Q for the SD people...

Had a situation at work today and I'm honestly just wondering how much of what the guy was saying was truth, and what (if anything) he was making up.

So a guy came in today with a senior golden off leash. We require that all dogs are leashed in the store, and thus offered him a slip lead that we keep behind the counters. One of the team members slipped it on the dog and walked him (because he was wandering off on his own) to the owner, who says "Do I have to hold this? he's a retired service dog."

One of the managers told him that he did have to leash the dog because we've had instances where not so friendly dogs come into the store and the off-leash dog has been hurt.

He got huffy and said "Well, I'll just put him back in the car then" and as he walked the dog back out was all "Oh, I know, I'm sorry you have to go back in the car"

When he came back in he said "Well, you know since he's a service dog we couldn't sue you anyway if he was attacked"

So, if an SD is attacked in public they have no recourse? Is that true?
And if the dog was in fact retired, isn't he then just a "normal" pet dog and would have no access rights anyway?

I know from the other thread that he shouldn't have had the dog off-leash if he wasn't performing a task anyway. Yay for learning on Chaz!

That s correct. Sometimes, however, dogs are only semi-retired and still work on occasion, for example if a successor dog will be a long time in coming, or in the transition period.

Also, if an SD is attacked, it's no different than if any other dog was attacked. In some states there are laws specifically protecting SDs, and in that case it goes by whatever the law is. But for the most part, under animal control laws, a dog is a dog, service dog or not.

Thanks! I thought it was interested that it was a "retired" SD until he was asked to follow the rules of the store.

I know nothing about anything but seriously... service dog or not, I don't think your dog gets to just browse around the store while you're shopping.

And he's gonna make a big deal about "woe is me, you have to go back in the car".... when he could have just held the stupid leash he was given?!

Sorry this guy just sounds super annoying to me lol.

But then he would have had to HOLD the leash

And don't worry, he was

Maybe that guy is related the the bimbo who let her dog eat my track the other day....

Retired or not, the dog has the same rights as any other dog if attacked. The guy sounds like a jackass.

People who bring up suing you when nothing has even happened: One of Nature's Warning Signs.

You know, I was thinking about this while I was in the shower. I wonder if the dog was HIS service dog before it retired, or if he adopted it from a program after it retired?

If it wasn't HIS service dog to begin with, then bringing up the SD thing is pointless, because it's not a service dog at all, ever, if he is handling it.

I concur, just a jerk.