Getting Unduly Stressed About Potential Conflict

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I really hate conflict, and I’ve got a situation involving my service dog (yet again) that I’m worried about.

I’ve lived in housing for a few months now, and I submitted all of the required documents to have my dog with me when I moved in without any problems.

Recently, the landlords sent me these tags that they want me to tape to my door. In big letters, it says that a “therapy dog” lives here. My dog is not a therapy dog. She’s a service dog. Therapy dogs are dogs that go into hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, schools, and places like that to visit with people. (A lot of people don’t know the distinctions between service dog, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals.)

I don’t want to put the tags on my doors because people will then assume that the dog is for mental problems (which she is), and I don’t want people knowing the nature of my disability. Maybe I wouldn’t have had this problem if my doctor hadn’t written in the note that she submitted that I needed a service dog for a mental illness.

I don’t think that the landlord can legally force me to put the signs up on my doors, but I’m not exactly thrilled about dealing with a potential conflict.

I’m probably making it into a bigger deal than it is.

I think the signs are intended to reduce conflict. Why can you have a dog but not them. The signs explain that. I'd rather have a sign than have to explain it to people face to face. That would be stressful.

Yes, I think you are making too much about the distinction between a service dog and a therapy dog. Bottom line is that the dog is allowed to stay!

The way to handle this with less anxiety is to write to building management explaining why you are uncomfortable posting the tags. I don't believe they can force you to do this (legally). It's just something they made up on their own, with no real authority to do so (I could be wrong, but I doubt it).

Once you have sent that letter or email, do nothing different. The ball is in their court, and my guess is they won't do anything.

Remember in Nazi Germany, the authorities made Jews wear a star of David on their shirt. You don't deserve to be marginalized and pointed out, this is something similar.

I wouldn't want to bring attention to myself in this manner, either.

I agree--I wouldn't want to be publicly labeled this way. Does your service dog wear a special vest or other insignia? (That's required in many places.) That alone should explain to the neighbors why your dog is an exception to the rule.