[EA]

I see it so often, but rarely see the service animal sign.

I've seen some legit ones as well, along with a couple in training.

A tea cup gerbil sized dog is not a service animal. But, as long as it doesn't hump my leg, bite me, poop on or near me, or pee on or near me, I couldn't care less.

[OmegaSupreme]

OP needs to get a service dog to help out with their severe stress issues

[KonaKat]

I'm getting a pony with a medical marijuana license and taking him everywhere with me. So there.

[hotjambalaya]

Whilst I fully agree about this service animal thing being utterly ridiculous, I also fail to see the level of the Ops rant.

If a dog is sitting under the owners table just how unsanitary is it? Its not running around in the kitchen peeing on anything, its sitting under the table. Frankly 50% of the people I see walking around vegas look more unsanitary then dogs any day.

Whats next, asking people to take their shoes off before they go into the restaurant?

OP man up, just admit you're scared of dogs, even little fluffy white ones locked up in a box.

And just be thankful that it wasnt a pot bellied pig...

http://www.takepart.com/photos/8-unu...s/sadie-parrot

[clutchcargo777]

I'm not afraid of dogs, but I am violently allergic to them. I can't enter a household that has one dog without nearly going into anaphylactic shock. I guess my rights to a pleasant meal or shopping experience is less important then their ability to skirt the law.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Google "emotional support pig kicked off plane".

[Everdeen]

Originally Posted by clutchcargo777

I'm not afraid of dogs, but I am violently allergic to them. I can't enter a household that has one dog without nearly going into anaphylactic shock. I guess my rights to a pleasant meal or shopping experience is less important then their ability to skirt the law.

With the ubiquitous presence of dogs, I would think you would be sick all the time. Do you know, exactly, what triggers your allergy (hair, dander, saliva)? One of my dogs sheds year round and her hair gets everywhere.

People do abuse the laws for service animals. It's hard to fix because service animals can cost $20,000, so the law designed to allow people to train their own animal.

My understanding is that a business owner is allowed to ask two questions: 1) Is this a service animal?, and 2) What service does it provide? They cannot ask you for documentation. I think this will change eventually; abuse of this law (regulation?) has exploded in the last several years. Maybe they should be required to produce a license?

Even though a business owner's hands are tied, that doesn't stop the other patrons from saying something if the dog starts growling, excessively barking, urinating, etc. Those are all reasons which allows a business owner to eject someone with a service animal, even if it is legitimate. But I think most business owners are too afraid of lawsuits to eject an animal.

[clutchcargo777]

Originally Posted by Everdeen

With the ubiquitous presence of dogs, I would think you would be sick all the time. Do you know, exactly, what triggers your allergy (hair, dander, saliva)? One of my dogs sheds year round and her hair gets everywhere.

I think it's dog DNA that I am allergic to, literally everything about them chokes me up and makes me miserable. It may be concentrated in their spit though. If a dog licks me, I'm a goner for the rest of the day.

With that knowledge, I just avoided pet stores, pounds, vets, dog parks etc. No big deal, those places are incompatible with me. But lately I see them at more and more restaurants, grocery stores and malls. About all I can do, in the case of a restaurant, is scan the place before being seated or, if I'm there first, ask to either be moved or pay my bill and leave.

People who have never experienced this cannot fathom that they are carrying around a biological weapon to some in their purse.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by clutchcargo777

I'm not afraid of dogs, but I am violently allergic to them. I can't enter a household that has one dog without nearly going into anaphylactic shock. I guess my rights to a pleasant meal or shopping experience is less important then their ability to skirt the law.

And this is why I'm so against the service animal fakers.

Allergies, particularly severe allergies, works like a battery charging and discharging. Every animal the allergic person comes in contact with "charges the battery." And (hopefully) each sleep cycle discharges it. If the battery is overcharged, that's when the problems happen. And each allergic person has their threshold. (Mine for bee stings is about 30 seconds -- the deadline during which I had best jab myself with an epipen.)

People who bring their animals everywhere spread misery. But they're too self-absorbed to see it. In their rose-colored world, everybody loves their miserable little rat dog. They think it's cute. And therefore they think everyone agrees that it's cute. And the people who are allergic? Not their problem. What's one little dog going to do, anyway?

[MediocreButArrogant]

The dog aren't the ones that bother me, it's the people.

If you can't manage to go anywhere without your pet, it's God's way of telling you to stay home because you're annoying.