Society vs Service Dogs for Disabled Individuals
- added April 18, 2008
- 0 responses
I have had a medical alert dog for 7 years now, and have finally come to the breaking point. The public is horribly ignorant of what a service do is- and how frustrating it is to have to explain that your dog IS allowed ANYWHERE!! There are times I am so angry I want to scream, but most of the time I break down and cry.
For some unknown reason people think that unless your blind you do not need a service dog. I was stopped at a transit location by security telling me that only seeing eye dogs were allowed. I told her this was not true, she insisted on seeing proof he was a service dog, I told her she did not need to see this, she insisted again. A stranger came to my rescue and backed up my story. The horribly ironic thing was that is was clearly stated in the light rail that only SEEING EYE DOGS were allowed...it turned out the security woman was right...my heart sank.
I have tried to adapt to a system that is completely unaware of people with invisible disabilities. People seem to think that it is there business to know what my disability is. They ask rude questions like 'you don' look disabled', or 'what does he do for you'...sometimes I wonder if people have any idea what they are really asking. They make comments about how sad his life is, how rude I am not to let them pet him, how mean I am when I say 'no'... I am bombarded day after day after day...I want to issue a memo to the world about that a service dog is, how difficult it is as a disabled person, just so I don't have to tell the whole world one by one.
What is really sad is that most people with service dogs have severe anxiety about going outside with their dogs because of how people treat them, and since they need them to go out, they stop leaving home at all. I can't blame them. I try to educate people so these individuals can go into a wal-mart without getting the third degree. I am worn out though...I am considering a tattoo on my forehead saying 'HE IS A SERVICE DOG- IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT CALL THE DEPT. OF JUSTICE!!!' *sigh*...Please pick this as a pod, this issue affects thousands and thousands more that will meet the person with the service dog...this needs to be told, and heard URGENTLY.
It is so hard to be discriminated because of your disability...he is not just a dog (pet) he is my service dog- he helps me be able to function...WOW the irony there is so strong, the thing that allows me to venture out into society is the very thing that may cause me to avoid society forever...
For some unknown reason people think that unless your blind you do not need a service dog. I was stopped at a transit location by security telling me that only seeing eye dogs were allowed. I told her this was not true, she insisted on seeing proof he was a service dog, I told her she did not need to see this, she insisted again. A stranger came to my rescue and backed up my story. The horribly ironic thing was that is was clearly stated in the light rail that only SEEING EYE DOGS were allowed...it turned out the security woman was right...my heart sank.
I have tried to adapt to a system that is completely unaware of people with invisible disabilities. People seem to think that it is there business to know what my disability is. They ask rude questions like 'you don' look disabled', or 'what does he do for you'...sometimes I wonder if people have any idea what they are really asking. They make comments about how sad his life is, how rude I am not to let them pet him, how mean I am when I say 'no'... I am bombarded day after day after day...I want to issue a memo to the world about that a service dog is, how difficult it is as a disabled person, just so I don't have to tell the whole world one by one.
What is really sad is that most people with service dogs have severe anxiety about going outside with their dogs because of how people treat them, and since they need them to go out, they stop leaving home at all. I can't blame them. I try to educate people so these individuals can go into a wal-mart without getting the third degree. I am worn out though...I am considering a tattoo on my forehead saying 'HE IS A SERVICE DOG- IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT CALL THE DEPT. OF JUSTICE!!!' *sigh*...Please pick this as a pod, this issue affects thousands and thousands more that will meet the person with the service dog...this needs to be told, and heard URGENTLY.
It is so hard to be discriminated because of your disability...he is not just a dog (pet) he is my service dog- he helps me be able to function...WOW the irony there is so strong, the thing that allows me to venture out into society is the very thing that may cause me to avoid society forever...
Login/Registration is required to add a response.
