It’s not uncommon, especially if you live in an urban area, to encounter people accompanied by service animals, usually dogs. They may be “seeing-eye” or “guide” dogs, which are used by blind and visually impaired people; “hearing” dogs used by deaf people; or dogs that accompany people with mental disabilities, such as post-traumatic stress disorders or severe depression.
These service animals are well trained and totally at ease around people. They don’t become skittish in crowds or when they hear loud noises like car horns or engines.
When we encounter such a benign and well-tempered animal we may very well be tempted to pet and praise it. Although that’s a logical reaction, it’s one we should resist because interrupting a working service dog puts the animal and its owner at undo risk.
Photo by niallkennedy
I recently came across some helpful and commonsense service-dog etiquette tips that I would like to share with you. After all, it’s almost a certainty that at some point all of us will encounter a working service dog. That encounter may come a sidewalk, in an airport or even on a bus, train or plane – it could be anywhere because the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 mandates that service dogs be allowed to go wherever the public permitted. And other federal laws protect people with disabilities partnered with service animals from discrimination and on aircraft.
A working service dog must stay focused on its job. So, according to the folks at dogtime.com, here are few things to keep in mind:
- Do not pet, call to, feed, or otherwise distract the dog
- If you are in a car, do not honk or call out to the dog
- If you must speak, speak to the person and not to the dog
- Do not touch the dog without first asking for and receiving permission
- Always respect the handler’s wishes
- Out of respect for the handler’s privacy, do not ask personal questions about the handler’s disability
- Remember that handler/dog teams have the right of way
Service animals provide a tremendous service to their owners, and the best thing we can do is stay back, stay quiet and let them do their important work.
Below is a well-produced video from Guide Dogs for the Blind, a non-profit organization that trains and supplies dogs as partners for the disabled, that provides a good overview of the dedication it takes to raise and train a guide dog.
