Public Access Issues

Public access can be a logistical nightmare. When I go out with my service dog, I have to think about her comfort, bathrooming, grooming, location, weather... Her comfort is of concern because cold floors, or hot asphalt, can harm her. I carry a small blanket for her to sit upon when we go out for extended times and I know that the floor will be tile or concrete. And I bought her shoes, to protect her paws from temperatures hot enough to cook food. (I will repeat this often: If the ground is too hot for your bare feet, it is too hot for a dog's paws.) Bathrooming is important. Nobody wants a dog to eliminate in public places. I always make sure to bathroom before leaving home and look for likely emergency places for her to eliminate when we reach our destination. It's mortifying for Hippo, and it's kind of annoying to clean up waste from carpets, etc. Grooming is very important. Service dogs are ambassadors for other service dogs. And Hippo is also an ambassador for pitbulls. She gets a shower every 2 weeks, brushed every other day, and professionally groomed every 6 weeks or for holiday visits/traveling. Smelly dogs are unpleasant to be around. Hippo gets bathed that frequently because she is allergic to the American Southwest. It makes her skin extra flaky. To battle the flakiness she gets fish oil put into her food. Fish oil secretes to make one smelly. So, frequent-ish baths with an aloe skin treatment spray help Hippo to be fresh and feel good. Location is an important consideration. Will there be an elevator or stairs? How close are the exits? Carpet or hard surface? How long will you be there? Your service animal is there to help you, but if they're distracted by physical discomfort they will have difficulty doing their jobs. Lastly, weather. Hippo has short fur and almost none on her belly. She does fairly well in warm weather, but rain or cold weather give her the shivers. We had to get her some clothes to protect her from cold-related illnesses. A good way to think about is that dogs regulate their temperature by panting and sweating through their paws in hot weather, but short furred puppers need some layers in cold weather. It may take time for them to get used to the layers, but they will appreciate the belly coverage.

Hippo's Christmas fleece pajamas

Sometimes it is difficult to bring Hippo everywhere because people forget that she is a service dog. They are thinking about how they are letting a dog into their home, and not considering that she is to always be with me. One way to explain to the "I don't want to let your pet service dog into my home" crowd is the medical aid route. Similar to using a wheelchair or other mobility device, Hippo gives me aide in everyday functionality. One wouldn't tell someone who uses a mobility device that they couldn't bring it into their home. On the contrary, they would do what they could to help them access the house. Similarly, I hope that the same courtesy will be extended. (I'm remembering at Christmas, one in-law wanted me to keep Hippo in the backyard for several hours while we ate and visited in their home. She couldn't do her job with a door between us. I wound up begging for her to be allowed in but tethered to the couch, with me right next to her. SMH. I didn't know how to say it at the time, but my anxiety was through the roof that night. And being separated from Hippo, even for about 10 minutes, was exacerbating it.)

One of the reasons access can be difficult is because people bring their pets in service dog vests into places that they have no right to be in. These poorly trained pets, or sometimes lapsed service dogs, usually bark, eliminate, beg food, eat off the floor/plates, wander, sometimes attack people/service dogs. The usual response I get when taking Hippo into the public is "she's so cute/smart/<insert positive superlative>. But I've also gotten my share of side-eye. I've overheard people complain about the inevitable mess and hassle we'll bring. Each time I know that some selfish person has made my life more difficult, all because they wanted to take advantage of laws that were written to afford disabled people the independence that able people take for granted. I know that while they love their service animals, nobody wants the disability that renders the need for service animals. Nobody wants to announce that they have a disability. And nobody wants to be dependent.  

Privacy is a luxury that is not afforded to disabled people. The obvious ones that are visible, the hidden ones that are exposed by usage of service animals, somehow able people think they are entitled to ask about the disability. "When did you lose the ability to walk?" "What kind of service dog is she?" "When did you become blind/deaf/hard of hearing/<insert disability?" This may seem an inoccuous line of questions. But its actually really invasive and kind of rude. It is a way to identify the person as their disability, rather than as a person who has a disability. A better line of questioning would be about who they are, interests, hobbies, passions. Just remember, service animals are the disability banner but not an invitation to fetishize disabled people or to ask invasive personal questions.

With the rise in people making ridiculous requests for public access for emotional support animals, I foresee a change in legislation and regulations for both service and emotional support animals. This is going to add more burdens for disabled people seeking to travel with service animals. I'm not looking forward to being unable to book last minute travel because airlines may require 48 hours notice of my traveling with a service animal. But on the other hand, this will cause people seeking to travel with their emotional support animals, aka pets, to be more responsible. (I do a pre-travel vet visit, have copies of the report as well as proof of vaccinations, proof of training as well as trainer's business card, "Hippo had an accident" kit, travel treats, blanket... People traveling with a pet only worry about the carrier fitting under the seat. I worry about Hippo sitting under the seat/at my feet.)

She sits where she chooses she fits. 

I'm thinking of sharing pictures of fake service dogs that I come in contact within the public. Any thoughts from my readers?