Service Dogs

nitstalker

nitstalker

Member
Original Poster
Does WDW even have any kind of policy for or enforcement of Service Dogs?

*Begin Rant*

So we were down in Epcot yesterday for V-Day and were having a smoke break by Norway. There were a bunch of people doing the same, so we sat on the bricks by the bushes.

The was a pretty black lab with a service dog vest wandering around completely unsupervised dragging it's leash going up to everyone to be petted and begging for food. It obviously was a fake service dog.

It wandered it's way behind the bushes where we were sitting. Luckily - and I say luckily for WDW - I was looking at him (I was going to scratch his head if he had come a couple inches closer) when I saw his leg going up.

I pysically shoved my wife off the little wall just in time for the stream of to flow right where she had been half a second earlier...

She screamed... I yelled What The Fu....

Did the owner (yeah they were right there smoking) even say or do anything? Nope. No grabbing their dog, no apology, nothing. They just continue to let their dog wander around aimlessly.

We got out of there otherwise it would have gotten ugly.

Had that dog actually ed on my wife? They would have heard the commotion all the way in the Magic Kingdom...

If Disney wants to let fake service dogs in their parks then that is fine, but they need to be prepared for some problems if they don't do something...

*end rant*

Anybody else experience problems with them?
 
jloucks

jloucks

Well-Known Member
This topic always gets my hackles up too as my daughter raises legit service animals.

A phenomenal amount of work goes into raising and training a legit dog.

If your dog is not insured for $50,000 or more, you're likely rocking a fake pooch. ..and abusing the law.

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nitstalker

nitstalker

Member
Original Poster
Exactly! It is idiots like this that give people that really need a service dog a bad rep, and probably why you see in the news now and then where a restaurant or store or something gave a hard time to a legit service dog owner.

I had a friend that was recommended a service dog for PTSD. Their therapist actually recommended that there are places online where you can buy a vest to make any dog a service dog. They didn't do that (one was donated by a vet group) - but sadly it happens all the time I guess.

I produced a video on service dogs for Alzheimer's patients - so I kind of have a decent idea on how they are and are not supposed to behave, as well as the extensive training they have to go through to make it.

In retrospect, I probably should have said something to a CM about the issue - but at the time we were waaay to hot to do that - the poor CM would have likely have gotten our misdirected wrath.
 
jloucks

jloucks

Well-Known Member
KBLovesDisney said:
There was a woman getting food at AK pushing a stroller that had a service baby monkey?... wearing a diaper and all being pushed around in a baby stroller. It was sitting on the bottom of the stroller just looking around, while it looks like her child road in it.

There was also an incident at an airport that a woman couldn't bring with her her peacock.
Click to expand...

Only Dogs (and rarely mini horses) qualify as Service Animals. There is no such thing as a service peacock, monkey, parrot, etc.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
But I need Fluffy to help me overcome my fear of crowds!!!!

View attachment 264369
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I agree that there is a lot of abuse of the system involved with service animals, however, blaming Disney is not legit at all. ADA laws only allow specific animals and places like Disney can only ask questions. If the dog owner gives the right answer to basic questions Disney has no choice but to let them proceed. That is even if every cell in your body screams that it is fake.
 
nitstalker

nitstalker

Member
Original Poster
Goofyernmost said:
I agree that there is a lot of abuse of the system involved with service animals, however, blaming Disney is not legit at all. ADA laws only allow specific animals and places like Disney can only ask questions. If the dog owner gives the right answer to basic questions Disney has no choice but to let them proceed. That is even if every cell in your body screams that it is fake.
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Agreed. However Florida law is also clear that:

(a) The service animal must be under the control of its handler and must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler’s control by means of voice control, signals, or other effective means.


(f) A public accommodation may exclude or remove any animal from the premises, including a service animal, if the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it, the animal is not housebroken, or the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others. ...

So If this is not just an isolated incident (and based on a couple comments it apparently isn't) Disney can fully do alot more than just ask if someone is letting their dog run wild - even if it is legit and just having an off day.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
nitstalker said:
Agreed. However Florida law is also clear that:

(a) The service animal must be under the control of its handler and must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler’s control by means of voice control, signals, or other effective means.


(f) A public accommodation may exclude or remove any animal from the premises, including a service animal, if the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it, the animal is not housebroken, or the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others. ...

So If this is not just an isolated incident (and based on a couple comments it apparently isn't) Disney can fully do alot more than just ask if someone is letting their dog run wild - even if it is legit and just having an off day.
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Theoretically, that is true. But, unless they assign a CM to follow them around all day it is highly unlikely they will be able to catch them. People don't really feel that complaining would have much affect.
 
M

mdisney

Active Member
My family was recently in Disney staying at SS. We were getting on the boat Disney Springs and there was a "service dog" on the boat and it started to lick my son. Since I was with my in-laws I decided not to say anything to the owner. If it was a true service dog it would not have licked my son.
 
LAKid53

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
Disney's tolerance of fake service/emotional support animals will last until someone or a true service animal is injured by the fake animal.

Florida law also classifies misrepresenting a dog as a service animal as a second degree misdemeanor. Those who are caught breaking the law face a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail. This addition to current law was effective July 1, 2015
 
joejccva71

joejccva71

Well-Known Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there aren't many service dogs that will just start walking up to people wanting to be petted and looking for food. I mean I've seen a few service dogs and the way they acted you would have thought they went through a military bootcamp. I'm going to be watching for this a little closer now on my trip.
 

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