Service Dogs

[jloucks]

I love this topic!

Some more fun facts about true Service Dogs.

Service Dogs are raised by handlers. A true Service Dog is not obtained as a puppy by the final owner. How could it be? The training is too rigorous.

Service Dogs puppies are carried almost everywhere. Several reasons, but being super used to handling, and being too valuable to be contaminated are among the reasons.

the picture below is from the actual group for which my daughter works. The puppies all being in their laps is no accident, nor just for the photo.

Service dogs can urinate and defecate on command! I know it sounds crazy, but it is true. Unless they are sick, they never just let rip without permission. Doing so is absolutely a sign of a fake service dog.

Unfortunately, service dogs can be untrained. A service dog behaving badly can happen, if the owner is lax with the rules. So again, you have to be careful making false accusations because of bad dogie behavior. The trick is, you only address the behavior when asking a dog to leave. Bad behavior is grounds for eviction. Don't even touch on legitimacy, just focus on behavior.

 

[correcaminos]

There are not *any* service dogs that will do that.

As one of the people that train the dogs before you get them, it might be Interesting for you to know (if you don't already) that one of the places we are not allowed to take the dogs are amusement parks. They are one of the most challenging for Service Dogs in training for various reasons.

Zoos are another no-go place.

Only Finished, and preferably veteran serviced dogs go to Amusement Parks and Zoos. It is challenging for the animals. ...and thus their owners.

Having been to Disney with a legitimate and well trained service dog, I can tell you it was even challenging. It is a lot of work for them. Fortunately the type of service dog we had with us was not one we required to be with us all the time (for the blind) and so we boarded her during most of the park time instead. It was much better for her and us really. She now is left with a trusted handler at home during trips like that.

 

[mlee10]

@jloucks I was not aware of the no amusement park/no zoo rule with training but to be honest, it makes a lot of sense!
We truly love her as a family member and I would not want to put her under that kind of pressure. I have no doubt that she would be fine but would never want to chance something happening, especially to her.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Yes, but... Can I bring my Service Peacock into the parks?

 

[LAKid53]

I saw one of those at Epcot. It had a cute little vest on and it looked terrified. Shaking.

Another excellent point. You are unnecessarily terrifying that animal you love so much you can't leave it behind. A cruel thing to do.

 

[LAKid53]

Yes, but... Can I bring my Service Peacock into the parks?

View attachment 264525

Peacocks aren't, um, good as pets. Dinner, yes, pets, no.

 

[disneyworlddad]

View attachment 264514
Layla & Nala

What a beautiful dog. You can tell she has a connection with your daughter just from this picture. My brother trained his dog to be a therapy dog and it took an enormous amount of time. I can't imaine the time it takes to train a true service dog.

 

[NormC]

Is Disney security allowed to question someone?

Yes they can but the ADA allows only two questions: Is that a service animal? What service is it trained to perform for you?

You can purchase vests from Amazon.

Vests are meaningless and there is no requirement for a legitimate service animal to wear one. They are good for letting people know that the real service dog is working.

The problem with the addition to the law is it's unclear, short of the animal lunging at someone at the security checks, on how to question without violating the ADA. I watched a woman bring her purse dog into MK. And how did I know? Because the dog barked. But she told security it was a service dog and she was let in with it. I was astonished.

Clearly the security person did not want to do their job correctly.

 

[joejccva71]

Like someone else pointed out. Once someone in the park gets bit by a fake service dog, then Disney will "get serious" and take action to enforce the rule. Until then, it will be "meh".

 

[Driver]

In the big picture ( day to day) we don't see service animals that often compared to the ratio of visitors to the parks. A golden was on the bus last week ( a very crowded bus) and behaved perfectly. I firmly believe there are some abuses happening. Like dogs in shoulder bags? The story about the one at Epcot wreaks of fake. But like everything else in this world just give it time and somebody will ruin it for the rest. Just my 2 cents

 

[nitstalker]

I have thought about taking Jack to one of the pet friendly resorts one night we feel like staying over (aka drinking around the world lol) but he falls under the 'well behaved animal' policy LOL there wouldn't be much of a room left when we got back

We use a pet-sitter whenever we are at the parks... rover.com is a great place for that - and usually the people on there are cheap - like 10-20 bucks a day cheap. Maybe I got lucky but I found a Navy vet in Gainsville that lives on a farm and watches him for us. She is great with him..


Somebody mentioned earlier about guests not wanting to report bad behavior. Yeah we were in the same boat for 2 reasons - one - we were quite mad about it and well, did not want to misdirect our thoughts to some poor CM... and two - if there was even a chance the dog belonged to one of the kids there - we did not want to up some child's vacation because mom or dad was an idiot... Suck it up and move on... (Now had it went further it would have been a different story)

 

[nitstalker]

Yes, but... Can I bring my Service Peacock into the parks?

As long as we all get to watch you put the vest on...

 

[Goofyernmost]

Is Disney security allowed to question someone? You can purchase vests from Amazon. The problem with the addition to the law is it's unclear, short of the animal lunging at someone at the security checks, on how to question without violating the ADA. I watched a woman bring her purse dog into MK. And how did I know? Because the dog barked. But she told security it was a service dog and she was let in with it. I was astonished.

There are two basic questions... is it a service dog and what service does the animal perform. All anyone needs to know is the correct answer to those questions and they must be admitted. BTW, everyone knows the example answers. They are 'yes' and 'it detects when I am about to have a seizure'. No paperwork needed, no proof of an existing condition, just the word of the person. If Disney were to challenge that and it turned out they were telling the truth, it becomes lawsuit time. The government will not prosecute, but, the individual will be allowed to take it to trail and if at that point they can prove it is true, it can mean big bucks.

 

[TurboCaroline]

Why would someone want to bring their dog into the parks by claiming they are a service dog? I can imagine it would be a complete hassle. The entire group couldn't all ride together...etc. Are they trying to avoid boarding the dog perhaps?

 

[jloucks]

Why would someone want to bring their dog into the parks by claiming they are a service dog? I can imagine it would be a complete hassle. The entire group couldn't all ride together...etc. Are they trying to avoid boarding the dog perhaps?

That is a pretty good reason actually. Boarding is expensive. I figure they abuse the system for innocent reasons, they just really like their pooch and are ignorant of the reasons it is a bad idea.

 

[Minnie1976]

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?

 

[DisAl]

That is a pretty good reason actually. Boarding is expensive. I figure they abuse the system for innocent reasons, they just really like their pooch and are ignorant of the reasons it is a bad idea.

If you add IDIOT to ignorant you will be more correct in your description. I expect people to love and care for their pets. If not you shouldn't have one in the first place. But anyone so attached to their pet that they have to LIE to take it where it shouldn't go are both ignorant of the fact that their pet's presence is inappropriate in a theme park and an idiot for thinking that what THEY want is more important than anyone else.

 

[Minnie1976]

If you need an animal that bad, you need to stay home and don’t subject other people to your animal. As far as on a plane I don’t want somebody’s animal by me. I would be hysterical if a bird got close to me on a plane. Why should people have to be subjected to this? Get a stuffed animal to cuddle.

I love dogs but dogs I know not strangers’ dogs or animals.

 

[Goofyernmost]

If you add IDIOT to ignorant you will be more correct in your description. I expect people to love and care for their pets. If not you shouldn't have one in the first place. But anyone so attached to their pet that they have to LIE to take it where it shouldn't go are both ignorant of the fact that their pet's presence is inappropriate in a theme park and an idiot for thinking that what THEY want is more important than anyone else.

Or that their dog is having a wonderful time walking on the pavement at the same temperature as the sun. Or having thousands of strangers stepping on them. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Personally, I think a case could be made for cruelty to animals.

 

[NelleBelle]

Why would someone want to bring their dog into the parks by claiming they are a service dog? I can imagine it would be a complete hassle. The entire group couldn't all ride together...etc. Are they trying to avoid boarding the dog perhaps?

According to Disney, they can provide a portable kennel on certain attractions (primarily rides with height restrictions), otherwise most attractions service dogs are allowed to ride. But unless you have a true service dog, I could really see this going amuck!