Is this really a service dog?

[Incomudro]

You don't get the right to tell someone that what their dog is doing isn't right. Pretty much end of story for me. These are trained animals and after about $20-40K put into them (not including what is spent after acquiring said dog) I sincerely doubt they are going to do anything to harm a dog. That dog is highly valuable to them, not just being squished.


See above. However many schools get private and outside funding to provide dogs at low to no cost.

These are SERVICE DOGS. Not some stupid pet that a certification is bought for. Please educate yourself on a real service dog and what goes into having one. I've worked with service dog groups as well as have loved ones who use them. They really are amazing animals.

Creating a group to federally mandate is not $50 per dog either. I guarantee you with paperwork and such we are looking at a massive cost and undertaking.

These companies make a LOT of money selling these dogs.

 

[Incomudro]

Well sadly, according the epilepsy site the things a dog is supposed to do is:

• Some dogs have been trained to bark or otherwise alert families when a child has a seizure while playing outside or in another room.
• Some dogs learn to lie next to someone having a seizure to prevent injury.
• Some dogs learn to put their body between the seizing individual and the floor to break the fall at the start of a seizure.
• Some dogs are trained to activate some kind of pre-programmed device, such as a pedal that rings an alarm.

note the third item is being the beanbag that gets smashed to break the fall of the owner.... The other three really aren't necessary in a theme park because there are literally thousands of people that will see someone having a seizure and get them help. So frankly I see no real purpose in a seizure do in a theme park.... maybe if the parks had their attendance drop by 90% you might need a dog to act like Lassie and bark for help but you couldn't find a place in the park today to have a seizure out of the eye of someone if you tried.

That's what I noticed.
The list of things these dogs supposedly do, is a hazy list at best.

 

[Incomudro]

Find me a dog that can perform mouth to mouth or use a defibrillator on an epileptic... You can't. All those things you mentioned require the intervention of a person. A dog barking when someone is laying on the ground in a theme park isn't going to get the attention of anyone fast than they would get simply from the fact that some HUMAN would see the person collapse. In fact the human will likely be much better at getting help as the dog barking will initially only distract people from the person that has fallen.

Or actually catch a person that is about to drop.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

mouth to mouth...

More what about-ism...

It is mildly amusing...

Wonder where you'll go next...

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

We know how effective medications are.

Do you?

Just how effective does a medication have to be to sold on the market?

Just how many decades did doctors uselessly prescribe antibiotics to treat common viruses like the flu?

Why were opioids commonly prescribed to treat wisdom teeth removal when over the counter painkillers are just as effective?

 

[correcaminos]

These companies make a LOT of money selling these dogs.

Most of the people I know who have gotten dogs have gotten them for free or highly reduced amounts. There are a lot of volunteers and funding to make sure these people get dogs. So I'm not sure I agree with the statement. Maybe for those who do it on the side and don't produce the best results but I have nothing but respect for the schools I've worked with.

That's what I noticed.
The list of things these dogs supposedly do, is a hazy list at best.

I think to gain real appreciation for these animals you should spend time with one and someone who uses one. Might make the list seem more impressive than it is.

 

[Incomudro]

Do you?

Just how effective a medication has to be to sold on the market?

Just how many decades did doctors uselessly prescribe antibiotics to treat common viruses like the flu?

Why were opioids commonly prescribed to treat wisdom teeth removal when over the counter painkillers are just as effective?

Regardless of the problems associated with doctors over prescribing med to a public all too willing to consume them - FDA approval is a highly rigid process - and yes problems still occur.
Do seizure service dogs prove their efficacy according to similar testing?
Are there success rates we can research?
Of course not.
It's all very nebulous.

 

[Tom P.]

There are treatments for allergies. There have been treatments for them for decades. My friend when I was growing up was allergic to several things and he had to go to a doctor on a weekly basis for a while until they eliminated the allergy. Even these horrible peanut allergies that people seem to be terrified of are treatable by introducing small amount of the peanuts into the diet of the person who will slowly build up a tolerance to peanut. It has been proven to work, you might not get someone to the point that they could power down a jar of peanut butter but you can get them to the point that simply eating a few by mistake will not cause any issues.

No.

There are experimental approaches to dealing with peanut allergies. But there are certainly not accepted treatments for peanut allergies. Not by a long shot.

There's no definitive treatment for peanut allergy, but researchers are studying oral immunotherapy (desensitization). This potential
treatment involves giving children with peanut allergies, or those at risk for peanut allergies, increasing doses of food containing peanuts over time. However, the long-term safety of oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy is still uncertain, and this treatment is not yet FDA approved.

Peanut allergy - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

www.mayoclinic.org

The results of a new study may lead to the approval of a new treatment that reduces the risk of these kinds of potentially deadly reactions, providing relief not just for children, but also for their parents. ... This treatment, though, may not work for everyone. Almost all of the children experienced some adverse reactions during the study. The most common ones in children taking the peanut protein were gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, nausea, itchy skin, coughing, and irritation of the throat.

Understanding Tree Nut Allergies: Symptoms, Treatment, and More

Tree nut allergies are common and can be serious. Learn about symptoms, risks, and treatment.

www.healthline.com

Strict avoidance of peanuts and prompt treatment of accidental ingestions are the mainstays of management of peanut allergy. The goals of treatment are to minimize the risk of accidental ingestion while maintaining adequate nutrition and an acceptable quality of life. Although there is significant research focused on oral immunotherapy and desensitization protocols for peanut allergy, these treatment options are still not ready for widespread clinical use.

Peanut Allergy Reaction Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Death

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Learn the prevalence, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of peanut allergies.

www.medicinenet.com

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Well-trained dogs are actually quite remarkable. They can even be trained to sniff out cancers. (as if prostate exams weren't intrusive enough.... ba-dum-ching)

I can agree with much of what you said in this post, but I think maybe you are mixing me up with someone else.
I haven't once commented on where service dogs should be allowed.

More or less, I've only corrected a few basic falsehoods made in this thread. It is a sad fact that epilepsy and food allergies both have the potential to be fatal conditions. More or less, the gist of my posts in this thread were just sharing a few facts about both conditions.

If someone posts here to troll, that's on them. I don't expect them to suddenly gain wisdom because I shared some facts. I know some folks post just to stir the pot. I worry more about the folks who aren't posting. The ones who quietly read garbage and think it might be true. Though, well, nobody should make decisions just because some stranger on the internet said food allergies don't exist.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I saw a guest with a small pet monkey today at Epcot in the Butterfly House.

 

[Paper straw fan]

I like when they are pushing their service dogs around in a stroller.

Those are called babies. Make sure to give up your seat on the buses for their parents because they deserve them for reproducing.

 

[Benjapie]

This is a recent video of a "service dog". Now it is my understanding that service dogs don't act like this. I have never seen a service dog play 'fetch' as the owner says 'go get it...go get it'. Or chasing some sand kicked by the owner...

Someone enlighten on this. Fake service dog? They're at the Beach Club resort on the beach as well which irritates me as well.

Be aware that just because you haven’t seen a service dog play whilst still in his/her vest does not mean that it’s not allowed. Service dogs are not required by law to wear a vest while working. Vests are up to the handler in whether or not they choose to have their dog wear them or not. There simply isn’t enough information on the team in this video to know whether or not this service dog is legitimate. If the dog was behaving this way at inappropriate times where the handler is in need of the dogs service, then yes, I could see why you’d might be concerned. Otherwise, this could very well just be a service dog and his/her handler relaxing and having fun . Service dogs aren’t expected to be robots. They are allowed to have fun at appropriate times. Also, I could be misunderstanding but I thought you were implying in one of your comments that Service dogs have designated areas where they are allowed. This is not true. They have public access rights by law. As far as ESA’s go, no, they do not have public access rights. This all being said, Disney World has pet-friendly resorts where people can bring their pets from home. Not that this has to do with this video. Also, Service dog certifications are not real. There is no certificate. Those things are about as legit as a build a bear adoption certificate. The people who show you those have idiotically spent $60-$80 (sometimes more) on a piece of paper.

 

[jaklgreen]

Be aware that just because you haven’t seen a service dog play whilst still in his/her vest does not mean that it’s not allowed. Service dogs are not required by law to wear a vest while working. Vests are up to the handler in whether or not they choose to have their dog wear them or not. There simply isn’t enough information on the team in this video to know whether or not this service dog is legitimate. If the dog was behaving this way at inappropriate times where the handler is in need of the dogs service, then yes, I could see why you’d might be concerned. Otherwise, this could very well just be a service dog and his/her handler relaxing and having fun . Service dogs aren’t expected to be robots. They are allowed to have fun at appropriate times. Also, I could be misunderstanding but I thought you were implying in one of your comments that Service dogs have designated areas where they are allowed. This is not true. They have public access rights by law. As far as ESA’s go, no, they do not have public access rights. This all being said, Disney World has pet-friendly resorts where people can bring their pets from home. Not that this has to do with this video. Also, Service dog certifications are not real. There is no certificate. Those things are about as legit as a build a bear adoption certificate. The people who show you those have idiotically spent $60-$80 (sometimes more) on a piece of paper.

This is a bit of an old post but, service dogs are allowed to play of course. This means that they are not "on duty". But then if they are not working at the time then they are now pets. And pet dogs are not allowed to go onto the sandy beaches and play at the resort. Using the service dog excuse to have your dog do something that other pets can not, is wrong. Plus all dogs, are supposed to stay on the leash at all times. This dog was let off of his leash to play in an area that dogs are not allowed. If it had sat with the owner and was in a working capacity, it would not have been an issue.

 

[macefamily]

During our last trip to Disney, we flew out of the Philly airport. I noticed this older woman going through security with what appeared to be a pit bull mix that was muzzled and had a bright orange SERVICE ANIMAL harness on. I found it odd that the dog was pulling her along because service animals are usually very calm and relaxed. We ran into her later across from our gate. She was standing at a bar with a pint of beer and the dog at her side. A woman with a much smaller dog came walking along from one of the planes that just landed. Well, that "service dog" almost ripped the woman's arm out of the socket when it saw the smaller dog. It was growling and clawing to get at that other dog. The woman's beer smashed on the ground and the big dog urinated right in the middle of the walkway. Do people really think we're all that stupid ? They buy a $15 harness on Ebay and figure that they're covered to take their dog anywhere.
Last year on the Wildwood boardwalk there was a younger woman pushing a pug puppy in a small stroller. We have a pug so we gushed over it. The dog was wearing a "Service Dog" harness. My daughter asked if she could pet the dog and the girl said "yes." Right then, I knew it wasn't a service animal. Service dog's are not to be touched by strangers. What a racket.

 

[John park hopper]

There are many who need a real service dog unfortunately there are many many who do not and abuse what was supposed to be a good program. The whole service dog program needs to be reviewed and strict guidelines and laws put into place (at the federal , state or local level) in order to stop this abuse. I would think people who need service dogs would be fully supportive of this.

 

[larryz]

Yes, this is a zombie thread, but zombie threads are not robots -- they're allowed to have a little fun now and then.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The abuse is out of control. Saw some man at MCO with his "service" dog who was barking all over the place. He finally had to give it food to quite it down. They need to lock up these fraudsters. It's not fair to the people who really need service dogs.

Not to mention dangerous. Could you imagine if your child or one of your relatives was bit by one of these "service dogs"?

 

[Mickeyboof]

Love the YouTube account mentioned in the original post.

 

[Tanna Eros]

I agree about children not being well behaved. However, dogs should just be left at home, with friends/family or in a dog hotel while people are on vacation. Leaving dogs in a hotel room for 7 hours or even longer at a Disney World resort is an issue. They're in a strange place away from home and what they're used to. Also not seeing their owner(s) for a long day every day (while they're in a strange place) can get any dog (even trained dogs) restless and anxious.

I mean if I was paying $100 a night for 1 or 2 nights in a hotel and there were dogs, meh...I wouldn't take much issue.

But when I'm paying upwards of $7000-10,000 for a vacation, I don't want to hear or smell a dog at the resort, and I certainly don't want to have to watch where I step. If Disney enforced the rules, I'd be partially ok with it, but they don't.

And as a dog owner, I don't want my dog eating any old thing on the ground, left in a room for a long period of time, and be in a strange situation. As I recall, there's a dog boarding service close to WDW, but I'd go so far is that I don't want him in a strange pet sitters, with strange dogs.
In my experience, boarding them at a good kennel, at home, before you vacation is worth a million bucks. I'm biased because I take him to the people from whence he came, but anyone who has had to deal with a dog in new surroundings and long waits/drives, unusual dinner times and unexpected obstacles understands how much better it is to FaceTime their pet on vacation than to deal with the unfamiliarity of your pet in a strange place, surrounded by strange people.

 

[thomas998]

Why out of interest? How does it impact you personally?

Having fake dogs running around the beach area is a problem for everyone. Much higher odds that the fake dog is going to do its business right there in the sand and then the owner isn't going to clean it up. Then of course there is the risk of the dog biting someone, a real service dog is extremely unlikely to bite someone, but not so when its a fake dog that someone just stuck a twenty dollar vest on that they bought off Amazon.