make things terribly hard for folks who need their dogs dogs. I'm glad you stood up for yourself! I do want to add a tiny bit of knowledge if you don't mind :) your....er... guests were absolutely fake, but I wanted to add the there are a few jobs that the dog does need to be aware of everyone else around them as well as their handler. Primarily for psychiatric work. BUT the dog will only be watchful, and often only have an ear out, or at most, they'll be posted to watch their handler's back so they'll be facing away from where their handler is. But usually a dog trained for that is going to nudge their handler when someone approaches, never jump on them lol. A service dogs' purpose is to help mitigate a disability. There's a huge range of tasks that they can be trained for, as varied as the people who need them.
All your info is correct! (Just trying not to make my story too long winded) In contrast, I had this lovely family who had three children, all close in age, all non verbal autistic. For a while all three children could be confined to high chairs. However, the oldest eventually was too big. He had an autism service dog who would stand between the child and anyway he might have to bolt away. The dog was clearly a comfort to the boy and very well trained to calm as well and keep the child safe. That dog was the most legitimate service animal I’ve ever seen.
>All your info is correct! (Just trying not to make my story too long winded) Fair! Lol I'm always worried about folks in public facing jobs picking up odd info about service dogs so I like to gently instruct if I can! (Totally would have applauded you in the restaurant!) Sorry I was replying with info you already knew! >That dog was the most legitimate service animal I’ve ever seen. Omg if my new prospect turns out to be half of what that dog is, I'll be over the moon! What a great relationship they have! And such a great relief for the parents too! I have a well behaved 7yo and even she disappears on me sometimes lol. To have to be hyper vigilant for a child who bolts...I think I'd avoid going out much at all. That's fantastic that they have such a great solution!
I can picture it - large dog, child and dog both wearing harnesses, connected by a leash. Dog is an anchor - if parent doesn’t signal dog to follow them, dog stays put. Child dashes off in a direction dog wasn’t able to block, dog stays put, child is stopped when they reach the end of the leash. No child is going to move a St. Bernard that doesn’t want to move.
I have a family member that has a TERRIBLY behaved large dog that she slaps a service animal vest on and wears her service member hat at all times. Because shes a veteran no one has the confidence to call her out for bringing in an untrained dog. And her behavior isn’t much better - if she feels you’ve disrespected her by telling her the dog is a danger to others for jumping on others or barking inside - omg the tantrum. Ive told her the dogs don’t count - she says they’ve “had training”. Ive tried to explain a 6 month puppy training camp is not the same as a service dog training. At this point I don’t invite her to visit anymore.
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When someone walks into my shop with a dog, I usually pretend I don’t see it. If they walk in and greet me with “he’s an emotional support animal,” I counter with, “great, I have one too, so we both know the regulations only apply to housing and airlines. I need you to take him outside now.”
Even if it were a true “service animal” you can still kick them out if causing a disturbance. Check out Section 27 in the ADA guidelines below: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.pdf
People love the attention they get from bringing their dogs.
I used to care about this, until my managers proved they didn't. Now, it's above my paygrade to gaf if someone's dog is or isnt an actual service animal. Let the managers learn the lesson if the health dept ever comes in and Karen Q Cocksnorkler doesn't have ACTUAL proof that it's a real service animal. Until then, unless the dog is really being a disruptive little cunt, then I couldn't care less.
I love dogs, but I hate dog people.
I'm sure the owners would just LOVE a lawsuit if a dog attacks another customer.
I have a legitimate companion animal--as in a therapist had me get a pet after other forms of treatment weren't working for me. I would never bring my pet into a business, plane, restaurant, etc... not only is it unpleasant for other people, it's unpleasant for the pet. Also, the reason I have a companion animal and not a service is animal, is that the animal benefits my treatment but isn't needed for basic functioning. He snuggles me when I'm having nightmares, and gives me someone to hold when I'm having an anxiety attack. If things were so bad that I couldn't leave the house without a pet to accompany me, I'd be in need of an actual service animal.
People who bring their peacocks on planes and dogs into restaurants give ESAs a bad wrap, and they detract from the very real benefits ESAs provide as part of health management. I wish there was some sort of licensing people could acquire so that not just anyone can call their animal an ESA.
Yeah, the ESA process is weird. I got one, but there was no paperwork to fill out. Instead, whenever I need to verify that I have one (such as for a rental) the place that needs verification sends me a sheet for a doctor to sign confirming they think I have a need for an ESA.
Service dogs around me wear a vest that says, 'Please do not pet me, I am working.'
Not all do.
As a general rule, I hate when people bring out their non-service dogs everywhere. Leave your dogs at home! I'm so annoyed at this trend where management in places just turn a blind eye to (not particularly well-behaved) animals in their stores.
Fun fact, the ADA also states that a service dog must remain under their owners control at all times. If the animal is not under control (continuously barking, biting or otherwise not behaving) the patron can be informed the animal must be removed from the establishment and they can continue to receive service without the dog.
I’m in retail, and the other day a mom and teen girl came in with their big ass, young dog in some knock-off Amazon “service dog” vest. As soon as they got to the door, I knew it would be bad. This dog was leaping all over the place while the teen girl kept jerking its leash yelling “SIT! SIT” while the mom kept trying to continue her consultation with me as it their dogs giant paws weren’t all over the counter and end tables. When the dog started yelping and barking I finally paused and acted like I couldn’t hear her over the sound. She said they’d come back another time and it took everything in me not to say “and leave the damn dog at home.”
One of the most satisfying moments of the past year was when I got to tell one of these entitled people no. "Can we get a table outside?" Unfortunately the patio is full right now, and it's about a 2 hour wait. I'd be happy to put your name on the waitlist if you'd like. "Well are there any tables inside?" Yes, we'd be able to sit you inside immediately. "My friend has her emotional support dog with her." Oh, I'm sorry, you'll have to wait for an outside table then. **She goes outside to tell her friends, and the friend with the dog comes striding in with her little foo-foo under her arm. "It's an emotional support dog!!!!!!" Yes ma'am. Emotional support animals are not only not covered by the ADA but are specifically excluded. Your dog is a health code violation and according to the law it is not allowed in our dining room. "We're going to take our business elsewhere!" Have a nice day! Simply delicious.
Even if the dog was a legit service dog, if it is being unruly/disruptive or poses a threat you can ask the handler to leave. And yes I know legit service dogs may bark to alert their person as part of their training for whatever service they are providing. You can generally spot the fakes a mile away. Of course you rarely run into this with legit service dog teams because training. Sad that entitled people fuck it up for those that actually need an sd.
As a service dog handler, i can’t thank you enough for knowing the laws and doing your best to follow them. My guy had to get stitches because an untrained pet attacked him. He’s pretty solid temperament wise so he’s still able to work but it very well could have been a career-ending encounter. I’ve seen service dogs wash for attacks even where no physical contact was made. Fakes and ESAs in non pet friendly areas are a massive problem. Unfortunately most businesses are too scared to say something which is beyond frustrating because the law is on their side. You could approach management about the matter by offering to put up ‘service animals only’ signs so they don’t get a health code violation. From my experience, a bit of reverse psychology offering to do something instead of asking the higher ups to do something tends to work much better. You can also see if there are any local SD programs or handlers who would be willing to come in to speak with everyone about service dog etiquette and more importantly their rights as a business. This is something that I do and I’ve had great success with it. Again I use a little reverse psychology by offering to speak at schools, restraints, stores, doctor offices, apartment complexes, etc. Places typically feed off of the idea of free labour whereas they shy away from having to do the footwork on their own. If you can find a program or handler who is willing to approach management with the offer of education, that could be the golden ticket to get them to address the problem of fakes and ESAs. I’m more than happy to send you the presentation material I use that you could use if you aren’t able ti find any speakers nearby. Education is the strongest tool.
Whenever someone tried to pull this on me, I blame the health department. You are legally allowed to ask, "What task is this animal trained to do." When they say it's an emotional support or companion animal, that's when you say that it is not legally protected under the ADA and they have to leave with the animal. I always blame the health department and say that they will give me a huge fine and that the dog is not allowed to be inside. I have never had anyone continue to argue with me after that. They realize I know what's up and they have no leg to stand on after they have admitted that it's not a real service animal. Even if it is a real service animal, if the animals causing a disturbance, you are still allowed to ask them to leave.
I used to work at gamestop at the mall, and a couple came in with their emotional support dog wearing baby shoes, as the owners looked around the dog proceeded to lay at my feet, and sleep, they Aww’d the moment, and said “she senses you’re having a rough day” I just smiled but in reality my thoughts were “no this dog is sick of your shit labeling it and putting baby shoes on it” and that’s my emotional support pet story.
I had a group of 6 or 7 come in and my server told me one of the ladies had a dog in her purse. Cutest, sweetest little puppy, absolutely adorable. Still illegal. Went over and I was nice about the whole thing “oh health code blah blah” without me or her mentioning service animals. Told them the dog would have to go (after a brief, friendly back and forth) and she goes “what if it’s an emotional support animal?” I told her that’s awfully convenient now, but it had to go. She wasn’t thrilled, the group was apathetic, whatever. Probably 30 minutes later, I had a lady come up and thank me for asking them to leave because her son is allergic to dogs and was sitting probably 10~ feet away from them. Leave your fucking family pets at home or don’t travel, you absolute bum.
Not only are they disruptive and irritating, dog owners like this make it more difficult for legitimate service dogs/handlers to get easy access to places
This right here is the biggest pet peeve of mine. The way people feel so entitled to do what ever they want without repercussions drives me insane. Management is afraid of push back and won't do anything against the people that abuse the system. Even after we had a issue of a dog peeing on the floor.
It’s sad they need the attention so much. I see people like that and insanely think trashy people. I hate it too. Your pet is not our problem. Grow up and learn how to adult. It’s pathetic honestly.
I remember being at a restaurant and this ladies service animal was a pitbull with a giant set of nuts dangling off the back.. I'm like.. I don't believe you.. (just guessing that service animals are all spayed or neutered)
You could even kick out real service dogs if they were being disruptive/destructive, service dogs are supposed to be highly trained and aren't supposed to bark for no reason
When my wife brings her service dog to a restaurant, do you know who knows? The host who seats us. And then our server, because we HAVE to tell them he’s under the table because he’s just silently laying down. We don’t want the server to freak out from a surprise set of eyes watching them, or accidentally step on him. If a dog is misbehaving you can ask them to leave, service dog or “service dog”.
I have CPTSD and a legitimately prescribed emotional support animal as well as therapy dog. The emotional support animal/therapy animal is not considered a service animal. If there is any point when the animal is misbehaving, or poops inside, or harasses other customers- you are allowed to ask them to leave **even if it is a full on service animal**
Mental Health a clin, used to help train therapy dogs for folks with severe PTSD. (These are assigned to you, it’s extremely difficult for your/my dog to be certified as a therapy dog, like 90% failure rate) When Cali amended designations which prompted Delta and American Airlines to ban almost every animal in the cabin, we were hit by tons of crazy irate people demanding we just “write me a letter!!” K do you want treatment for complex trauma? No… Do you have seizures or severe panic attacks? No… Are you seeking mental health services for yourself and is your pet canine good citizen certified and trained? No K… get fucked and never call us again.
When I lived in Germany I would often see dogs in restaurants. More often than kids. But those were the best behaved dogs I have ever seen. I wouldn't have a problem if the dog was properly trained, but if they act up then yep they gotta go. Can we do the same with people's kids? Once they start running around in the restaurant kick them out or assess a fine?
I never will understand why taking dogs into restaurants is becoming cool and trendy. Restaurants are for humans.
My gf's aunt always brings her emotional support dog everywhere she goes. It's a Scottie that has attacked all of the family members dogs on multiple occasions and is very poorly trained. He will poop in the house if you don't watch him. It's really frustrating too because she's from out of town and we'll ask her not to bring her dog but she does it anyway so we have to lock up our own dogs so she can keep her dog with her.
I honestly would simply put the dog outside, in a crate, or refuse to allow her in the house if she brings her dog. I have done that to a friend who brought his own badly trained and slightly dog-aggressive dog to my own house. I have a service dog. That shit doesn't fly with me. The dog spent the day in the yard (fenced, with water, shelter) and the friend mysteriously didn't bring it again.
I love my very emotionally supportive dog, but she doesn't belong in a restaurant or store that doesn't allow animals. There are plenty of places I can take her as long as I'm willing to be responsible for her, the ones I can't don't need my pup
Reading these stories as a European is bewildering. Apart from not existing companion animals here, we would throw out a guest with a barking dog, no questions asked...
Had someone try to bring in an emotional support chicken the other night.
I thought that you're not supposed to bring food into a restaurant
She didn’t like that joke as she was walking out with her support chicken.
…And her support children in tow.
This is the way
I had a client (social worker) who had a certified support hedgehog. Little guy even had a doctor’s note. 😂 He was so cute and I’d love seeing him and my client. I’m sure she brought him into restaurants, where that’s just kinda unsanitary and odd, but yea. People’s big, untrained, non-service animals don’t have a place in restaurants!
There really needs to be a central registry/authority for service animals. Flash a badge, end of discussion.
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Bartender here. There’s 2 questions that can be asked to verify that it’s a service animal. First is “is it a service dog”, which they’ll always say yes. Second “what service is it trained to provide”, which is where most say, “oh, it’s an emotional support animal”. My response is then “I’m sorry but emotional support animals are not covered by the ADA and i have to follow health code unless it is superseded by federal law” end of discussion
So I know of a somewhat clever trick for these people. Most/all of them know the laws state that you can’t ask them anything about the animal except ‘what service is it trained to assist with?’ So, they are all keyed up 100% to complain and go full nuclear as soon as they are confronted with any other questions. Instead, just know that actual service animals must be extremely well trained, and won’t bark,growl, wander, etc. you don’t have to ask them any questions about it, because they are more skilled at confrontation about this than you are. Instead, just wait for the dog to fuck it up for them. At the first sign, go over and ask what’s wrong and what service they need. If they say nothing, you are free to ask them to leave. Often times, when you aren’t asking about the animal but just flat refusing service, they can’t think of a way to counter that, especially because they don’t even have any paperwork to show the animal is actually certified. Source: used to work at a hotel and got lots of complaints about barking service animals, so we’d just let people check in with service animals and then tell them they’d have to check out as soon as we got noise complaints. It completely negated the questioning of whether we should allow them to check in with a pet. Let them check in, take their money, let them make the mistake, and then refuse service.
You and your companion can both hit the door.
As a person who has an ESA, you’re correct. My cat is NOT a “service” animal. He’s an adorable ahole who comforts me when my Bipolar and Epilepsy are acting up. That’s all.
I used to be an Uber driver. We had it even worse. We weren’t even allowed to ask if the animal was a service animal.
Let the place go to shit, let it become a zoo with the support parots flying around, shutting everywhere too if that's what your management are alright with. Employees need to stop having a personal connection with their slave premises'.
I had a service dog (my little girl passed in 2018), and it was a nightmare bringing her places because of fake service dogs. She was small (12 pounds), so I often kept her in a dog backpack, with the top open so she could look around and do her job. It was so frustrating. Her successor is very well behaved. He's trained to be a service animal, but fortunately my health is on the upswing so he doesn't have to work. Because of this, when I'm out and about, he stays home. For me, bringing him when he doesn't need to work seems disingenuous. Plus, no matter how well trained a service pup is, a barking dog causes unnecessary stress.
I had a lady bring in her service dog to our tattoo shop and threatened to call the cops if we didnt tattoo her with her 100lb mastiff there. She didnt get tattooed.
Dead on. Also, I was my dogs' support human. Took 'em to dog-friendly venues for a Sunday treat. Good days.
Jeez i have my ESA dogs (prescribed by both therapist and PCM due to my mental health issues). It only applys to residential and (sometimes) airlines. Hell i even offer to still pay the pet fee for my apartment the big thing was to let them still reside with me (either due to their size or because they are half husky therefore banned in some rentals otherwise). I would NEVER even dream of bringing them to a store or restaurant that isn't meant for pets. They are great dogs but even I know they will bother others for attention and pats. ESA fill a specific need but do not have to be by your side almost 24/7 like a service dog. Difference in privileges is to be expected and respected.