nonservice dog in dining room

Just got back from our first Princess cruise which we loved. While on our cruise I saw something that really surprised me. A woman had a nonservice dog with her at a table in a specialty restaurant. Service dogs had IDs to identify them this dog did not and was a small long haired dog and certainly did not look like a service dog. Is this really allowed?

If she had it at the table, then it was probably allowed. Hard to believe someone could/would sneak a dog on board and especially into a dining room. There are lots of different kinds of service dogs these days. I don't know if all of them wear special IDs, or on a small dog maybe it was on the collar and not visible to you?

Just got back from our first Princess cruise which we loved. While on our cruise I saw something that really surprised me. A woman had a nonservice dog with her at a table in a specialty restaurant. Service dogs had IDs to identify them this dog did not and was a small long haired dog and certainly did not look like a service dog. Is this really allowed?

Non service dogs are not allowed onboard.

There are several heated threads on this subject.

I have seen legitimate service dogs onboard and I have also seen questionable dogs dressed as clowns with the owner craving attention by having it do tricks. There were always a crowd of people around this person and their dog. I have seen some with tags and a vest and some with nothing.

Some people cheat the system and bring their pet onboard and Princess really has no control to say no. Its pretty sad.

Here is an older thread but the info is interesting.....

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQrAIoAzAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.cruisecritic.com%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D210356&ei=w4eiVa6MK8vt-AGu9YGICg&usg=AFQjCNGwV3KJ38lAEKurC4KIm9aREIA5Cw&sig2=HrS4-u40fXZRpP-nqSIMkg

If she had it at the table, then it was probably allowed. Hard to believe someone could/would sneak a dog on board and especially into a dining room. There are lots of different kinds of service dogs these days. I don't know if all of them wear special IDs, or on a small dog maybe it was on the collar and not visible to you?

One cannot "sneak" a dog onboard.

Service dogs can be all shapes and sizes. Depending how it was in the dining room may tell if was a real service dog. It if was laying quiety under table, then most likely it was, most are well trained.

There are many online sites that sell fake credentials to bypass rules. Tgey even suppy the fake vests

If it was barking and jumping around, most likely fake.

Service dogs can be for many reasons thst people do not see.

I have no idea how difficult it is to get a service dog designation but apparently it's not hard enough. An acquaintance just returned from 6 weeks in Europe and took her dog (NOT a service dog) with her. When I asked how she got him through quarantine, she replied that she had secured a service dog status for him just so he could accompany her on international travel and stay in hotel rooms with her anywhere.

:eek:

One cannot "sneak" a dog onboard.

Which is why I would give this person the benefit of the doubt, until proven otherwise.

I have no idea how difficult it is to get a service dog designation but apparently it's not hard enough. An acquaintance just returned from 6 weeks in Europe and took her dog (NOT a service dog) with her. When I asked how she got him through quarantine, she replied that she had secured a service dog status for him just so he could accompany her on international travel and stay in hotel rooms with her anywhere.

 

:eek:

This would probably explain the "Clown" dog on our cruise. :rolleyes:

This dog was very small and very long haired. I could not imagine this dog being capable of doing a service dog's work. The collar on the dog was clearly visible to me since it was only a few feet away from me and there were no tags on it to id it as a service dog. I was just amazed that it was on board. I saw something like this on a plane recently. It was a 14 hour trip from Europe to the US.

This dog was very small and very long haired. I could not imagine this dog being capable of doing a service dog's work. The collar on the dog was clearly visible to me since it was only a few feet away from me and there were no tags on it to id it as a service dog. I was just amazed that it was on board. I saw something like this on a plane recently. It was a 14 hour trip from Europe to the US.

Some service dogs alert the owner to a pending epileptic seizure or to a need to take insulin. Some dogs are needed for mental health reasons. All service dogs are not retriever or shepherd types.

Perhaps there are people who scam the system, but for the sake of those who rely on their dogs, I would not jump to conclusions.

Also, if more people would train their dogs, maybe they would be allowed to go more places legitimately.

This dog was very small and very long haired. I could not imagine this dog being capable of doing a service dog's work. The collar on the dog was clearly visible to me since it was only a few feet away from me and there were no tags on it to id it as a service dog. I was just amazed that it was on board. I saw something like this on a plane recently. It was a 14 hour trip from Europe to the US.

Service dogs come in all shapes and sizes. I think many have a vision of a service dog as a lab type with a harness and handle for a blind person.

Times have changed. There are seizure dogs that detect a seizure starting etc.

This dog was very small and very long haired. I could not imagine this dog being capable of doing a service dog's work.

I'm sorry but that remark annoyed me. You obviously know very little about service dogs to make such a statement. There are a couple living not far from me who are both profoundly deaf and have a trained service dog. The dog is a papillon, ie very small and long-haired. And it doesn't wear any tag or other sign of identification either.

I certainly don't have any problem with "service dogs" but must tell you that some do take advantage. Once on the Carnival Pride first day we noticed that a man, probably in his mid 30's, was walking around with this small dog in his arms. He had a woman with and two children with him. At the buffet we heard the woman telling several passengers that it was a "service dog" for the man. During the next week we saw this man walking around the ship, by himself and no dog, once swimming at the pool; saw the woman carrying the dog around the ship by herself and with the children; and the children walking around the ship with the dog without the man or woman. Several times we saw one of them with the dog, standing in the buffet line with all the open food and wondered where all the dog hair and dander was going not to mention that they were handling the dog and then using the food utensils. We avoided the areas then went to.

A guest entertainer on a Princess Cruise (magician/comedian) used a small white dog in his 'act'.

Yep it may annoy you, but too many people kink the system these days. I am very concerned about sanitary conditions regarding dogs. My daughter and many others are very allergic to dogs especially long haired dogs. Questions will arise when dogs are not identified as to their purpose.

This dog was very small and very long haired. I could not imagine this dog being capable of doing a service dog's work. The collar on the dog was clearly visible to me since it was only a few feet away from me and there were no tags on it to id it as a service dog. I was just amazed that it was on board. I saw something like this on a plane recently. It was a 14 hour trip from Europe to the US.

There are lots of people who have issues that are not visible to others. Some people believe that the only true service dogs are the guide dogs for the blind. However, there are service dogs to assist people who have PTSD. They are able to calm the anxiety of their owners. People do not need to have served in war to have PTSD. My niece has it from seeing her father commit suicide (gunshot to the head) right in front of her. There are dogs that can alert BEFORE a seizure strikes so the person can take steps to protect themselves. There are dogs who can alert diabetics to blood sugar issues so they can take steps to prevent them from passing out. There are dogs that alert the deaf. This is just a couple of examples. The dogs do not have to be big, like a shepherd or a lab.

And most important of all, they owe none of us an explanation of their medical problems. It is none of our business.

We have a friend who is blind and in order to take her dog on a cruise she has to provide a doctor's letter and all the documentation for the dog, including proof that it is a legitimate service dog and its vaccination record.

Frankly, I would rather have a dog at my table than some of the people we have been stuck with over the years.

Met a woman on a plane who had a small dog to alert her because of severe peanut allergies. If I remember correctly an announcement was made in the gate area before boarding that this would be a "peanut-free" flight.

A guest entertainer on a Princess Cruise (magician/comedian) used a small white dog in his 'act'.

And?

We have a friend who is blind and in order to take her dog on a cruise she has to provide a doctor's letter and all the documentation for the dog, including proof that it is a legitimate service dog and its vaccination record./QUOTE]

 

 

Of which for those who wish to skirt the rules is available online and easily forged.

As noted - no way to tell if a legitimate service animal. There is also no standard for how such a dog must be identified. For ship's purposes, all the passenger needs to do is provide paper documentation, which as noted is easy to obtain, valid or not.

As usual we have become a love me love my dog society. People who don't like dogs or are allergic, etc.....are never out there cramming their beliefs that dogs shouldn't be allowed in stores, planes, ships, restaurants, hospitals etc, etc, etc. when will they allow cat lovers to bring their pets everywhere with them. We have been on 4 cruises with dogs. 3 were definitely service dogs but 1 was admittedly by owner not. He just said he loved to cruise but couldn't bear to be away from his best friend, so he found a way around it. His dog (a Labrador) did have a vest. When asked about the vest he just smiled and said there are ways to get them. Just our luck he was in the cabin next door and that dog barked every morning around six to go out. BTW.......where do they go the bathroom?

.......also.....maybe not a service dog but the women could be a resident of the ship. There are people who pay big $$$$$ to stay on with a particular cruiseline and live on it. Very common.

No...not a service dog just an owner who has deeeeep$ pockets and that speaks louder than what the typical 1 or 2 week cruiser could ever have to say about it.

Just another viewpoint ;)

Many people have told me how easy it was to get their dog "certified" on line so that they can take their dog anywhere. Most times these dogs have no training. Sometimes, not always, the dog is disruptive. It is wrong but unfortunately these certifications are easy to get.

The people who do this really don't care about anyone except themselves and their dog.

Disabilities can be visible or invisible. You never know. My daughter has a disabling condition (RSD -- Google it) and a handicap placard. Visibly, she looks like a normal young woman walking around but you don't see the constant, debilitating, excrutiating pain that she's in. She just sucks it up and has learned to live with it. When she parks (legitimately) in a handicap space, she gets yelled at, screamed at, nasty and even threatening notes put on her windshield, etc.

Whether the dog was legitimate or not, the passenger had to produce papers and make prior arrangements for the dog. If you have allergies to dander or other issues, report it. The vast majority of service dog owners are sensitive to people's reactions and will go out of their way to avoid problems.

A guest entertainer on a Princess Cruise (magician/comedian) used a small white dog in his 'act'.

His name is Jeff Peterson and his little dog is named Indy. He was on our Grand Princess cruise last month.