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Stop bringing non-service animals on ships


LMaxwell
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It needs to be a bit more than "calming" to meet the standard as a service animal. Sitting to be petted is not sufficubent. The dog has to perform an actual task like getting the phone, pressing their head against the owner's chest, licking their hand, getting meds, etc.

I agree, but the ada.gov website does not clearly state this in all places, adding to the confusion for establishments that must comply (which was my point).

 

https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm simply says

Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications,
calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack
, or performing other duties.

https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html provides some more detail:

Q27. What does under control mean? Do service animals have to be on a leash? Do they have to be quiet and not bark?

... Or, a returning veteran who has PTSD and has great difficulty entering unfamiliar spaces may have a dog that is trained to enter a space, check to see that no threats are there, and come back and signal that it is safe to enter. The dog must be off leash to do its job, but may be leashed at other times.

But it boils down to the point made in this article:

Pierce is frustrated that the law is so vague, often misunderstood, and simply used as an excuse to bring pets somewhere they don't belong. Because you can only ask if a person with a service dog has a disability and what tasks the dog is trained to perform, most businesses and other services simply don’t question service dogs at all. And most people with emotional support animals don’t realize that their pets aren’t actually guaranteed equal access by the ADA, or any other law, outside of air travel.

 

Really the only mechanism available to legitimate service dog owners is to sue a business that denies them access, which just worsens the problem. “The owners of most places are intimidated,” says Pierce. “They don’t want a lawsuit on their hands for being wrong, and they don’t know what their rights are, so they don’t ask questions.”

 

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Could it be that cat owners don’t have more consideration or common sense than dog owners, but that cats typically are more standoffish? Maybe some aren’t as attached to their cats as people are with dogs.

Often dogs greet you excitedly and are always looking for human interaction. I have had cats and dogs all my life and cats not as much. It’s on their terms when and if they want attention. On any given day my dogs tend to stay by my side unless they’re outside playing in the backyard. I can count on seeing my cat first thing in the morning when she’s hungry to eat, many days that’s about the end of it. She may want some attention here and there but definitely not on a consistent or daily basis like the dogs.

 

Also cats you could potentially leave alone with some food and water and they would be fine for a couple days if litter box trained. Can’t do that with dogs. Dogs also are typically more disciplined. Most people with a little work can get any dog to follow simple instructions and be obedient. Try that with a cat… Just doesn’t work the same. Possibly the difference is you couldn’t take most cats out in public with you and them cooperate and behave like a dog would.

 

With that said I’m in full agreement that people shouldn’t abuse this. It’s meant for those with disabilities that need their service animal.

 

I love my dogs and I worry about them when I’m on vacation, but I would never take them with me. I don’t think they would enjoy it anymore than all the other people who don’t love my dogs would.

 

Not all cats are like this, but Siamese and Balinese typically bond very closely to their people. We had a Siamese for many years, sadly no more. We currently have a Balinese. Each cat followed/follows me devotedly around the house and were/are very closely attached. I've had dogs too, but I can say for sure that these two cats were and are every bit as devoted as past well-loved dogs were.

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On radiance, I saw a dog in a stroller all dressed up for formal night.

 

At least they should write a law requiring the service animal be licensed.

 

 

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Imho the dogs owner is nuts and probably needs the emotional support of the dog. So I guess it was a legit dog

 

 

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Not all cats are like this, but Siamese and Balinese typically bond very closely to their people. We had a Siamese for many years, sadly no more. We currently have a Balinese. Each cat followed/follows me devotedly around the house and were/are very closely attached. I've had dogs too, but I can say for sure that these two cats were and are every bit as devoted as past well-loved dogs were.

 

 

 

I’ll have to take your word on that as I’ve never had a Siamese or any “pure breed” cat. All my cats have been recuses, mine now we got as a kitten from Humane Society. I can say in my life, especially growing up I’ve had lots of cats, my mom was a big lover of cats, none acted remotely close to the affection of the dogs. None were obedient either. Bottom line I’m trying to say cats and dogs are very different pets in many ways that could explain why there are more owners out with dogs.

 

 

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Not all cats are like this, but Siamese and Balinese typically bond very closely to their people. We had a Siamese for many years, sadly no more. We currently have a Balinese. Each cat followed/follows me devotedly around the house and were/are very closely attached. I've had dogs too, but I can say for sure that these two cats were and are every bit as devoted as past well-loved dogs were.

 

We've only ever had cats - 1 at a time - in our home, and they've been run of the mill barn cats. Until 4 years ago when we adopted a rescue, who happens to be a purebred Flame Point Ragdoll . . . what an eye opener. Up until that time, we knew that cats ran and hid when the doorbell rang, they generally came around for pets when hungry, and occasionally graced you with their presence. Well, Miss Sochi is like a "puppy cat" in that she follows you from room to room, likes being close to her people, and when the doorbell rings, she runs to see who's there. We affectionately refer to her as our WalMart greeter, and we love her to pieces! Having said that, I still wouldn't want to take her on cruises with us - we hire a house/cat sitter who lives in our home until we return. That way, everyone's happy.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

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You may be right about not being allowed to be left in the cabin. Either way it doesn't seem fair to the dog. I don't think people should bring their pets and pretend they are service dogs. I could be wrong but I do wonder how much of a problem this is as I don't see dogs that often.

 

There was a woman on a Celebrity cruise who brought her pet with her. She brought this dog everywhere on the ship, it peed and pooped everywhere, and barked in the MDR and the shows. Finally, the crew had enough and told her that the dog must remain in her cabin at all times as they felt it was a health issue with all the poop and pee everywhere. The flipping dog barked at all hours, as this woman was off on her own doing her thing on, and off, the ship. Things like this are why animals should not be on cruise ships unless they are certified service dogs and not these "emotional support" animals. And yes, I've been fully disabled for 62 years and I understand the laws and requirements for real service animals.

 

This whole issue has gotten out of hand. We were in an airport when a woman had her support pig with her. YES, a support pig. Then there's the woman with her support chicken and one with a support miniature horse. If you need a pig or chicken for emotional support, you've got really bad issues.

 

And here's directly from the US Government ADA website:

 

Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

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The news today has airlines cracking down on the phony service dogs and eliminating those comfort dogs in the cabin.

Our comfort dog ( arn't they all?) goes to the kennel when we travel .

 

 

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Another such article from today, 1/19...

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/airplane-mode/delta-imposes-new-guidelines-service-animals-allowed-board-n839186

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I agree, but the ada.gov website does not clearly state this in all places, adding to the confusion for establishments that must comply (which was my point).

 

https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm simply says

Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications,
calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack
, or performing other duties.

https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html provides some more detail:

Q27. What does under control mean? Do service animals have to be on a leash? Do they have to be quiet and not bark?

... Or, a returning veteran who has PTSD and has great difficulty entering unfamiliar spaces may have a dog that is trained to enter a space, check to see that no threats are there, and come back and signal that it is safe to enter. The dog must be off leash to do its job, but may be leashed at other times.

But it boils down to the point made in this article:

Pierce is frustrated that the law is so vague, often misunderstood, and simply used as an excuse to bring pets somewhere they don't belong. Because you can only ask if a person with a service dog has a disability and what tasks the dog is trained to perform, most businesses and other services simply don’t question service dogs at all. And most people with emotional support animals don’t realize that their pets aren’t actually guaranteed equal access by the ADA, or any other law, outside of air travel.

 

Really the only mechanism available to legitimate service dog owners is to sue a business that denies them access, which just worsens the problem. “The owners of most places are intimidated,” says Pierce. “They don’t want a lawsuit on their hands for being wrong, and they don’t know what their rights are, so they don’t ask questions.”

 

 

I disagree that a law suit is the only effective option for a user of a legitimate service dog when denied access. Each Independent Living Center I worked with had proactive educational outreach to businesses and government agencies that had complaints about ADA compliance. These efforts were generally well received and usually resulted in future compliance. They also provided consultation upon request.

 

 

There will always be people that try to cheat and game the system. Look at parking spaces designated for people with disabilities. Earlier this week I was at my Physician's office . . . a car without a h/c tag was parked in a designated stall. I mentioned it when I was checking in. The receptionist asked for the operator of the vehicle who went to the desk, left the building and returned shortly. It was all discrete, no drama.

 

 

Just two asides. Even a legitimate service animal can be asked to leave if it is not under control, urinates, or evacuates. Only two kind of animals are recognized under ADA - dogs and (tada) miniature horses.

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Since businesses are too afraid to do anything about this growing problem, I wish people would be respectful enough to STOP bringing their pets on ships. You do a major disservice to people who genuinely require the assistance of a trained support animal and already have enough struggle in life. Your "fur baby" that is not a trained service animal does not belong on the ship, period. If you are too cheap to pay for pet boarding, don't take a cruise. If you can't handle being apart from your pet, work out that issue. You may think it is cute to push your dog in a stroller or dress it in an outfit, but the rest of us laugh at you, not with you. The crew is there to provide services to guests, not to clean up after your pets. Please be considerate of those with genuine needs and other guests. It's okay to leave your dog home, they'll go plenty bonkers when you return anyways. Pets in restaurants is particularly disgusting. I am an animal lover but there is a time and place, and a cruise ship is wholly inappropriate for your pets.

 

 

 

Well said!!

 

 

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