Going out with My Dog

One of the important things about service dogs is that they are afforded public access to most places, even those places where pets are typically not allowed.  That’s because service dogs are not considered pets, and also because they are considered reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.  The Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a federal law, gives disabled people the right to enter public places with their service dogs.  Note that it’s not the dogs that have the right to enter; people with disabilities have the right to enter with their dogs.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) trumps state and local laws in most instances.  For instance, city health department regulations usually prohibit patrons from bringing dogs into restaurants.  However, the ADA overrules the city regulations and allows people with disabilities to bring their service dogs into restaurants. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about taking my service dog places with me.  When I go places, like to a doctor’s appointment or a restaurant or the library, I imagine making that trip with a service dog.  I think about things like where I would direct the dog to sit, what commands I would give, and what challenges I might face.  I imagine things like a dining companion asking if she could give my dog a bite of meat from her plate, and explaining to her that the dog is not allowed to eat in the restaurant but that she could save a bite and give it to the dog after we leave the building.  I imagine explaining to her that feeding the dog in the restaurant would confuse the dog, and the dog needs to understand that any food in the restaurant is off limits.  Otherwise, the dog might be tempted to try to take food from someone else’s table, or try to leave my side to get a bite of something that had been dropped on the floor.

After talking to a number of people that rely on service dogs, I think of things I never would have considered before.  I think of the things I’ll need to take along on a simple outing: water and a bowl, in case my dog gets thirsty; dog treats to use as rewards for good behavior; written copies of the ADA regulations giving me permission to take my dog into public places, to hand out to business owners or managers that challenge my right to access (which apparently is not uncommon); plastic bags to pick up after my dog; paper towels to clean up dog vomit if necessary; hand wipes or hand sanitizer to clean my hands after cleaning up after my dog; emergency information including the name and number of my vet; a small blanket for the dog to lie on if it’s going to be required to lie down in one place for a long time.  Some people carry a lot more than those things.

Currently, I don’t even carry a purse.  This is going to be an adjustment.