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Please, do not pet: Service dogs are working dogs
Please, do not pet: Service dogs are working dogs
Date published: 10/30/2009 Please, do not pet: Service dogs are working dogs A few days ago, I went to Walmart to get a few things for the house. Because I have a medical condition that can be life-threatening, I have a service dog who accompanies me wherever I go. I know when we go out that there will always be some people who don't understand the function of service dogs, and I will have to explain why it is important to leave them alone and not distract them from their work of protecting the person they help. I usually don't mind taking the time to do this. It's important to share information and educate as many people as we can. It's usually a pleasure; we have made some wonderful new friends in this way. But recently, I've been faced with people who don't seem to care and are very rude and downright mean when I try to share the information with them. I remember how difficult life was before I had my wonderful companion. These dogs, in many cases, are a person's lifeline to the outside world. In some cases, disabled people or people with a severe illness would be housebound without the dogs. At the checkout line, I was treated terribly by a man in line who tried to pet my service dog (who wears a red vest marked "Service dog: Do not touch"). When I tried to explain the function of the dog, I was met with sarcastic rudeness. It was hurtful. I gave up in the face of such ignorance. I will never understand how unkind some people can be. Stacey Leigh Spotsylvania
Date published: 10/30/2009
I feel for you...
(posted by
Saydee
, Nov. 5, 2009 9:22 pm)
I train service dogs for Autism and I take the dog to school (High School) with me, however, no matter how many times I have asked for people to not pet him and explained why, I will constantly find him stopping in the middle of the halls and as I turn around, I will see 4 or 5 kids petting him and then running off saying, "Haha! I pet him!" or "It's a free country so I CAN pet your dog!" It really makes me angry but on the positive note; I have become more patient!
It's unfortunate
(posted by
spotsylady
, Oct. 30, 2009 12:13 pm)
that people will pet a service dog with a vest that says "do not pet". It can be harmful because they will bond to the new person instead of to their owner whom they are protecting, or they can be distracted and place their owner in immediate and very serious danger. And it's also a shame that people think they know everything and therefore think it's ok to be rude when they don't want to hear something. Especially when they know better.
have some patience - from the other side
(posted by
karma
, Oct. 30, 2009 9:42 am)
As a dog lover, I once asked a person if I could pet their service dog. The woman politely and patiently explained why that would be detrimental. Now I know. Unfortunately for you, it is necessary to explain this to every person who is going to ask (if they give you the courtesy of asking) because the general public is unaware of proper etiquette.
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