"Service Dog" Bites Customer in Pet Store

A couple weeks ago, this woman complained that she was asked to leave a store because she had a service dog with her.  The store manager says she was asked to leave because, when questioned about her dog, she became confrontational.  Apparently at one point, she said she wanted to be allowed to shop after the store had closed with her dog so that the dog would not bother other customers.  She got angry when she was told she would not be allowed to shop outside of the store's regular business hours.

Now, her "service dog" has bitten another customer in a pet store.  The bite was severe enough that the other customer required stitches.  I know a lot of details are missing from this brief article, but it does not sound as if the dog was provoked in any way.  The owner of the dog is trying to minimize the problem, saying it was more of a "nip" than a bite.  Um, yeah... a nip would not require stitches.  That's a bite.

She says she'll be getting some additional obedience training for her dog.  I really hope she doesn't mean that she intends to continue taking this dog out in public and calling it a "service dog."  But that's what it sounds like.  And she seems to think she is entitled to all kinds of special treatment, like stores should allow her to shop whenever she wants, even when they are closed, and she should be allowed to take her dog that bites into stores with her.

I'm putting "service dog" in quotes because I am very skeptical that her dog is actually a trained service dog.  Properly trained service dogs do not bite people in stores.  They just don't.  For that matter, properly socialized puppies don't bite people, not without some sort of provocation.  But trained service dogs?  They don't bite people in stores.  They don't bite people that startle them, that grab them from behind, that hug them too hard, that pull their tails or ears, that stick their fingers in their noses or mouths. 

Seriously.  They don't.  You can stick your hand in Isaac's mouth and he will not bite you.  Now, I do not recommend going up to service dogs you happen to meet and sticking your hands in their mouths.  But if you did that, they should not bite you.  Because kids do that.  Toddlers will come up to service dogs, and for some reason I do not understand their parents will let them, and stick their little fingers in their noses and mouths.  And pull their tails and ears, and try to climb on them and ride them like horses, and all sorts of other things.  And Isaac does not bite them.  He does not snap at them or growl at them.  If they are really bothering him, he will turn his head away.  That's it.

So this woman's dog is not a properly trained service dog.  And it should not be taken in public around other people again.  Never.  And I am offended that she is calling the dog a service dog because some people will then think that service dogs might bite.  The manager of the pet store said that the pet store had to pay for the customer's medical bills.  Business owners are not going to want service dogs in their stores if they think service dogs might bite their customers and they will have to pay for their medical bills.

By the way, the owner of the dog should have paid for the medical bills.  I hope the pet store sues her to recover those costs.  If the dog was a real service dog, the owner should have had insurance that would cover a bite.  My renter's insurance covers it, if Isaac bites someone.  And yes, the insurance covers it even if the bite occurs outside of my home.  I know I just got done saying Isaac would never bite anyone, but I have insurance anyway, just in case, because that is what responsible pet owners and service dog owners are supposed to do.  But insurance is not going to cover it if your poorly socialized pet bites someone when you take it to a store pretending it is a service dog.

Another Fake Service Dog

Here's an article about a celebrity with a fake service dog.  It seems the only reason his dog is wearing a service dog vest is so the dog can fly in the cabin of the plane with him.  I wish airlines would crack down on this kind of thing.

See the photos of him carrying the dog through the airport?  That is a dead giveaway that it's not even a real service dog.  A real service dog would be walking through the airport, heeling nicely.

What's wrong with people pretending their dogs are service dogs when they're not?  Well, besides the fact that it's dishonest, unethical, and illegal, it ends up making things harder for people with real service dogs.  The public gets used to seeing all these fake service dogs and suspects that real service dogs are also pretend service dogs.  They get tired of dealing with ill-behaved pets and just want dogs to stay out of public places altogether.  I wish airlines and other businesses would start excising their rights and not allowing people to bring in fake service dogs.

Faking a Service Dog in Order to Fly with a Pet

Take a look at this video posted on Youtube: Airplane Dog.

Initially, the poster explained that she bought her boyfriend's dog a service dog vest (you can see the vest clearly says "Service Dog" on it) so that he could fly with her from LA to London in the cabin of the plane.  It's illegal and unethical to claim your dog is a service dog when it's not in order to do this.

When a number of people called her on it, posting in the comments that she was breaking the law and doing something wrong, she then changed her statement to say the dog was her emotional support animal.  She states that she has a disability and that she had a letter from her doctor saying the dog was an emotional support animal and that she needed the dog with her on the flight.  I have no idea if she really is disabled or not.  She probably did have a letter, although I'm guessing it said the dog was a service dog since that's what the dog's vest says, I don't know that for sure, either.

But the fact remains that the dog isn't even hers.  He belongs to her boyfriend.  She was delivering the dog to him in London.  If the dog is not hers, then the dog cannot be her emotional support dog.  She should not have had him on the plane.  She was breaking the law and behaving unethically.  And putting a vest that says "Service Dog" on him, if he was an emotional support animal, is misleading and unethical.

A number of people previously commented on her video, pointing out that what she was doing was wrong, but she has since deleted all those comments.  If you have a moment, though, you might want to go ahead and send her a message, letting her know you disapprove of her dishonest and illegal behavior.  You might also want to report the video to Youtube, suggesting they remove it since it's encouraging others to commit an illegal act by following her example.

Selling Fake Service Dog Identification Tags

Today I came across another one of those websites that sells fake service dog identification tags.  I’m not going to post the name of the site or the URL because I don’t want to send them any customers.  The website offers laminated tags complete with a photo of your dog and the words “Emotional Support Animal” or “Service Animal,” your choice, for just $15.  The site then goes on to list the benefits of having “service dog tags:”

“Some rules and benefits of having service dog tags:

• Ability to bring your dog aboard an airline free of charge.
• Ability to take your dog into any shopping center or public area free of harassment
• Ability to bring your dog into hotels while travelling regardless of a no-pet policy. They are not allowed to charge you for the animal.
• Your dog will be allowed to live in apartments/homes that under normal circumstances do not allow animals, free of charge.”

Um… not quite.

• You cannot bring your dog aboard an airline free of charge unless you are disabled and your dog is a service dog, trained to perform tasks that mitigate your disability, or you are mentally disabled and your treating physician writes a letter stating that your dog is an emotional support animal and you need to have your dog on the plane.  Having a “service dog tag” will not exempt you from these requirements, and if you meet these requirements, you don’t need any type of service dog tag.
• You cannot take your dog into shopping centers or other public areas (unless pets are always permitted there, in which case you don’t need service dog tags) unless you are disabled and your dog is a service dog, trained to perform tasks that mitigate your disability.  Having a “service dog tag” will not exempt you from these requirements, and if you meet these requirements, you don’t need any type of service dog tag.  In addition, having a service dog tag does not guarantee no one will harass you in a public place.
• You cannot bring your dog into hotels while traveling regardless of a no-pet policy unless you are disabled and your dog is a service dog, trained to perform tasks that mitigate your disability.  Having a “service dog tag” will not exempt you from these requirements, and if you meet these requirements, you don’t need any type of service dog tag.  Are you beginning to sense a pattern here?
• Your dog will not be allowed to live in apartments/homes that under normal circumstances do not allow animals free of charge unless you are disabled and your dog is a service dog, trained to perform tasks that mitigate your disability, or you are mentally disabled and your treating physician writes a letter stating that your dog is an emotional support animal and is a necessary component of your treatment plan.  Having a “service dog tag” will not exempt you from these requirements, and if you meet these requirements, you don’t need any type of service dog tag.

And if that’s not all bad enough, the site goes on to explain that “the Definition of a Service Animal under the Americans With Disabilities Act and Guidance documents from the U.S. Department of Justice is any animal that provides unconditional love, comfort, serves as a crime deterant or pehaps in some way enhances someones physical or mental health by their presence.”

I decided not to correct the multiple misspellings and grammatical errors because I think they just further demonstrate the unprofessionalism of the website I’m talking about.

And of course, that’s not the definition of a service animal under the ADA.  Not even close.  Here is the real definition: “Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks includeguiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling awheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, remindinga person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a personwith Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, orperforming other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. Thework or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to theperson’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort oremotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.” 

I’m just amazed at the misinformation on this site.  I guess some people will do anything to make $15.

Dressed Up Dogs

There is an internet forum for people with service dogs on which I post sometimes.  Recently, I read a post on there by someone who said she dresses her service dog in a dress, diaper, and shoes and pushes her around in a stroller.  At first I thought she was joking.  I mean, how ridiculous is that image?

But no, apparently she was not joking.  People started asking her why she dressed up her dog, why her dog wore a diaper, and how her dog could perform tasks that mitigate her disability while in a stroller.  She declined to answer most questions, but did say that her dog needed to wear shoes because sometimes the ground is hot and she didn’t want the dog to burn her feet.  Which might make sense, except if the dog is in a stroller, her feet aren’t on the hot ground.  There are actually boots designed for dogs, which protect their feet from hot pavement or from ice and snow, but I got the impression she was talking about baby shoes, not dog shoes.

The Department of Justice says that service dogs must be housebroken, so a service dog has no need of a diaper.  Therefore, if her dog needs a diaper, she is by definition not a service dog.  If she doesn’t need a diaper, why on earth put one on her?  I really wanted to know but she wouldn’t answer that question.

I also really wanted to know what tasks the dog could do from a stroller.  It seems like there would not be very many.  A number of people objected to putting a service dog in a dress and pushing her in a stroller because it looks “unprofessional,” and I agree it does look that way, but I’m more concerned with the ability of the dog to perform the tasks she’s been trained to perform.  If she’s been trained to perform any.  It seems that perhaps her owner doesn’t need her to perform any tasks, if she has her in a stroller from which she cannot perform tasks, in which case she has no legal right to take the dog into public places where pets are not permitted.

Even if we weren’t talking about a service dog, why would someone want to put a dress and a diaper on a dog and push it in a stroller?  If your dog wears diapers and dresses, please, enlighten me!

Fake Service Dogs

This is, apparently, a growing concern.  There are a number of companies that sell “service dog identification kits” or official-looking certificates for fake service dogs.  Some companies will sell certification kits for any animal at all.  Want to certify your pet gerbil or goldfish as a service gerbil or service fish?  There are companies that will send you a certificate and official-looking ID card for them!  With many of these companies, you do not have to prove that you have a disability, that your dog or other animals has had any training whatsoever, or even that the animal actually exists.  Want to certify your teddy bear as a service animal?  You can do so online for a couple hundred dollars!

What’s wrong with this?  Well, it’s illegal to actually take your dog into certain public places, like restaurants, unless it really is a service dog, for one thing.  You could be fined or even sentenced to jail time, although it seems that these laws are not often enforced.  It’s not fair to the restaurant owner, who may think he has to let you bring your dog in if you have some sort of certificate, even if he doesn’t want to.  In fact, in some instances, the restaurant owner may be violating local health codes by allowing dogs other than service dogs into the restaurant, which could result in hefty fines.  It’s not fair to other customers, who may be allergic to dogs, afraid of dogs, or just not wish to dine with your dog.

It can also create problems for people with real service dogs.  Since many fake service dogs haven’t received the extensive training that real service dogs typically receive, they often don’t behave appropriately in crowded public places or places that hold many temptations for a dog, like restaurants where food is readily available.  Untrained dogs may bark or growl at customers or at legitimate service dogs, lunge at customers or at legitimate service dogs, sniff customers (apparently some people object to having a large dog sniff their butt), jump up on people, lick people, eat food dropped on the floor or take food from tables, sniff or lick food on salad bars or in display cases, beg for food from customers, sprawl out in the middle of the floor where they get in the way of customers and staff, and pee (or worse) on the floor.  And yes, I’ve heard stories of dogs doing all these things when their handlers claimed they were service dogs.  When business owners have experiences with dogs that behave like this, is it any wonder they don’t want service dogs coming into their establishments anymore?

I think part of the problem, though, is that many business owners don’t seem to know their rights.  They are required by federal law to allow disabled people to bring service dogs into their places of business.  They are not permitted under federal law to ask what kind of disability someone has or to ask for proof that someone is disabled.  They are not permitted to ask if a dog is certified as a service dog, since there is no official certification system for service dogs.  They may, however, ask if a dog is a service dog and they may ask what tasks the dog is trained to perform.  If a customer cannot or will not answer those questions, the business owner does not have to permit him to enter the establishment.

If a service dog behaves in a way that is disruptive to a business, the business owner is legally permitted to ask the handler to remove the dog from the premises.  Business owners rarely seem to do this, maybe because they are afraid they will be sued for discrimination or maybe because they think that legally they must allow a service dog to enter no matter how it behaves.  But this is not true.  If a dog is barking at customers or trying to eat food off tables or salad bars or anything inappropriate like that, they can legally be asked to leave.  And they should be.

If You Want to Learn More

I’ve written a number of articles about service dogs, but I can’t post them on my blog because they were published exclusively by the publisher that bought them from me.  However, I can post links to them, so if you’re interesting in learning more, you can check them out.  

What Kinds of Animals Can Be Service Animals?  

This article talks about what kind of service animals are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and discusses a variety of service animals, including service monkeys and miniature horses.

Would You Benefit from a Psychiatric Service Dog?  

This article discusses who might benefit from a psychiatric service dog.

Where Can You Take Your Psychiatric Service Dog?  

This article explains where you can and cannot take a psychiatric service dog.

Where Can You Take Your Emotional Support Animal?  

This article explains where you can and cannot take an emotional support animal.   An emotional support animal, or ESA, is not the same thing as a service animal.  It’s basically a pet for someone with a mental disability that is recommended as part of their treatment plan by their health care provider.

“Fake” Service Dogs Cause Problems for People with Real Service Dogs 

Apparently there is a significant problem involving people pretending their pets are service dogs when they really aren’t, just so they can take them into public places where pets aren’t allowed.  This is illegal and can be punished with fines and even jail time.  It also creates problems for people that have real service dogs.