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Traveling with service dog anyone?


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Just wondering if anyone has a service dog due to disability and what problems if any, you have encountered on the road. We know of the ADA guidelines, but away from home base, where you are not known, any problems?

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We encounter lots of people traveling with a service dog. Our only comments are the difference between a working service dog and "companion" animal not covered under theguidelibes

 

We do tons of visitor service gigs and I can always tell a working service dog by its behavior. They are of course welcome by the Ada guidelines.

Don't get me started on the pint size critter hiding in someone's purse!!!!

Ron & Linda

Class of 2007
2000 Monaco Diplomat

2005 Honda Element

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt

"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail"

"When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments."

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Thanks for the reply, we are talking about a trained dog, working at its assigned task. Just asking if anybody in their travels had any problem or harassment particular to a locality. Or county ordinance for example.

 

Carl

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Well of course all Federal property must abide by the fed guidelines. I would always tuck a copy of the guideline in your pocket when traveling. Some business/ people may not understand their responsibility about service animals

Ron & Linda

Class of 2007
2000 Monaco Diplomat

2005 Honda Element

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt

"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail"

"When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments."

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mycousin has one of those pint size service dogs....a Yorkie and it probably does ride in her purse. Hevant figured that one out and I'm scared to ask.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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Howdy!

 

Not on topic but seem like a good place to ask the question. In was in a Walmart yesterday and noticed a person with a service dog. While in the food section the dog releaved it's self and pooped all over the place. The person with the dog just walked away even though they were capable of cleaning up after their dog. Why in the world they not attemp to even clean up this mess. You have to do so while walking you dog outside why not here. Sorry for the rant.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

"Class of 2007 Fulltimer's"

Gary & karen

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Howdy!

 

Not on topic but seem like a good place to ask the question. In was in a Walmart yesterday and noticed a person with a service dog. While in the food section the dog releaved it's self and pooped all over the place. The person with the dog just walked away even though they were capable of cleaning up after their dog. Why in the world they not attemp to even clean up this mess. You have to do so while walking you dog outside why not here. Sorry for the rant.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

Are you sure it was a service dog? I've noticed some dogs with fake vests (available on the Internet). You can usually tell by the dogs behavior. My son used to train service dogs and it was a very rigorous course. I can't imagine one pooping indoors, or an owner (unless blind) not cleaning up after it.

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I have a service dog. I rescued her and train her myself. Her training is always ongoing. I am constantly asked to provide her certificate. There isn't such thing nor is one required by the ADA. A certificates is only a diploma from the private training school and not government issued. The ADA not prohibit self training. I purchased her vest on the Internet. They don't sell them at PetSMart. I am disabled and my dog is a service dog.

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Hope you don't have any pet dander allergies and check into a hotel expecting a pet free room. ADA eliminated that option. Also fake "companion" dogs are getting to be a real problem in getting around the No Pets rule many hotels and resorts have. As Nana points out, too many carry a copy of the ADA guidelines and "counsel" the hotels on their responsibilities. How can a hotel stay competitive if they don't absorb the cost of full cleaning of a room after a service dog was in residence since they can't pass on the expense to the service animal owner - hence they just quietly don't fully clean the room.

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Thanks TX for the reply, you are correct, there is no official certification, however, I define a service dog as capable, well mannered, not easily distracted, and providing assistance to a handicapped person. You know one when you see one work.The training process can indeed be done by the owner.

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Are you sure it was a service dog? I've noticed some dogs with fake vests (available on the Internet). You can usually tell by the dogs behavior. My son used to train service dogs and it was a very rigorous course. I can't imagine one pooping indoors, or an owner (unless blind) not cleaning up after it.

Like you, I doubt that this was really a service dog and unfortunately, the law makes it impossible for any business to safely challenge any dog that happens to have one of the easily available identifiers and you can even get fake documents now to support your claim. With the current situation, anyone can buy some identifiers and claim to have "self trained" a dog for just about any service and there is little that a business owner can do, safely. As a result it is a very abused benefit and unless those who use service animals get really busy to clean up things there will be governmental intervention in time as it will have to come. A good example of what can be done is that of the guide dog community as they go to great lengths to self police and work hard to make sure that the association standards both for the dog behavior and training are met.

 

With any dog training, even if properly completed before going into service, the owner/user must continue refreshing that training on a regular basis throughout the dog's service life if it is to continue to live up to the standards. Unfortunately even well trained service dogs are not always kept that way and the "self training" aspect makes it completely impossible for there to be any enforceable standard for access into public places. Even in the case where a supposed service dog has bitten a bystander (which has happened on Escapee property) the business owner must go to great lengths to protect themselves if they then bar that person's dog from their premises. I see dogs wearing some service animal identifier frequently that I am highly suspicious of, but there is really noting at all that can be done.

 

And on the issue of cleaning up after a service dog, my daughter is a guide dog user and those dogs are trained to relieve themselves on command and the owner regulates the dog's intake of both food and water to help maintain that training. Even a well trained dog can have an accident and I can tell you that an alert owner does know when such happens, even when totally blind with no vision at all, as happened to Jenny. She was terribly embarrassed and did her best to clean up. If the person you observed was not abusing the service dog privilege with a dog which was just a pet, then he was not a person who should be allowed to have a service dog. And just so that you know, certified guide dogs are only loaned to the user during their service life and the guide dog schools can and occasionally do take back one from a user who does not keep up with proper training and behavior standards. As Jenny says of her guide dog, while there are few if any places that she can't legally take her dog, common sense and decency of the user demand that you use discretion about where you take your dog.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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A service dog does not have to have a certificate, or a vest, or any other identifier. In addition, as a business you may not ask for any "proof", or question the validity of the dog in any fashion. If you do then you risk a suit or other issues. I've just been through this at this campground where we have had a claimed "service dog". You cannot bar the dog in any fashion. However, as a business owner you can bar the owner of the dog and refuse service for any reason. But it has nothing to do with the dog.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

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Good luck with that.

A business owner can refuse service to anyone they want. Except in very limited sets of circumstances. There is no issue with doing this, and it is done every day. It has nothing to do with the dog(s). Typically, refusal of service is for cause. But it cannot be a made up cause.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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A service dog does not have to have a certificate, or a vest, or any other identifier. In addition, as a business you may not ask for any "proof", or question the validity of the dog in any fashion. If you do then you risk a suit or other issues. I've just been through this at this campground where we have had a claimed "service dog". You cannot bar the dog in any fashion. However, as a business owner you can bar the owner of the dog and refuse service for any reason. But it has nothing to do with the dog.

This is in fact Walmarts policy. No proof needed or asked for. If they Poop, we get to clean it up.

George

2011 F350 6.7PSD CC 4X4 DRW Lariate
2015 Mobile Suites 41 RSSB4 5th Wheel

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This is in fact Walmarts policy. No proof needed or asked for. If they Poop, we get to clean it up.

2 days ago I was shopping in WalMart and saw a young man walking around the produce section with a 3 or 4 lb dog in his arms. As he left the produce section, a WalMart employee fell right in behind him and asked him to leave the store. 3 cheers for common sense.

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2 days ago I was shopping in WalMart and saw a young man walking around the produce section with a 3 or 4 lb dog in his arms. As he left the produce section, a WalMart employee fell right in behind him and asked him to leave the store. 3 cheers for common sense.

To bad a total lack of common sense seems to be a prerequisite for working in Government.

George

2011 F350 6.7PSD CC 4X4 DRW Lariate
2015 Mobile Suites 41 RSSB4 5th Wheel

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To bad a total lack of common sense seems to be a prerequisite for working in Government.

I didn't realize WalMart was run by the Government. Learn something new every day! Dennis

Trailer: Montana 5th wheel, model 3582Rl, model year 2012

 

Truck: Ford 450 PSD Super Duty, 2002 Crew Cab, Long bed, 4:88 rear end, last of the 7.3 engines, Automatic Transmission.

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