So called “Service Dogs” on board ships

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

never mind

my client's did.  my client's went on to successful lives.

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

never mind

Too bad, as your post provided a reasonable contribution to the discussion.

[TiogaCruiser]

17 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

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

 

 

 

Yep. My retriever's "golden-ness" tends to go with me wherever I go. Same for DH. 

[kazu]

13 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

Here's a bulletin.... not everyone needs or wants round the clock attendants. Service dogs allow people to be independent, to live independent lives, not being reliant on some paid stranger

 

I so agree with this.

 

My uncle lives independently thanks to his service dog.  I now what they do and what they mean personally.

[VennDiagram]

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Too bad, as your post provided a reasonable contribution to the discussion.

 

I've learned that some people truly do want to learn, and are open to differing viewpoints, while others simply become further entrenched in their pre-conceived, possibly incorrect, thinking 😉  It is incumbent on me to figure out the audience 😉

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

my client's did.  my client's went on to successful lives.

 

Was this before or after you were a geophysicist? That's an unusual job change.

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Was this before or after you were a geophysicist? That's an unusual job change.

It was how I put myself through school.  In the example cited I took off sometime between graduation and grad school to work full time for Larry. I had worked for him in 4 hour shifts throughout but he lost an aide so I took double shifts.  

[GUT2407]

2 hours 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

Can I ask if the person next door snores?

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Can I ask if the person next door snores?

I haven’t had that happen yet.  I did have a roommate that snored and it was a major issue.  I was unable to move either.  I immediately went and asked for a full fare room and was told none were unavailable.   I was willing to pay whatever I could to get out of the situation.  I had to sleep every afternoon and missed out on much of my journey. After that experience I have been more concerned about these issues.  

[TAD2005]

Service dogs are acceptable and welcome everywhere.  

But like anything these days, people will always try to scam the system.    People look at the daily costs to board their little Fluffy for a long cruise, and they realize that for $25 on the internet they can get all the stuff needed to fake a "comfort animal".  The cruise lines don't want to get involved in any political correctness law suits, so they look the other way, hoping that there is not too much animal feces under the MDR tables.   No one knows how to handle this problem without offending someone, so it's a free-for-all.  Finally the airlines have cracked down on the chickens, pigs, snakes, goats, and whatever.   I hope the cruise lines stop letting their lawyers control the issue and use some common sense.  Most "comfort animals" on cruises are simply people trying to avoid paying for a boarding kennel.   There are some legitimate needs for comfort animals, but the animals are not trained to be in that environment, like real service animals are.

[Miki_moto]

6 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

On Cunard? Which cruise? 

 

Q918 - round trip from Vancouver on June 20th.

[kura]

19 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

Service dogs are acceptable and welcome everywhere.  

But like anything these days, people will always try to scam the system.    People look at the daily costs to board their little Fluffy for a long cruise, and they realize that for $25 on the internet they can get all the stuff needed to fake a "comfort animal".  The cruise lines don't want to get involved in any political correctness law suits, so they look the other way, hoping that there is not too much animal feces under the MDR tables.   No one knows how to handle this problem without offending someone, so it's a free-for-all.  Finally the airlines have cracked down on the chickens, pigs, snakes, goats, and whatever.   I hope the cruise lines stop letting their lawyers control the issue and use some common sense.  Most "comfort animals" on cruises are simply people trying to avoid paying for a boarding kennel.   There are some legitimate needs for comfort animals, but the animals are not trained to be in that environment, like real service animals are.

 

Well said!....my point exactly that there is no place for these untrained dogs creating havoc and disturbing other passengers on cruise ships! It is these so called “service dogs” that I object to.

Edited May 17, 2019 by kura
Added to post

[Miki_moto]

4 hours 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.  There are other choices.  .......  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.

 

I think everyone should recognize that Mary has a point.  I know many people who would qualify for a service due to their disability but choose not to have one.  The reasons for their decisions are as varied as the individuals and their disabilities.  And as Mary went on to say, she’s not denying our option to work along side a service dog.  Rather, that cruise lines do a better job at vetting to the extent possible.

 

When a so called service dog proves to be bogus - toileting inappropriately, excessive barking, or the owner insists on ignoring cruise line policy - feeding the dog at the table, etc. - the cruise line should exercise their right to have the dog removed at the first opportunity.  I’m aware Cunard required the removal of just such a dog on a transatlantic cruise; said dog embarked in Florida but was removed in NY.

 

FYI - a cruise line will tell you if there is a service dog onboard.  Just send an email to the special needs department and ask.  

[kura]

28 minutes ago, Miki_moto said:

When a so called service dog proves to be bogus - toileting inappropriately, excessive barking, or the owner insists on ignoring cruise line policy - feeding the dog at the table, etc. - the cruise line should exercise their right to have the dog removed at the first opportunity.

 

Agreed!

[STI]

Right. There is a HUGE difference between a comfort dog and a service dog. As far as I know only Service Dogs are allowed on any cruise ships. There is a psychiatric service dog... emotional support  I think it is called. They must have documentation signed a psychiatrist to qualify. Comfort dogs are pets....not allowed 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, Miki_moto said:

 

Q918 - round trip from Vancouver on June 20th.

 

That's the cruise! Come over to the roll call. I hope to see you on board and meet your dog, too.

 

[slidergirl]

9 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Yep. My retriever's "golden-ness" tends to go with me wherever I go. Same for DH. 

Yep!  My Slider passed 2 years ago,  I still find his hair around the house!!!  I bring out a piece of clothing and I might find it!

 

The idea that a service animal would not be permitted because it is an "option" - wow.  Get rid of all those scooters, rollators, and wheelchairs, too.  Stories of people getting run over onboard by those using those are more prevalent than a story about a service animal...

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It is going to ruin it for the people who really need one. 

[Shawnino]

15 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Can I ask if the person next door snores?

 

Asking absurd questions doesn't help.

We're talking about real people with real allergies.

[Himself]

No one questions the value of service dogs.  They are a great help.  The problems is when people call their put dog a sevice animal so they can take the pet on the cruise.

[TraelorMex]

I am going to vent, now. I simply HATE seeing 'comfort' animals on board. HATE IT! Our last cruise a couple had two dogs (comfort level). Large elk-hound for the chair-bound husband and smaller ratty looking terrier yapping at everyone around.

Going thru the buffet (Lido) one evening what looked to be an emergency hazmat team appeared and cordoned off the entire buffet area. Seemed the huge elk-hound crapped on the floor in the buffet line and other pax tramped thru this nasty stuff and distributed the comfort animals feces all over the Lido.

 

The entire one side was disrupted during the busiest time of the evening (for the Lido) and those pax eating were forced to watch disgusting display.

 

Meanwhile, the owners of these 'comfort' animals sat idly by beaming at their precious animals.

 

I wonder if HAL executives would enjoy dining in an area contaminated by someone's comfort animal crapping all over their dining area....(done venting now)

[slidergirl]

Until the US government decides that actual registration of service animals is required, there's nothing that can be done to get rid of the non-service animals.  There are only 2 questions that can be asked: is the animal required because of a disability, and what task does the animal specifically do.  A smart and devious person need only reply "yes" to the first question and give a task for a non-visible disability, i.e, diabetic or seizure detection.  Easy peasy, you're onboard.  No need to buy one of those red vests emblazoned with "Service Dog" on it.  But, you better have a well-behaved dog to fully pull off the deception.

 

As for the allergy thing brought up by a poster, that is also addressed in the ADA:

"

• Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals. When a person who is allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service animal must spend time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom or at a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility.
• A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.
• Establishments that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises.
• People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be isolated from other patrons, treated less favorably than other patrons, or charged fees that are not charged to other patrons without animals. In addition, if a business requires a deposit or fee to be paid by patrons with pets, it must waive the charge for service animals."

[3rdGenCunarder]

Slidergirl, thanks for posting that. I was hoping somebody with knowledge of ADA (I know you're in the hospitality industry) would post relevant details.

 

[VennDiagram]

4 hours ago, Himself said:

No one questions the value of service dogs.  They are a great help.  The problems is when people call their put dog a sevice animal so they can take the pet on the cruise.

 

Any way I read the following comment, it appears that at least one person in this thread truly DOES question the value of service dogs:

 

 

23 hours ago, Mary229 said:

... The dog is an option and among the handicapped it is not really common of an option.  There are other choices.  ...

 

[STI]

I believe 

..and I hope I am right....that there is something before Congress that would standardize a license and test for service dogs. Like a driver's license. Assistance Dog International has such a test but it is really difficult....takes most dogs 2 years to pass....and that is after puppy school and something like Canine Good Citizen. Trouble is that it is not required and you can't ask. We carry a card with us. It looks like a  driver's license.