Fake service dogs

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People admitting to faking for planes...that can and will directly effect others. There is only so much room and so many lbs allowed. So yes, in that situation it is like taking a handicap spot.
 

yv0nne

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I think I'm confused about the plane thing ..can't any dog fly if it isn't during periods of restrictions? So, whether or not they are sitting with you or are in cargo, aren't they still adding to the weight of the plane?

Also, I have only ever seen one service dog in my entire life and she was a beautifully behaved black lab. A girl at my university had her as she was in a wheelchair but the dog was used more as a social aid than anything else I think when at university. People were more likely to speak to her despite her disability when they had the dog to break the barrier. They were an absolutely fabulous team and I definitely know you were allowed to pet the dog if the girl gave you the okay.

I don't know if it's because people who need service dogs are very attached to them or what, but there is SUCH a higher rate of people needing them on forums than I've ever seen in person. Or maybe it's just that service dogs have been expanded to such a broad spectrum of 'help' that more& more people are taking advantage of it. It amazes me to see what dogs help people with now!
 

Danefied

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Exactly.

I just don't see the point of needing to call out "fakers." If the dog is well behaved, why can't we just assume it's a service dog and mind our own business?
I have no interest in calling out fakers, like I said, I generally don't care, and frankly don't take a whole lot of notice of well behaved dogs whether they're wearing a vest or not. Unless the dog is exceptionally well behaved, then I just admire the dog and the training :)

However I DO notice ill behaved dogs and sadly, in my area, those ill behaved dogs often have a SD vest on. Ill behaved dogs bug me. Right or wrong, ill behaved dogs with a SD vest on bug me even more. And I'm going to be right pissed if that dog is somewhere a pet dog would not be allowed.

Another example happened a few years ago, I was in an emergency room waiting room, and a girl came in with a scruffy dog in her arms wearing a vest that was far too large for the dog. The police officer came over, there was an exchange that I only partially heard, and the dog was allowed to stay.
The adult with the child leaned over towards me to say "he's not really a service dog, but she's having a fit and I'm not going to argue with her in the state she is in. I just hope she doesn't put him down 'cause he's bad about peeing on the floor."
I don't know if she told me meaning to commiserate mother to mother, or if she was embarrassed or what. But I did my non committal grunt and kept reading my magazine. Inside though I was pretty ticked off. Not cool.

I don't handle it well when people operate under the premise that rules are for everyone else but them. Don't like the rule? Fine, work to get it changed. But don't blatantly disregard it like you're someone above the rest of us peons who have to abide by them.
I would LOVE it if more places were more dog friendly. In fact many of us work hard to make our dogs great doggy ambassadors and bring them with us whenever appropriate to help change perceptions. It works. The opposite applies too. Too many fakers with rude dogs have the potential to limit access for future SD handlers AND pet owenrs.
 
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I am not going around pointing people out and saying "faker". In fact, I dont think I have ever seen a service dog that would make me even think in the slightest they were faking.

HOwever, if I know someone or see someone online admitting they are faking, I am not going to smile and nod and say, oh well you deserve to do that, or oh, its ok to do that...because IMO its not.
 

Saeleofu

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Is autism over-diagnosed? Probably, especially in boys (it may actually be underdiagnosed in girls). Is everyone with autism disabled by it? NO. I have akready said a diafnosis is NOT a disability. Thanks for the personal attack anyway. Anyone questioning my dog, my disability, or my tasks is more than welcome to come visit and go on an outing with me, and then tell me I'm not disabled and don't need a dog. **** you. I hope if any of you ever become disabled people give you just as much **** and infringe on your rights.
 

yv0nne

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Is autism over-diagnosed? Probably, especially in boys (it may actually be underdiagnosed in girls). Is everyone with autism disabled by it? NO. I have akready said a diafnosis is NOT a disability. Thanks for the personal attack anyway. Anyone questioning my dog, my disability, or my tasks is more than welcome to come visit and go on an outing with me, and then tell me I'm not disabled and don't need a dog. **** you. I hope if any of you ever become disabled people give you just as much **** and infringe on your rights.
Ahhh ..I don't know if this was directed at me or not? I don't think I said anything rude in my post..
 

AdrianneIsabel

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Is autism over-diagnosed? Probably, especially in boys (it may actually be underdiagnosed in girls). Is everyone with autism disabled by it? NO. I have akready said a diafnosis is NOT a disability. Thanks for the personal attack anyway. Anyone questioning my dog, my disability, or my tasks is more than welcome to come visit and go on an outing with me, and then tell me I'm not disabled and don't need a dog. **** you. I hope if any of you ever become disabled people give you just as much **** and infringe on your rights.
That was not a personal attack. It's not as cut and dry me v them as you may feel. I know it sucks and hits a cord but it's a topic that is whispered about and a discussion had repeatedly. I bring it up because my concern is the presentation of "You are ruining MY chance of having an SD" is often misdirected and can in turn delve into the ugly topic of why do you have the right for an SD and not So & So with xyz.

I did not personally attack you, I will not, I have no place to judge you nor your dog, unless said dog is acting out of line.
 
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I'm going to jump in here from an outsider watching this thread and say I think some of you guys are taking what is being discussed and asked about way too personally and as a personal attack. I understand it's something that's close to you but honestly, looking from the outside in some of you just seem very angry, defensive and unwilling to discuss things without getting upset.

I think it's a touchy subject and one to be honest a lot of people are even afraid to ask about since it seems to spiral and people want to avoid being offensive. I don't think anyone here, at least that I've seen, is seriously questioning the validity of people's need for SD's in this thread but rather trying to understand it better and to do so asking questions and posing different scenarios.

I also don't really see people being disrespectful to SD handlers in this thread. I honestly see people trying to get their thoughts out and ask questions and not being received well.

But hey, that's just me.
 

MandyPug

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I'm going to jump in here from an outsider watching this thread and say I think some of you guys are taking what is being discussed and asked about way too personally and as a personal attack. I understand it's something that's close to you but honestly, looking from the outside in some of you just seem very angry, defensive and unwilling to discuss things without getting upset.

I think it's a touchy subject and one to be honest a lot of people are even afraid to ask about since it seems to spiral and people want to avoid being offensive. I don't think anyone here, at least that I've seen, is seriously questioning the validity of people's need for SD's in this thread but rather trying to understand it better and to do so asking questions and posing different scenarios.

I also don't really see people being disrespectful to SD handlers in this thread. I honestly see people trying to get their thoughts out and ask questions and not being received well.

But hey, that's just me.
Fancy that, I agree!



My take? I'm with RTH. I think if well behaved dogs in general were allowed more places, and misbehaved dogs kicked out. There wouldn't be such an issue. I also think that if people had a reason to train their dogs to behave properly like being able to take them out in public, there would be a lot more well behaved dogs.

Europe seems to be getting along just fine with their chill attitude about dogs in public. Generally they're far more well behaved there. Coincidence?

Izzie wouldn't ruin product like most kids would, she's also not as loud and does what she's told. Yet she's not allowed much of anywhere but kids are and you can't kick people out for their kids being jerks.
 

Saeleofu

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Many question if aspergers is a "catch all" as attention deficit was shortly after my childhood, basically does everyone diagnosed have it and have a reason for a dog or did a few doctors go a bit wild with their diagnosis? Many additionally find services such as guiding to the car or an exit to be confusingly vague as a task,
Oh no, not a personal attack at all :rolleyes:
 

stardogs

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I do think a LARGE part of the issue here is that stores and other places that only SDs have access to don't realize they CAN throw a SD (whether real or fake) out for misbehavior. If businesses were empowered to do that you'd see a huge decrease in fakers, especially those who have dogs who damage the reps of SDs, and thus a much better environment for positive feelings about SDs without the need for further regulation.
 

Julee

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I do think a LARGE part of the issue here is that stores and other places that only SDs have access to don't realize they CAN throw a SD (whether real or fake) out for misbehavior. If businesses were empowered to do that you'd see a huge decrease in fakers, especially those who have dogs who damage the reps of SDs, and thus a much better environment for positive feelings about SDs without the need for further regulation.
Exactly.
 

Saeleofu

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I do think a LARGE part of the issue here is that stores and other places that only SDs have access to don't realize they CAN throw a SD (whether real or fake) out for misbehavior. If businesses were empowered to do that you'd see a huge decrease in fakers, especially those who have dogs who damage the reps of SDs, and thus a much better environment for positive feelings about SDs without the need for further regulation.
Yes. Yes yes yes!
 

AdrianneIsabel

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Oh no, not a personal attack at all :rolleyes:
For the record I didn't know you had aspergers. I was under the understanding you had autism and aspergers was still in debate of where it stood within, no?

Furthermore, I do know you use your dog as a guide but I do not see you as the only one with this as a task.

I believe if you do not want me to use anything akin to your life as an example I can reword the post, however there in lies the hot button topic but I could use anxiety, in turn many others would think I was personally attacking them. I apologize if it hits too close to home, I grew up with this stuff and maybe I deal with an analytic view but I do understand and was hoping my post would be accepted as anything but a personal attack.
 

Julee

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Many additionally find services such as guiding to the car or an exit to be confusingly vague as a task, in short many find PSD to be a confusing thing.
Can you rephrase this for me? I'm not quite sure I'm getting what you're saying. Are you trying to say that some of the things that PSDs do are confusing to the average person (such as how someone needing a dog to guide them to the car or exit, yet not being blind, might not make sense to them)?
 

Saeleofu

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My official diagnosis is Asperger's because information on my childhood was not available at the time. It will all fall under the "autism spectrum disorder" umbrella as of I think April. I choose to use the more accurate and more up to date term "autism" rather than the less accurate, nearly ouutdated, and discrimitation-attracting term of "Asperger's."
 

AdrianneIsabel

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Can you rephrase this for me? I'm not quite sure I'm getting what you're saying. Are you trying to say that some of the things that PSDs do are confusing to the average person (such as how someone needing a dog to guide them to the car or exit, yet not being blind, might not make sense to them)?
Very much so and thus patience is needed in education. It will only benefit everyone. People aren't allowed to say this outloud, as seen in the venting thread, because it hurts others feelings but people, commonly, are confused and uncomfortable with some of the tasks that are used by PSD handlers. I think this breeds a lot of what SD handlers feel is a lack of compassion.

I know very few people (majority of people I know are dog people) who do not feel they could benefit from an SD in at least one, however obscure, aspect of their life. In turn they may find themselves uncomfortable with the idea of, well why that one and not me? What makes their need more valid than mine?

No where in this post have I said what is right nor wrong and I will not because emotional responses, however offensive or frustrating they may be to others, are not wrong - it is what we do with them that states right or wrong.

This is where things get muddy and this is where many "fakers" take it upon themselves to benefit from companionship, often in the right way, often in the wrong way.

My official diagnosis is Asperger's because information on my childhood was not available at the time. It will all fall under the "autism spectrum disorder" umbrella as of I think April. I choose to use the more accurate and more up to date term "autism" rather than the less accurate, nearly ouutdated, and discrimitation-attracting term of "Asperger's."
Education. :)
 

Julee

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Gotcha! I spend a lot of my time out in public educating about PSDs (and other uses for SDs, but primarily PSDs) and what they can do for their handlers, rather than getting my shopping done, etc, haha. More and more people are going "Oh, yeah, PTSD service dogs, I saw that on the news!", which makes me happy.
 

~Jessie~

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Many question if asthma is a "catch all" as attention deficit was shortly after my childhood, basically does everyone diagnosed have it and have a reason for a dog or did a few doctors go a bit wild with their diagnosis? Many additionally find services such as guiding to the car or an exit to be confusingly vague as a task,
Oh no, not a personal attack at all :rolleyes:
Insert asthma (one of the diseases I have), and the quote you mentioned works as well. However, I don't find it offensive in the least bit.

Many diseases, disorders, disabilities, etc, are WAY over diagnosed.

I've had BAD asthma since I was 2. Bad as in, I'd end up in the hospital at least once a year while growing up. Even now, I still have nebulizers (one at home, one that I travel with that is ALWAYS with me). I take a couple of daily medications to keep it under control.

Anyway, back in elementary/middle school, EVERYONE had "sports induced asthma." If I was on the verge of an attack or had just gotten out of the hospital, my mom would write me a note and/or I'd have a doctor's note.

Well, there were so many kids who had "sports induced" asthma who could still run track, play sports hard, and would use their inhalers about once a year. Little Johnny has a chest cold, goes to the doctor, and voila- sports induced asthma.

It made gym teachers not take me seriously. "Little Johnny has asthma and he's the star of the track team! That means you can run a mile around the track easily!"

So yes, some people have legit asthma, just like some people have wrongly diagnosed asthma. Some people have legit autism, but like asthma, it's something that doctors like to go gung ho on diagnosing. It's just something that we all have to deal with, and not get our panties in a wad over.
 
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Taqroy

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Anyway, back in elementary/middle school, EVERYONE had "sports induced asthma."
Really? That's crazy. I can't imagine anyone that's ever had a real asthma attack going along with over diagnosing it. And I do have sports induced asthma (never had an attack bad enough to be in the hospital but freaked out like whoa during the first couple attacks).
 

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