Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Why Fake Service Dogs Aren't a Laughing Matter

I had heard about the growing problem of fake service dogs before - I saw the links to places where you can buy vests and get 'ID' cards that can make your dog appear to be an actual service dog. I was appalled that people would actually do that, but didn't realize the extent of the problem until we traveled to Alabama. Obviously faking that your pet is a service dog is dishonest and even illegal, but why is it really such a big deal?  Let me tell you.

We had been able to go most anywhere in our state of Ohio as well as Washington DC and Orlando, Florida without much of a challenge. Not here, at least not anymore. Almost everywhere we have gone on this vacation we have been confronted and had to explain, show ID, etc. When we have our service dog with us my son's autistic stimming behaviors that are usually at their worst in public often disappear almost entirely. While that is a great thing, it also can make it confusing for those who encounter us. With fake service dogs becoming more common we become a likely target of suspicion.

Each time we get challenged it becomes necessary to point out what the dog is for. Even though we don't have to give my son's diagnosis per se, we may need to clarify what the dog is trained to do. By definition a service dog is specially trained to assist it's partner in specific ways.When you are 14 you are extremely self conscious anyway, imagine how uncomfortable it is for you when your mom explains that the dog is there to intervene in meltdowns or track you if you run off. Imagine doing that several times a day. Imagine doing that when there are other kids your age watching. Imagine worrying that you won't be given access to a hotel, restaurant or other event. Instead of the positive attention a well behaved and people loving dog can bring the attention becomes mostly negative - having to defend why you are bringing 'your pet' into a public place. Explaining that the dog is not a pet, showing your information, etc. becomes another source of anxiety for my son who already worries excessively. Kids with autism don't handle these kind of routine changes well. Getting my son to go out in public was almost impossible until we got our service dog. Now this has to happen - just as acceptance of service dogs was getting easier and my son's love of travel was blossoming.

It may not be a big thing to some people but families with kids on the spectrum just want to fit in sometimes. Sometimes that means having a service dog with us to smooth the way and make the hard things a little easier. It means having an outing without a meltdown, or a without a kiddo darting off in a crowd and madly chasing after them. Having their dog there - nuzzling them or lying across their lap to give deep pressure is a calming and grounding influence. It all helps, but only if we aren't constantly having to 'defend our case'.

During this trip we had to frequently show our ID, explain the use of the dog and wait while managers where called in to 'approve' of our stay at a hotel. We were stopped on the beach by an irate hotel housekeeper who told us that no dogs of any kind are allowed on the beach and that we could be fined if we took her out there. In each case they explained that there have been a lot of people passing off their dogs as 'service dogs'. I can empathize with the business owners who encounter damage from untrained dogs in their hotel rooms and messes on the beach from negligent owners who don't clean up afterwards. People with real service dogs don't do that - we appreciate the accommodation and try to be respectful of others who don't care for dogs. We keep our dogs in control and clean up after them because we don't want any negative reactions. We went through a lot of work and expense to get our service dog. It isn't as simple as slapping on a vest or buying an 'ID' online. In short the fake service dog problem makes it hard on everyone - both the service dog partner and business people trying to keep their clients happy and their property clean and safe.

So please share this. If you are guilty of this, please STOP! If you know someone who has done this please tell them how much of a problem this causes, tell our story if you have to. Maybe it will change at least one persons mind.