Service Dog PSA

I was in Petco yesterday when a guy stopped to ask me where he could find a vest like Scout’s. Scout was wearing his service dog vest, which is just a vest with velcro so I can affix his service dog tags, so at first I didn’t think anything about it.

I told him they didn’t carry them here, pointed out the next nearest thing, and asked if he was looking for a harness to stop pulling (because his VERY large dog–bigger than Scout, at 85 lbs–was practically dragging him around).

He explained that, no, he was looking for a service dog vest. “We’re traveling,” he told me, “and we’re going to the Volcanoes game tonight. They said dogs weren’t allowed, but that if he was a service dog…” Wink wink, nudge nudge. “So I figured…” Wink wink, nudge nudge.

I couldn’t say anything, I was so angry. Here’s what I wish I could have said.

First of all, it’s a federal crime to impersonate a service dog.

Second of all, this is exactly why the DOT has tightened rules about flying with service dogs, and made it so that people who legitimately have a service dog are having trouble traveling.

Pretending that your dog is a service dog isn’t a victimless crime. I’m the victim. My friends are victims. Every diabetic or person with epilepsy who relies on their dog for life-saving cues is a victim. Every person in a wheelchair who relies on their dog to help them in life is a victim.

STOP IT.

It infuriates me when people fake having a service dog. This isn’t a, “take your dog everywhere free” card. It’s an, “I need help in my every day life” card. It’s an, “I cannot manage on my own” card.

While we’re at it, don’t ask me why I have a service dog. You’re asking for my private medical information. You’re asking me to make myself vulnerable and divulge what’s wrong with me. You’re asking me to give you information that only myself and my doctor should be privy to.

STOP IT.

Having a service dog is like being in a pool with a lifejacket on, and everyone around you is swimming just fine. The lifejacket keeps you afloat, but it’s awkward and it makes you slow and goofy. It’s better than DROWNING, and you’re grateful for it, but it’s difficult.

So. There’s your PSA. Don’t fake having a service dog. Don’t ask what’s wrong with me that I need one.

What can you ask, to determine if a service dog is real or not? Okay, here is what you CAN do:

You can ask if it’s a service dog. You can also ask what service it provides. Notice the wording there: not, “Why do you have it?” (Which equates to “what’s wrong with you?”) But WHAT DOES IT DO? My dog alerts me to chemical changes in my brain and applies pressure to my chest and stomach when needed.

What else can you know about service dogs? They aren’t allowed to bark at, snap at, bite, or try to bite people or dogs. They must be housebroken. They must be under control, not putting anyone in danger (ie, not jumping on people or things). If they break these rules, it cannot legally be a service dog.

You can ask someone with a service dog to leave, as long as you then provide them with what they need. Ex: You ask someone with a service dog to leave the grocery store. You must then do the shopping for them while they wait outside. No, you may not charge them.

Do not talk to a service dog. It distracts them, and if what they’re doing is tracking their owner’s scent for changes in brain chemistry or blood sugar values, that moment of distraction can cost the owner their life. This includes don’t look at and make kissy faces at service dogs.

I could go on, but I’ll try to rein in it.

And for the love of god, no one WITH a service dog is going to appreciate you telling them that you’re faking it. Don’t fake it.

Jenna