So called “Service Dogs” on board ships

[Mary229]

5 hours ago, wizard-of-roz said:

I walk, ride, fly and cruise through life with an amazing Service Dog.  I have done so since 2002.  Horton is my second SD and I can't imagine my life without him!  Having a SD has given me the freedom to explore the world and come out of the corners of life!  My first SD had completed her 15th cruise before she retired and Horton will be on his 11th cruise in November.  If you've ever cruised with me and my dogs you know how amazingly professional and wonderful they are!

 

If your allergies are so significant than you probably have allergy pills or other types of meds in your suitcase or purse.  I can't take an allergy pill or any other medication to alleviate my disability,  I depend on my dog to live a full and complete life.  When you are around other humans, when you enter an elevator or stand in line at dinner, unless they are naked and bald, you are subjected to dander and hair on their clothing and in their hair, maybe even more than can come off of my dog.  Just saying!  ☺️

Don’t diminish other people’s lives and issues.  We all go on the cruise and all deserve a certain level of comfort

[wizard-of-roz]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

Don’t diminish other people’s lives and issues.  We all go on the cruise and all deserve a certain level of comfort

Honestly Mary to diminish anyone is to diminish myself!  Let's be kind to each other and allow each of us to share the space we are each allowed while onboard a cruise.  I promise if I'm making you uncomfortable, in any way, I will move myself and my dog away, if at all possible.  Thank you for your input.

[Wehwalt]

I just wanted to say that I have found cruise passengers very gracious about such situations under trying circumstances, and that it is a credit to cruisers that they are so.

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Don’t diminish other people’s lives and issues.  We all go on the cruise and all deserve a certain level of comfort

I only want to add that we all have choices in life.  All of us.  How I treat my conditions is my business.  I don't want to be disrespectful but I do take offense when being told to just take a pill and get over it.

[alexspepa]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I only want to add that we all have choices in life.  All of us.  How I treat my conditions is my business.  I don't want to be disrespectful but I do take offense when being told to just take a pill and get over it.

Mary229 - Roz never said nor ever would say anything like that. What she said was her Service Dog is to her what your allergy medicine is to you, and both of you are entitled to bring relief for your conditions on board.

I encourage you to visit the Service Dog thread on the Disabilities forum to see how these amazing animals and their owners walk together through life together.

[Fouremco]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

We all go on the cruise and all deserve a certain level of comfort

Including those who require the assistance of service dogs.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 5/15/2019 at 5:47 PM, Miki_moto said:

 

I think we may be on the same Alaskan cruise!  I’ll be the one with the dog - also a power wheelchair but most people clock the dog first.  🙂

 

 

On Cunard? Which cruise? 

[TXCruiser10]

I love dogs.  And I absolutely adore my dog!  I cannot say enough about how much I love my little dog.  And I would LOVE to take her on a cruise--but only if it was a dog cruise.  Otherwise, the only animals on board should be true service dogs--i.e. those for the blind, etc.  While i understand that people feel they need their "comfort" animals, that whole business has gotten out of hand IMHO.

[slidergirl]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I only want to add that we all have choices in life.  All of us.  How I treat my conditions is my business.  I don't want to be disrespectful but I do take offense when being told to just take a pill and get over it.

 

Do you stay at hotels?  Do you ask the Front Desk Agent to verify that no dog, service or other, has been in the room you are assigned?  If you do not, I highly suggest you start doing that if your allergy is so severe.  The level of cleaning a room occupied by a dog can vary widely, from just doing that they do to any room to taking it off market one day for deep cleaning.

What do you do when you fly?  Turnaround is so fast on aircraft that there is no way to do a special cleaning to an space where a dog was during a flight.  Do you ask the Gate Agent to verify that no dog was in the vicinity of your seat?    

 

Or, due to your allergies, you have made a choice to not stay in hotels or fly?  Honestly, not snarky.  

 

[Mary229]

Again I will say we all have choices.  Why question my choices?  My choices are not intruding on someone else's space or health.

[kazu]

17 hours ago, Mary229 said:

.   Though I don’t want any animals on the cruise some in this thread have convinced me there is a strict way to do this right.  Obviously HAL is not following their own guidelines.   I still am concerned about those of us who have allergies. I always look forward to my cruises if for nothing else the fresh sea air. 

 

5 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Again I will say we all have choices.  Why question my choices?  My choices are not intruding on someone else's space or health.

 

Since your choices include preferring no dogs on board and potentially depriving those that need them of them then I’m sorry, your choices to intrude on someone else’s space & health and even their potential to cruise.

 

One dog is easy to avoid on a cruise (I’m talking about a service dog here) if allergies are an issue.  Lots of space and as you say, lots of choices so just choose to be where there is not one out and about.

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

 

Since your choices include preferring no dogs on board and potentially depriving those that need them of them then I’m sorry, your choices to intrude on someone else’s space & health and even their potential to cruise.

 

One dog is easy to avoid on a cruise (I’m talking about a service dog here) if allergies are an issue.  Lots of space and as you say, lots of choices so just choose to be where there is not one out and about.

I tried to say earlier that I was fine with very strict regulations and I said I would in the future request not to be housed next to a person with an animal.  That is a simple fix.  HAL could notify me and I could move.  I am not an immovable object.  But the regulations have to be strict as detailed further up in this thread.  I said that  and the response was "take a pill"

Edited May 17, 2019 by Mary229

[3rdGenCunarder]

24 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I tried to say earlier that I was fine with very strict regulations and I said I would in the future request not to be housed next to a person with an animal.  That is a simple fix.  HAL could notify me and I could move.  I am not an immovable object.  But the regulations have to be strict as detailed further up in this thread.  I said that  and the response was "take a pill"

 

You are choosing to take wizard of roz's post as snark. She didn't say "take a pill and chill." She pointed out that people with allergies have the option to control the situation with meds. People with disabilities that require them to have a service animal don't have the option to manage their situation with meds.  They can't escape from it by simply moving away from something. Disabilities stay with people 24/7, and the need for the service animal is constant.  I understand that an allergic reaction can be sudden and frightening. But it doesn't happen constantly. 

 

[Mary229]

But they do have choices.  The dog is an option and among the handicapped it is not really common of an option.  There are other choices.  As a young woman I worked as an aide at the university, I guess I was the dog.  Even that long ago technology was replacing aides, assistants and animals.   I am not denying their option I think the cruise lines need to police the option and the other passengers who request a distance from animals be notified.

[3rdGenCunarder]

For those who deal with ADA and service animals, what about privacy? Can/should HAL notify other passengers if there's going to be a service dog aboard?

 

[Mary229]

36 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

For those who deal with ADA and service animals, what about privacy? Can/should HAL notify other passengers if there's going to be a service dog aboard?

 

That's a good question.  Does the dog have privacy rights? I am not requesting to know who or on the cruise only if I am going to be next door

Edited May 17, 2019 by Mary229

[3rdGenCunarder]

25 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

That's a good question.  Does the dog have privacy rights? I am not requesting to know who or on the cruise only if I am going to be next door

 

The dog, no--but I think you knew that, which is why you edited your reply. The owner might,however. Medical privacy is a very tricky issue. That's why I asked. We have posters here who work in the cruise and hotel industries and they might have an answer. 

[Mary229]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

The dog, no--but I think you knew that, which is why you edited your reply. The owner might,however. Medical privacy is a very tricky issue. That's why I asked. We have posters here who work in the cruise and hotel industries and they might have an answer. 

No, no, I edited my post because I have fat butter fingers.

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

The dog is an option

Yes, I suppose you are right. The dog is only an option, just as a wheel chair isn't really necessary. Hey, what the heck, they can just stay at home, no need for them to try to live as normal a life as possible.

[kazu]

37 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

That's a good question.  Does the dog have privacy rights? I am not requesting to know who or on the cruise only if I am going to be next door

 

Then YOU had best be proactive and make the call and make sure.

 

It's not up to HAL.  and yes, the owners have as much privacy rights as you do.  

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

 

But they do have choices.  The dog is an option and among the handicapped it is not really common of an option.

 

 

WOW!  I can't believe you posted this.

 

Have you looked around and seen how many use these dogs?  They are blessed to have them.  Not all of them cruise of course, but seriously you better get with it.

 

A service dog is no different than a scooter, wheel chair or nurse on board.  Time to look around and see how many use them and need them and how valubable they are.

[TiogaCruiser]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

 

Do you stay at hotels?  Do you ask the Front Desk Agent to verify that no dog, service or other, has been in the room you are assigned?  If you do not, I highly suggest you start doing that if your allergy is so severe.  The level of cleaning a room occupied by a dog can vary widely, from just doing that they do to any room to taking it off market one day for deep cleaning.

What do you do when you fly?  Turnaround is so fast on aircraft that there is no way to do a special cleaning to an space where a dog was during a flight.  Do you ask the Gate Agent to verify that no dog was in the vicinity of your seat?    

 

Or, due to your allergies, you have made a choice to not stay in hotels or fly?  Honestly, not snarky.  

 

And with allergies so severe that a dog in the next room ( closed off room, as in cabin ) can be a problem, then you must certainly have to be concerned about whether the person in the airplane/ bus / car seat next to you hasn’t had recent close contact with  a dog.  

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by TiogaCruiser

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

And with allergies so severe that a dog in the next room ( closed off room, as in cabin ) can be a problem, then you must certainly have to be concerned about whether the person in the airplane/ bus / car seat next to you hasn’t had recent close contact with  a dog.  

 

 

All I can say is they better not be next to one of us. 😉

 

 

 

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

WOW!  I can't believe you posted this.

 

Have you looked around and seen how many use these dogs?  They are blessed to have them.  Not all of them cruise of course, but seriously you better get with it.

 

A service dog is no different than a scooter, wheel chair or nurse on board.  Time to look around and see how many use them and need them and how valubable they are.

Kazu, there were no dogs.  My clients had round the clock attendants and these were not necessarily wealthy people.  I was a daytime attendant.  I assisted completely from 8 am to 4 pm.  That was my job.

[VennDiagram]

 

never mind

Edited May 17, 2019 by VennDiagram