[nagdu] Service dogs versus plain old pets masquerading

[Bridget Walker]

Hi James and all,
I am living this problem day in and day out in my area. I say my area because when I go to upstate New York I have next to no problem. Albany has been the most educated and accommodating city I have been to with my guide dog so far. 
When I go to  areas closer to the city I am questioned everywhere I go. 
If someone asks me "is that a service dog?" I say yes and go on my way. Sometimes I will say yes and say guide dog hoping there question was out of curiosity and not the questioning sort.
Many times I have businesses question me. If I  just say yes identifying I have a service dog they always want more.
My harness clearly displaying the Guiding Eyes for the Blind name is not enough. I have had businesses tell me they are required to question me. I have had them say my guide dog is not properly represented because he does not have a vest. The worst is I don't look blind how could I possibly need a guide dog? This situation came up at a local IHOP a few weeks ago. 
I had a problem on Easter as I was on my way back to school. I stopped at a burger king with my family. I originally did not hear the man behind the counter questioning me. I heard his coworker say my dog was a service dog. The guy continued saying they did not allow pets. I heard him the second time and said I had a guide dog who is clearly harnessed. He said "well I'm required to ask." It sounded to me at first he was trying to deny service to me because of his lack of education. 
I don't know how to fix these problems.
I am sure sick of it.
Bridget
 

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 6, 27 Heisei, at 6:18 PM, Chaim B. Segal via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Folks:
> 
> This subject keeps popping on here in various forms and understandably so. Let me just say that personally, I would definitely be frustrated if I had to show my blasted ID each time I wanted to use my Seeing Eye Dog to access a business. This being said however, I feel that any business owner does have a legitimate right to ensure that the dog coming in is really and truly a service animal.
> 
> A number of us look blind so it should be obvious to anybody seeing us. Yet, I have been told that some people don't necessarily know that I am blind because unlike many others, my eyes are usually open. 
> 
> As far as I know, and please correct me if I am wrong, each guide dog school has the name of their school engraved or printed on their harnesses? At least Seeing Eye does. The dog's number with the school is tatooed into its ear. I thought other schools do this as well. Now, obviously, most business managers are not going to want to examine a dog's ear. However, it seems to me that perhaps a mini ID can somehow be inserted into the dog's harness or collar. I feel that people such as Julie who train their own dogs should have full access rights without question. However, just so that people don't get the wrong idea that anybody can train a dog for anything and then bill it as a service dog, the owner-trained dog should possibly be somehow registered by someone in legal authority, so that there is proof of what the dog is trained for.
> 
> We have a problem in general in our society, and I think this is where some of the roots of the problem are. There are people who own dogs who have absolutely no business doing so. Particularly what comes to mind are people who live in rough areas who own dogs who are down-right vicious. I'm willing to bet you that a number of people who own these dogs probably don't even like dogs to begin witheaand are highly ignorant concerning the needs and mentality of these dogs. Some of these dogs, Mainly pitbulls, are bred to fight. Others, such as German Shepherds who are not bred to do guide work, were probably intended to be in the hands of police.  Maybe to some extent, these dogs are providing these people some protection, but the problem is they are not solving the underlying problem which is facilitating this need. That in it of itself is another subject. I say that local, state, and federal law enforcement needs to step in and start carefully monitoring which dogs the common-f
> olk own. Vicious dogs roamm  our city streets, no matter what breed, need to be eliminated. a
> 
> where this relates to us is that a lot of people are getting this ignorant notion that our dogs are actually trained to literally protect us. If we want to make a difference, I think we need to start contacting the media, be it our local newspapers, TV and radio stations, and try to get spots where we can get our concerns heard and seen. 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Chaim  
> 
> Chaim B. Segal
> Customer Service Representative: Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio
> 
> Every man, woman every boy and girl,
> Let your love light shine and make a better world
> 
> Daryl Hall And John Oates 
> 
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