[nagdu] Fake Service Dogs

[Mardi Hadfield]

Hi every one, Mardi here. Regarding owner trainers, when I train my dogs, I
feel that I will be scrutinized more and my dogs held to a higher degree of
of good behavior. I will always make sure that my dogs are as perfect as I
can get them to be.Where ever I go, I am always complimented on how well
behaved my dog is. This does not mean that my dogs never act up or never
make mistakes. They sometimes do, though it is rare.I never stop training
my dogs.Each outing is another training experience.When I was still using
Shaman, He was attacked  so many times by Pit Bulls and harassed several
times by small ankle biters,that he became dog   aggressive. He would lunge
and growl at other dogs.As soon as I recognized his problem,I stopped using
him in public. I worked with him in dog friendly places like Petsmart, not
out in a public store or restaurant. I worked with him until I got the
situation under control.He was able to return to guide work. Shulamith,the
dog that I am currently training has a problem with other dogs when they
bark at her.I am working on her behavior issues at Petsmart as that is
where she has the problem.Dogs that bark at each other, are tolerated at
Petsmart as long as there is no fighting. She has not acted up any at any
other place that she has been to so far. The point is that I make sure that
my dogs behaviors are good so they will not be asked to leave and I won't
be embarrassed.  About fake service dogs. I think there is a misconception
with the public of what the ADA defines as a service dog. I get these
people telling me that their dog is a service dog, when in actuality, it is
just an emotional support dog.These people say their dog is their "THERAPY
DOG". They don't seem to know what a true Therapy dog is.I see dogs in the
grocery all the time riding in the grocery carts. Some have vests on,some
don't. Some dogs have Service Dog patches on their vests and others have
Therapy dog patches or no patches on the vest at all. Like the vest
alone,without any patch tells you this dog is a service dog. All of these
dogs have acted up.Some have barked and growled at my dog,and others have
actually lunged and tried to attack my dog.I have not yet seen one that
acted like a service dog.Most have been small dogs. Several have been large
dogs or Pit Bulls.I am not against Pit Bulls, but most people around here
do not train them for obedience or do train them to be aggressive. I have
tried to explain to people that have these so called "THERAPY DOGS" that
they are not service dogs according to the ADA. Most of these people try to
convince me that they are service dogs and get nasty with me for trying to
educate them.Some,just say they don't care.To them it is their service
dog.I have asked the 2 questions and most people don't answer them
correctly and some do answer correctly.When I am trying to get on a bus and
do it quickly so no one will complain that I am making them late for work
because I am being slow,and some little ankle bitter is barking and
growling at my dog,..........Well it just makes me angry,and then that
person says ,"Its my service dog" like it doesn't matter that is is
creating a scene, because it's a "SERVICE DOG".Then we have "HANDI DOGS" in
Tucson. This is an organization that trains their service dogs inside of a
building. There trainees are not allowed to go out into the public until
their dogs are "certified". How can they certify their dogs if they have
never trained outside this building.I have seen many Handi Dog grads who
have dogs that act up and bark at other dogs and growl and lunge in public.
But it's a "HANDI DOG" from an organization.Every one in Tucson knows about
Handi Dogs. They advertise on TV so they can get donations. They give
demonstrations and I have seen some of their demos and some of the dogs are
not very well trained and some are acting up around other service dogs that
happened to be watching with their handlers.Even when I get my guide dogs
their licenses, it is marked as a "HANDI DOG" I have tried to tell the
animal control licensing clerks that my dog is NOT a "HANDI DOG". After 33
years of my living in Tucson, my guide dogs are still listed as "HANDI
DOG"on their licenses. Tucson does not recognize any service dogs but
"HANDI DOGS" No one enforces the service dog laws here. I feel like I am
living in some primitive country, in the dark ages. I have tried educating
Animal Control and the police but I have been retaliated against for it.
There are legitimate service dogs in Tucson and a lot of them have faced
the same problems as I have, but most of them just grin and bare it,so one
person, ME, gets no where when educating the public, Animal Control and the
police.Even the store managers refuse to do any thing about dogs that act
up. I have tried to educate them also to no avail. I can't afford to sue
the whole City of Tucson. I am so disgusted. I would love to move some
where else but would it be any better there?  Disgusted and
disillusioned,   Mardi and Shaman,retired and Neechee and Shulamith,GDIT.

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