"Service Dogs" Response

Cheyenne WY

Description

I would like to respond to you because I have been one of the people that had her dog targeted by someone that claims only service dogs should be allowed in stores or says their service dog is an actual service dog simply because it is the standard type of service dog that is usually seen. I have a soon to be 11 year old toy poodle that is a trained, formerly licensed, now retired therapy, ESA, and volunteer nursing home/hospital dog. In Cheyenne, WY, we have a therapy dog training facility just down the street from me. However, therapy dogs or ESA dogs are not recognized in the state of Wyoming. That being said, my dog provides a VERY real service. Just because you cannot see a disability does not mean that a disability is not there. My daughter has suffered very real trauma, she has CPTSD from being sexually assaulted, physically abused, and knowing that her perpetrator will soon be released from prison. Every dog, whether it is trained or not, has the potential to not perform exactly how they are expected to. A dog shouldn't have to sit in a kennel for hours while their owner has to run errands. Now, with that being said, of course a dog should not be "lunging" at someone, but did you ever figure the "lunging" was because the dog actually likes children and is looking for affection? As also a former professional DNA and registered dog breeder, we also have to look at the breed of the dog that is serving. Sorry folks, some breeds are very much predisposed to having certain characteristics that will never align with being a service animal. Lets take for example the most popular dog breed that is regularly a licensed, certified service animal, the Labrador. This breed, by all means, is completely out of its element in being expected to perform its trained service duty when in the distraction of the animals that it is supposed to retrieve if it were in its natural breed function. Just as a pit bull (broad term that encompasses a spectrum of breed types including the Staffie, American Bull dog, Kane Korso, etc.) could not be included as a service animal due to unpredictable nature with other animals, particularly other dogs. All in all, someone cannot make the snap judgment based on appearance or even a burst of observed behavior on whether a dog is a true service animal or not and per the ADA, there is no one that has the right to ask that question nor does someone have to provide proof. Though, I carry cards with that proof, but you can bet if someone asks me that question, they're going to be directed to speak with the ADA about having asked that question and demanded proof.