Service Dogs – Why You Should Never Pet Them

#1

http://www.fetching-apparel.com/blog/se ... -pet-them/

I saw this shocking photo on Instagram and was compelled to find out more. Turns out I had a lot to learn about service dogs and the dangers of petting an animal with potentially lifesaving duties.

Hailey Ashmore of Dallas, Texas is just 16 years old. And in her short lifetime, her health issues have been debilitating.

“I have epilepsy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome,reactive hypoglycemia, severe allergies, gastroparesis, asthma, and more,” Hailey told me.

Hailey was once a dancer on the varsity drill team, on student council, at the top of her class and a violinist in the orchestra, but her conditions have progressed to the point where she can only take classes online. She is completely dependent on a parent or nurse for care and she has a tedious medication regimen.

When Service Dogs are distracted, a life could be in danger
Hailey was hurt recently when her service dog, Flynn the Aussie, got distracted. Actually, someone distracted him.

Flynn missed a critical window.

“Seizure alert service dogs generally have a timeframe between when they alert to when the seizure actually happens,” said Hailey.

But on this particular day at her father’s workplace, Hailey was busy and didn’t immediately ask a well-meaning person who stopped to pet Flynn not to do so. Precious minutes went by.

“I am used to him giving me 10 minute warnings, so when he alerted that’s what I thought I had,” explained Hailey. “Out of nowhere I remember the world going black. I woke up with Flynn on top of my legs and my father cradling my head. On the whole left side of my face there was a terrible sting that made me tear up.”

Hailey took out her phone to check out how bad it was and saw the rug burns on her cheek and forehead. She looked down and saw the blood where her face skidded along the carpet.

“It hurt for air to even touch it,” said Hailey, who is not one to complain. “I live with chronic pain and I have a very high pain tolerance.”

Thankfully Hailey’s injuries have healed nicely, but this incident is a good reminder.

Please let Service Dogs do their job
“Please do not pet, call, or do anything to distract service dogs without explicit permission from the handler,” said Hailey. “Next time, instead of a rug burn somebody could get seriously hurt or die.”

Flynn wears a service vest to let people know that he’s working. And this is not just any job, Flynn is Hailey’s lifeline.

“To get a service dog you must be disabled to the point where you can no longer function at a normal quality of life without the assistance of service dogs,” said Hailey. “It takes around two years of intense training and thousands of dollars (if you owner train) to actually be able to call your dog a service dog. A service dog can go anywhere its handler goes, with the exception of a sterile environment such as an operating room or burn unit, a religious building — such as a church, or some federal buildings.”

Hailey and Flynn did their training through Stimming Paws Assistance Dogs.

She got this darling little puff ball in 2014 when Flynn was just 11 weeks old.

Now he’s by her side at all times.

“To call him a “velcro dog” is an understatement,” said Hailey. “If he senses a seizure he will usually jump up or paw at me about ten minutes before one happens. This allows me to get somewhere safe, call for help, and take medication. If I fall he can retrieve my medication or phone. He can even bark if I am unconscious to alert somebody.”

Talk about discipline!

Then there’s this side of Flynn.

“When he isn’t wearing a vest, he’s an insane puppy,” said Hailey. “He chews on shoes, gets into stuff, and barks at the mailman. I know every owner says this, but he is probably the most lovable dog you will ever meet. His favorite toy in the world is his tennis ball. He even sleeps with it.”

The only time Flynn and Hailey aren’t together is when she’s in the hospital. And when they’re out and about, they get a lot of attention – which is not really a good thing for someone who relies on her dog’s focus for survival.

“Having a service dog is basically like being around a celebrity baby,” Hailey told me. “Everybody stares and everything takes ten times longer, people give me nasty glares.”

Heartbreaking to hear from a teen who already deals with so much on a daily basis.

Her relationship with Flynn, however, is heartwarming.

“The moment I knew we officially bonded was when we were playing fetch and I had an asthma attack,” said Hailey. “He dropped the tennis ball and ran as fast I have ever seen him run. Next thing I knew he was sitting on my lap and barking with these eyes that said, ‘I’m here.’ Before that moment I wasn’t sure if dogs had souls, but now I can say with 100% certainty they do.”

This reminds me of a touching quote:

When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal, I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.
~ A.D. Williams

#2

service animals in general are really something in general, I worked with a few in the vet clinic in high school and they've been very interesting

but like, you wouldn't distract a seeing eye dog, why would you just go up to anyone's animal in general, especially in areas like stores, and start petting the animal because LOOK AT THE PUPPY

humbug

#3

Huh. While I'm not the type to pet someone's dog normally anyway, I never thought about this situation before.

I'll just remember this for the future.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #4

[QUOTE="Loot, post: 1534721, member: 21459"]why would you just go up to anyone's animal in general, especially in areas like stores, and start petting the animal because LOOK AT THE PUPPY[/QUOTE]

Well, because...LOOK AT THE PUPPY!

StarryPeach · #5

[QUOTE="Loot, post: 1534721, member: 21459"]but like, you wouldn't distract a seeing eye dog, why would you just go up to anyone's animal in general, especially in areas like stores, and start petting the animal because LOOK AT THE PUPPY[/QUOTE]

I agree with you there. At least I would go and ask the person the animal is with to see if it's okay if I could pet their animal.

addendum after reading UN's post: I would never touch a service animal. What I posted earlier holds true to non-service animals.

United Nations · #6

A lady was talking to me a few years ago and she told me, "Touching my seeing eye dog is like poking me in the eyes. The dog is working." I took that to heart and I've never petted a seeing eye dog since.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #7

EDIT: Misread.

spooky scary bearatons · #8

[QUOTE="Loot, post: 1534721, member: 21459"]

but like, you wouldn't distract a seeing eye dog, why would you just go up to anyone's animal in general, especially in areas like stores, and start petting the animal because LOOK AT THE PUPPY

[/QUOTE]

it varies owner by owner, but i'd relish any interaction with people my dog had, it'd be good for the dog to be as socialised as possible as a family pet, thats just me tho.

glux · #9

People need to be told this??
Ugh.
I want to punch people.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #10

[QUOTE="Glutexo, post: 1534803, member: 35833"]People need to be told this??
Ugh.
I want to punch people.[/QUOTE]

Over this?

#11

It's not as obvious as you think it is.

It's usually left to the owner to tell people "Do not pet my dog please". I mean I worry about my dog attempting to bite people so I will point that out his anxiety if someone rushes straight for his head without warning. Not everyone is going to know what your problems are at a glance, after all.

Deepfake · #12

Listen, there are two things you need to know about service dogs:

One is that they like those big t-bone steaks as seen in the popular documentary series 'Merry Melodies'.

Two is that if they're eating said steaks, they won't get in the way when you're knee-deep in that blind fool's doubloons.

I know what you're thinking "But what if he's not blind? What if he just has a bum leg?" The gold is in the peg, you ninny. Use your blow darts to take out his guard gerbils and swipe that sucker for access to his sweet peg-stash.

glux · #13

[QUOTE="I REALLY HATE POKEMON!, post: 1534809, member: 18119"]Over this?[/QUOTE]
Would you walk up to a blind person, take his cane, and start messing with it?

#14

You know what he's gonna say.

RandomGuy · #15

Hey I might've done it.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #16

[QUOTE="Glutexo, post: 1534893, member: 35833"]Would you walk up to a blind person, take his cane, and start messing with it?[/QUOTE]

No. That's a cane, not a dog. They're incomparable; just because they serve similar functions doesn't make them equal and interchangable for an example, but keep reaching.

Random User · #17

They are serving the same function. Distracting a service dog will threaten another human being's life in the same way stealing a blind man's cane would.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #18

[QUOTE="Revenant User, post: 1537136, member: 35827"]They are serving the same function. Distracting a service dog will threaten another human being's life in the same way stealing a blind man's cane would.[/QUOTE]

Taking someone's property from them is theft. Try arguing in court that petting a dog is theft, good luck.

Besides, even if you did steal a man's cane and then immediately return it, there's no way the blind guy could die unless he ran into traffic for no reason within two seconds.

You guys are being overdramatic.

Random User · #19

[QUOTE="I REALLY HATE POKEMON!, post: 1537152, member: 18119"]Taking someone's property from them is theft. Try arguing in court that petting a dog is theft, good luck.[/QUOTE]
But that isn't even close to my point.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #20

You compared petting a dog on the head for a moment to stealing a blind man's cane.

You said petting a dog on it's head for a moment may cause a death.

Your points, whatever they are, don't stand up to logic in the least.