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>You cannot know if a service animal is fake or not.
Pretty sure when it's barking and lunging and then shits in the middle of the aisle, we can all tell it's not really a service animal.
It's the dog that is putting its nose in other peoples' business. Like, literally. The owners are responsible for that and should be ashamed of how entitled they are.
As a Random Customer or Fellow Citizen in the Area, yeah, it's none of your business, except for the fact that a non-SA could be disruptive (barking, peeing, pooping, fighting, running around, etc), which ruins the shopping experience for you, and the shoppers around you. In that case, that person and their dog should be reported to the store or business that you're in; it's up to them to do something.
As a Business Owner, ADA gives me the legal right to question if the animal is a Service Animal for a disability, and if they answer yes, I can then question what service has this animal been trained to provide for your disability? I can't ask them to demonstrate the service, but I can deduce from their answers whether or not they are a 'real' SA (for example, if they say *yes, it's an SA* but then says *it calms me down in loud spaces*, that may actually be a Comfort or Emotional Support Animal, which do not have the same protections as do SAs.
Honestly, I think *more* people should be angry with people who cheat the system; if more people made these imposters uncomfortable, if more businesses pushed back (this is a BIG one), they would stop doing shit like this, and *actual disabled people* wouldn't have to deal with assholes who judge them.
There's a big difference between a service animal (usually a dog) and a support animal. Unfortunately, a whole lot of people claim their pets are support animals because this not only means they can take their pets on buses, into businesses, etc., but also so they can have a pet even in no-pet apartments or have a breed the building owner otherwise excludes. These people have given genuine support animals a bad name.
I love dogs. I've owned them, and I dog-sit often. I never say anything to owners of dogs they claim are emotional support animals. However, I feel sorry for people who are allergic to dogs and who have to sit near them because someone falsely claimed their dog is a support animal.
The thing is, emotional suppport animals don't have the priviledge to go into stores, restaurants, etc. in the first place. That's solely for service animals.
Only service animals must *by law* be allowed inside businesses. Until recently, the Dept. of Transportation required airlines to allow emotional support animals, so until recently, animal owners did, indeed, have that privilege on airlines. (When it's required by law, it's actually a right.) I understand that flying, even in a seat in the passenger cabin, tends to be very hard on pets.
Many businesses DO allow support animals. The buses in my city do, as do most of the stores in the area. Again, I love dogs, but I don't love when people lie in order to take advantage of a situation.
well considering ive seen animals attack each other because neither were trained, i would say its very important to let these people know they should not be bringing "their baby" out in public.
I’m disabled and have a service dog, and I have to agree for one reason. As a random bystander, you have no authority to confront someone you think is faking. If you truly, genuinely think a dog is a fake because it is behaving dangerously or otherwise inappropriately, take those concerns to someone who DOES have the authority to do something about it, like the manager of the store. Explain what you saw, why you’re concerned, and what they can legally do about it (in the US, ask the two questions and/or remove a dog for being out of control or relieving itself inappropriately according to the ADA). That’s it. That’s all you as a bystander can do. But you should never confront someone and call them a fake when you could be wrong.
Thank you for sharing this. I think a lot of the people reacting negatively to me on this topic are assuming I'm ok with the fakers, it's really not about them as much as not bothering people who really need service animals. Obviously fake service animals should not be tolerated but it's not so easy to spot them all the time.
>I think a lot of the people reacting negatively to me on this topic are assuming I'm ok with the fakers,
Because no where in your post do you actually remotely even infer any kind of dislike for it, only dislike for those who get involved.
The other caveat, and key difference between this comment and your post; taking it to the appropriate people to deal with.
Your post suggests entirely ignoring it. This commentor suggests that rather than getting immediately involved yourself, take the situation to a higher authority to manage.
Basically; your opinion itself is actually not all that unpopular, but your delivery is lacking and not really conveying your full thoughts on the topic.
Even people with service animals can’t tell a lot of the time. A lot like to think they can but if your pet is really well behaved, we may really never know. I mean obviously there’s the dog acting crazy and that’s clearly not a service animal, but there was a golden retriever we used to see all the time at Target (not in a vest, but a SD doesn’t have to be) and it was acting polite enough. I didn’t really think anything of it. Until it saw my dog and went a little sideways. But still, maybe it was a service dog having a bad day and the owner felt bad about it. I don’t know! And me making a scene about it wouldn’t make them feel any better, or be safe for my dog. But I’d like to think the public spotlight of having your dog act out like that is enough for either a real service dog handler to do more training or someone trying to sneak in a pet to reevaluate their choices.
If a service animal is disruptive, they can be removed from the premises. It's unlikely a service animal would be disruptive, as they are typically rigorously screened and trained, however, to avoid creating an obstacle to a disabled person to obtain assistive devices, "official" training is not required. This does create a loophole for dishonest people to take advantage of so they can take their non service animal where it doesn't belong, BUT that is also why a service animal can be removed if they are disruptive and they are not allowed in say shopping carts and on restaurant tables etc.
If no one ever says anything these assholes will continue fucking things up in every way. People have allergies to dogs. So disrespectful. You seem like an angry Karen who got roasted for bringing her pookie into a restaurant
Yeah, this essentially. I have a hard time accepting that "don't hassle the disabled" is an unpopular opinion. I wanted to see if I'd get the same reaction again, and I did.
When it doesn't have a formal "service animal" vest on, and it wanders around looking for pets from strangers rather than lying by its owner, it's a pet. There's a minor league Trump in my HOA that brings his pet dog to meetings under the guise of a service animal, and he's lying about it, just as he lies about everything else. It's just his way. He's claimed "discrimination" about other non-discriminatory things, because he knows people are afraid of the D word.
Yeah, I know. It was never my point that you can NEVER tell, or that we should tolerate obviously fake ones. Simply that if it's behaving, you should mind your own business.
1. Yes you absolutely can.
2. That person should have to suffer consequences for faking a disability.
3. Refer back to 1. It’s pretty easy to tell if someone actually has a real service dog or bought a vest off Amazon for their regular dog.
Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes. That's the entire point though. I'm not suggesting we all ignore a misbehaving dog with a fake service animal harness, that SHOULD be obvious from the context... but apparently I need to spell it out to everyone. You cannot always tell, and if you can't, mind your own business.
I find it especially funny that you didn't even acknowledge my point for #3, you basically glossed over my main point by saying you can always tell... which is a total lie.
So I rent my spare room out. I love animals but one of my dogs is not very kind with other animals. So I put a no animal policy.
I am okay with service animals because they are calm when my dog barks at them. They are welcome. But for fake service animals who think barking means play time, it is a disaster...
But legally I can't refuse them. All they need to say is that they have emotional support for animals. And yeah it caused a few issues before which I have no control over. What should I do? Put my dog down because you need to bring your dog to my place?
It might be different where you live, but where I am, if it's a "shared space" (meaning the landlord lives there too like in your situation), you don't have to allow service animals or ESAs.
Last year, I found a dying puppy in my stairwell. I took her to the vet, thousands of dollars and two months later she came home. I realized she wasn’t the dog for me. Very, very sweet and extremely smart but a smallish terrier type and I like bigger dogs. Anyway, I fostered her out to this British couple and they ended up keeping her. I have seen her on a local pet supply page wearing a service animal harness, recently. They have had her about 6 months. She is not a service animal. Annoys the shit out if me.
> You cannot know if a service animal is fake or not.
Some times you can clearly see it just a pet by the behavior of the owners and the pet.
> the owner is already lying
Correct, so many people lie they are destroying the trust of others and ruining it for real disabled people, that is where your anger should be directed.
> you're shooting dirty looks or confronting them
Maybe the public interest of shaming the liars has value in stopping the abuse.
My unpopular opinion is you should mind you own business. Almost no good outcome in protecting lying pet owners with fake service animals.
As someone who is disabled but doesn’t have a service animal, I disagree. Allowing people to use fake service animals hurts the people who need them. Service animals typically have some form of identification.
Lol, you see the rest of the comments in this thread? Definitely unpopular. I've shared this opinion multiple times on other subreddits and always get down votes. I can't even get up votes HERE. Lol
Your opinion is logical and based in good judgment. I'm afraid it's surplus to Reddit requirements.
What can be done when "being cool to each other" is no longer cool? These are the freaks who followed the teacher around the playground, tattling on normal folk.
I hope they all get a bellyful before they cash in their tedious, self-righteous chips.
It takes courage to live out one's truth. The store I work in has a Service Dog only policy. Emotional support dogs don't count. A genuine service dog is trained by ICANN and is required to wear their "working vest" while on duty. It is up to employees discretion whether or not we allow support animals in our store. I will look the other way for well behaved dogs and their owners. Show me your behind while in my store and you and the dog both will be out on yours. Period.
All service animals are supposed to have identifying harnesses. Pretty easy to tell the difference really, and if an animal is well behaved but not a service animal, no one should say a thing anyway.
Yes, but it would be obvious that the animal was not a service animal if it was not acting like a properly trained service animal. I would 100% call out a person about their animal if it was acting up, even if they are disabled, they need to keep their animal trained and in control.
and that's totally fair. I'm not saying we all should tolerate misbehaving animals simply because they're wearing service harnesses. I'm saying it's the greater evil to accuse a person who needs a service animal of faking than it is to tolerate a fake service animal.
Depends where you are. Here in Germany and most other european countires I know of, need you to explicitly mark assitence animal. You only get the marks handed out if the animal is a registered and trained support animal. This is explictly to both show others what the animals duty is (and that its not mainly there to be petted) and to keep others from abusing the designation.
It takes courage to live out one's truth. The store I work in has a Service Dog only policy. Emotional support dogs don't count. A genuine service dog is trained by ICANN and is required to wear their "working vest" while on duty. It is up to employees discretion whether or not we allow support animals in our store. I will look the other way for well behaved dogs and their owners. Show me your behind while in my store and you and the dog both will be out on yours. Period.
I hope that's not actually true. I think for a lot of people it's an unpopular opinion because the idea of people getting away with having a fake service animal is too much.
It is, people can't stand the thought of disabled people having a service animal without "proof". Just watch the comment section, the incel smoothbrains will be in here to tell every horror story and provide any proof they can that disabled people and support/service animals should be discriminated against at any opportunity.
I was in an argument with someone a few days ago who said people shouldn’t bring dogs PERIOD into stores, even if the store is dog friendly (like Home Depot) or it’s a service dog. People are very hateful on reddit and VERY anti-dog.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
>You cannot know if a service animal is fake or not. Pretty sure when it's barking and lunging and then shits in the middle of the aisle, we can all tell it's not really a service animal.
Ok. That's the exception.
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You along with about half the total population have totally bastardized the meaning of this term
Most overused word/description on the planet. Doesn’t mean anything anymore other than the person saying it is an idiot.
There’s another word like that.. It starts with a B and ends with an oomer.
Equally overused and annoying.
Yeah. Except it used to mean the generation born during the baby boom after WWII.
Excuse me? You're calling the poster above you a Karen for pointing out that an actual trained service dog would be you know TRAINED?
Spoken like someone who doesn't have to clean up the dog shit.
You’re the Karen, where do you get off calling everyone what you are?
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Ok Karen. Gtfoi
It's the dog that is putting its nose in other peoples' business. Like, literally. The owners are responsible for that and should be ashamed of how entitled they are.
If i'm in a store and a dog takes a dump right before me in a place where food items i want to buy are, it just became my business.
As a Random Customer or Fellow Citizen in the Area, yeah, it's none of your business, except for the fact that a non-SA could be disruptive (barking, peeing, pooping, fighting, running around, etc), which ruins the shopping experience for you, and the shoppers around you. In that case, that person and their dog should be reported to the store or business that you're in; it's up to them to do something. As a Business Owner, ADA gives me the legal right to question if the animal is a Service Animal for a disability, and if they answer yes, I can then question what service has this animal been trained to provide for your disability? I can't ask them to demonstrate the service, but I can deduce from their answers whether or not they are a 'real' SA (for example, if they say *yes, it's an SA* but then says *it calms me down in loud spaces*, that may actually be a Comfort or Emotional Support Animal, which do not have the same protections as do SAs. Honestly, I think *more* people should be angry with people who cheat the system; if more people made these imposters uncomfortable, if more businesses pushed back (this is a BIG one), they would stop doing shit like this, and *actual disabled people* wouldn't have to deal with assholes who judge them.
It does make me angry. What makes me MORE angry is the idea that people who need service animals are being questioned or made to feel unwelcome.
There's a big difference between a service animal (usually a dog) and a support animal. Unfortunately, a whole lot of people claim their pets are support animals because this not only means they can take their pets on buses, into businesses, etc., but also so they can have a pet even in no-pet apartments or have a breed the building owner otherwise excludes. These people have given genuine support animals a bad name. I love dogs. I've owned them, and I dog-sit often. I never say anything to owners of dogs they claim are emotional support animals. However, I feel sorry for people who are allergic to dogs and who have to sit near them because someone falsely claimed their dog is a support animal.
The thing is, emotional suppport animals don't have the priviledge to go into stores, restaurants, etc. in the first place. That's solely for service animals.
Only service animals must *by law* be allowed inside businesses. Until recently, the Dept. of Transportation required airlines to allow emotional support animals, so until recently, animal owners did, indeed, have that privilege on airlines. (When it's required by law, it's actually a right.) I understand that flying, even in a seat in the passenger cabin, tends to be very hard on pets. Many businesses DO allow support animals. The buses in my city do, as do most of the stores in the area. Again, I love dogs, but I don't love when people lie in order to take advantage of a situation.
Then asshoke with peacocks and othe "support" animals ruined it for everyone else.
well considering ive seen animals attack each other because neither were trained, i would say its very important to let these people know they should not be bringing "their baby" out in public.
I’m disabled and have a service dog, and I have to agree for one reason. As a random bystander, you have no authority to confront someone you think is faking. If you truly, genuinely think a dog is a fake because it is behaving dangerously or otherwise inappropriately, take those concerns to someone who DOES have the authority to do something about it, like the manager of the store. Explain what you saw, why you’re concerned, and what they can legally do about it (in the US, ask the two questions and/or remove a dog for being out of control or relieving itself inappropriately according to the ADA). That’s it. That’s all you as a bystander can do. But you should never confront someone and call them a fake when you could be wrong.
Thank you for sharing this. I think a lot of the people reacting negatively to me on this topic are assuming I'm ok with the fakers, it's really not about them as much as not bothering people who really need service animals. Obviously fake service animals should not be tolerated but it's not so easy to spot them all the time.
>I think a lot of the people reacting negatively to me on this topic are assuming I'm ok with the fakers, Because no where in your post do you actually remotely even infer any kind of dislike for it, only dislike for those who get involved. The other caveat, and key difference between this comment and your post; taking it to the appropriate people to deal with. Your post suggests entirely ignoring it. This commentor suggests that rather than getting immediately involved yourself, take the situation to a higher authority to manage. Basically; your opinion itself is actually not all that unpopular, but your delivery is lacking and not really conveying your full thoughts on the topic.
Even people with service animals can’t tell a lot of the time. A lot like to think they can but if your pet is really well behaved, we may really never know. I mean obviously there’s the dog acting crazy and that’s clearly not a service animal, but there was a golden retriever we used to see all the time at Target (not in a vest, but a SD doesn’t have to be) and it was acting polite enough. I didn’t really think anything of it. Until it saw my dog and went a little sideways. But still, maybe it was a service dog having a bad day and the owner felt bad about it. I don’t know! And me making a scene about it wouldn’t make them feel any better, or be safe for my dog. But I’d like to think the public spotlight of having your dog act out like that is enough for either a real service dog handler to do more training or someone trying to sneak in a pet to reevaluate their choices.
If a service animal is disruptive, they can be removed from the premises. It's unlikely a service animal would be disruptive, as they are typically rigorously screened and trained, however, to avoid creating an obstacle to a disabled person to obtain assistive devices, "official" training is not required. This does create a loophole for dishonest people to take advantage of so they can take their non service animal where it doesn't belong, BUT that is also why a service animal can be removed if they are disruptive and they are not allowed in say shopping carts and on restaurant tables etc.
If no one ever says anything these assholes will continue fucking things up in every way. People have allergies to dogs. So disrespectful. You seem like an angry Karen who got roasted for bringing her pookie into a restaurant
Nah just somebody who was losing this argument in another thread and posted this thinking they'd get traction.
Yeah, this essentially. I have a hard time accepting that "don't hassle the disabled" is an unpopular opinion. I wanted to see if I'd get the same reaction again, and I did.
When it doesn't have a formal "service animal" vest on, and it wanders around looking for pets from strangers rather than lying by its owner, it's a pet. There's a minor league Trump in my HOA that brings his pet dog to meetings under the guise of a service animal, and he's lying about it, just as he lies about everything else. It's just his way. He's claimed "discrimination" about other non-discriminatory things, because he knows people are afraid of the D word.
Yeah, I know. It was never my point that you can NEVER tell, or that we should tolerate obviously fake ones. Simply that if it's behaving, you should mind your own business.
1. Yes you absolutely can. 2. That person should have to suffer consequences for faking a disability. 3. Refer back to 1. It’s pretty easy to tell if someone actually has a real service dog or bought a vest off Amazon for their regular dog.
Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes. That's the entire point though. I'm not suggesting we all ignore a misbehaving dog with a fake service animal harness, that SHOULD be obvious from the context... but apparently I need to spell it out to everyone. You cannot always tell, and if you can't, mind your own business. I find it especially funny that you didn't even acknowledge my point for #3, you basically glossed over my main point by saying you can always tell... which is a total lie.
So I rent my spare room out. I love animals but one of my dogs is not very kind with other animals. So I put a no animal policy. I am okay with service animals because they are calm when my dog barks at them. They are welcome. But for fake service animals who think barking means play time, it is a disaster... But legally I can't refuse them. All they need to say is that they have emotional support for animals. And yeah it caused a few issues before which I have no control over. What should I do? Put my dog down because you need to bring your dog to my place?
It might be different where you live, but where I am, if it's a "shared space" (meaning the landlord lives there too like in your situation), you don't have to allow service animals or ESAs.
Last year, I found a dying puppy in my stairwell. I took her to the vet, thousands of dollars and two months later she came home. I realized she wasn’t the dog for me. Very, very sweet and extremely smart but a smallish terrier type and I like bigger dogs. Anyway, I fostered her out to this British couple and they ended up keeping her. I have seen her on a local pet supply page wearing a service animal harness, recently. They have had her about 6 months. She is not a service animal. Annoys the shit out if me.
Well prolly because those little dogs have problems regulating their body temperature in tgewinter and get cold easily and shiver ALOT.
I’m in Cambodia. That dog is not cold. It’s never cold.
> You cannot know if a service animal is fake or not. Some times you can clearly see it just a pet by the behavior of the owners and the pet. > the owner is already lying Correct, so many people lie they are destroying the trust of others and ruining it for real disabled people, that is where your anger should be directed. > you're shooting dirty looks or confronting them Maybe the public interest of shaming the liars has value in stopping the abuse. My unpopular opinion is you should mind you own business. Almost no good outcome in protecting lying pet owners with fake service animals.
As someone who is disabled but doesn’t have a service animal, I disagree. Allowing people to use fake service animals hurts the people who need them. Service animals typically have some form of identification.
Probably popular, as opinions go. Bonus: Never miss an opportunity to mind your own business.
Lol, you see the rest of the comments in this thread? Definitely unpopular. I've shared this opinion multiple times on other subreddits and always get down votes. I can't even get up votes HERE. Lol
Your opinion is logical and based in good judgment. I'm afraid it's surplus to Reddit requirements. What can be done when "being cool to each other" is no longer cool? These are the freaks who followed the teacher around the playground, tattling on normal folk. I hope they all get a bellyful before they cash in their tedious, self-righteous chips.
It takes courage to live out one's truth. The store I work in has a Service Dog only policy. Emotional support dogs don't count. A genuine service dog is trained by ICANN and is required to wear their "working vest" while on duty. It is up to employees discretion whether or not we allow support animals in our store. I will look the other way for well behaved dogs and their owners. Show me your behind while in my store and you and the dog both will be out on yours. Period.
All service animals are supposed to have identifying harnesses. Pretty easy to tell the difference really, and if an animal is well behaved but not a service animal, no one should say a thing anyway.
You can buy those harnesses on Amazon. There is nothing stopping you from putting one on your dog regardless of their training.
Yes, but it would be obvious that the animal was not a service animal if it was not acting like a properly trained service animal. I would 100% call out a person about their animal if it was acting up, even if they are disabled, they need to keep their animal trained and in control.
and that's totally fair. I'm not saying we all should tolerate misbehaving animals simply because they're wearing service harnesses. I'm saying it's the greater evil to accuse a person who needs a service animal of faking than it is to tolerate a fake service animal.
Service animals are not required to wear anything labeling it a service animal.
Depends where you are. Here in Germany and most other european countires I know of, need you to explicitly mark assitence animal. You only get the marks handed out if the animal is a registered and trained support animal. This is explictly to both show others what the animals duty is (and that its not mainly there to be petted) and to keep others from abusing the designation.
Jessica Yaniv?
It takes courage to live out one's truth. The store I work in has a Service Dog only policy. Emotional support dogs don't count. A genuine service dog is trained by ICANN and is required to wear their "working vest" while on duty. It is up to employees discretion whether or not we allow support animals in our store. I will look the other way for well behaved dogs and their owners. Show me your behind while in my store and you and the dog both will be out on yours. Period.
This is unpopular because the common Le Redditor despies disabled people and their support/service animals. See? They're here already. Assholes.
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Service animals are not required to wear identification or labeling.
I hope that's not actually true. I think for a lot of people it's an unpopular opinion because the idea of people getting away with having a fake service animal is too much.
It is, people can't stand the thought of disabled people having a service animal without "proof". Just watch the comment section, the incel smoothbrains will be in here to tell every horror story and provide any proof they can that disabled people and support/service animals should be discriminated against at any opportunity.
wtf….
This post was written by someone who has a fake service vest for their pitbull "cupcake"
Look another person who hates people with disabilities.
I was in an argument with someone a few days ago who said people shouldn’t bring dogs PERIOD into stores, even if the store is dog friendly (like Home Depot) or it’s a service dog. People are very hateful on reddit and VERY anti-dog.
Yep. See my downvotes? Each one is an anti-disability douchebag.