New CG Pet Rules

[sandsys]

I once met a woman with a dog wearing a vest warning you that the dog was working. I asked her what the dog was trained to do. She said she had balance problems and the dog was trained to move close to her if she indicated a need for support. We were in a swimming pool taking an aqua aerobics class and the dog way laying under the lifeguard's chair. Really?! She has balance problems but she can exercise in a swimming pool with all that water moving around her?

Linda

[Twotoes]

Linda. I am handicapped and being in a pool surrounded by water actually helps me balance. I can no longer play beach volleyball but often play pool volleyball. The water supports me and helps me stay standing up. She may only be able to exercise in a pool. 

[Carlos]

My mom spent years doing water aerobics 3-4 days per week to recover from being hit by a drunk driver.  She had balance, vision, and skeletal issues.  The water was the one place she could reliably and SAFELY balance.

I'm shocked and dismayed by the amount of judgment and assumption expressed in this thread over things that don't affect the people complaining about it.  Judging others' challenges by your own capabilities and limited knowledge is rarely right.

 

[FL-JOE]

I don't doubt that there are some uses for service dogs that I am not familiar with, or that I may not easily recognize.  Obviously Linda was not familiar with the possibility of the woman in the pool and her service dog.

Just to change gears again, we have been up north (central Illinois) camped for a couple weeks now.  I have visited several restaurants, a couple grocery stores, a Farm & Fleet, a Tractor Supply, and of course a Harley dealership.  These retail establishments were split between two cities of over 100,000 population (both with universities/colleges).  I have yet to see a domestic pet or even a service dog in a store.  Makes you wonder.