dogs

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Today a librarian told a patron that he had to have his dog on leash. The patron said it was a "service dog". The librarian asked what service does the dog provide. "It is illegal for you to ask that question". "No it's not".

(It is illegal for the staff to ask for demonstration or documentation. It is not illegal for the staff to ask what kind of job skills the dog has )

That's like saying "of course I am a rocket scientist because I don't have to demonstrate or document anything". (Rolls eyes)

Any owner could claim any dog is a service dog.
My (former) "friend" Amy had the nerve to say that if anyone asks, her dog is a "service dog". When she is not a service dog.

As someone afraid of dogs, the whole thing makes me want to puke

And it is so condescending and annoying when dog owners say "she won't bite " or "she's friendly". Dog owners are not telepathic or precognitive. They don't know what is going to happen before it happens and they can't read the dogs mind. (Situational vs dispositional)

Not everyone defines and measures "friendliness" the same way. And it is biased for the owner to say if the dog is "friendly"

Some of my fave local businesses have put up signs on their doors about how regular pets & esas are not service animals, & thus not allowed inside. And they enforce! I've walked out of a number of places because they won't enforce or confront patrons. That's their right, but so is mine to leave & not spend my money. Some people are way too brazen in flaunting the rules.

A lot of people take advantage of misunderstandings around the rules for service dogs and try to pass support dogs off as service dogs.

Some people need banished to the shadow realm.

The community health center I go to & I think some other various places within the community here require the dogs to wear something special for the dog to be considered a service animal. I forget what but it might be a special collar or harness to identify that the dog has been specialty trained instead of just being an emotional support animal. I think lots of places that have leash laws do not make exceptions for service dogs to not be on leashes but being a service dog on the leash should allow the dog to have access in addition to the owner. It's common sense to protect the dogs as well as other people.