Etiquette
The proper way to greet a working Service Dog
in public is exactly the same way in which you would greet a
person's wheelchair. In other words, don't. If you simply ignore
the dog, you are doing the right thing. Treat the Service Dog's
partner the same way in which you would treat any other person.
Calling to, fussing over, patting, and otherwise
distracting a Service Dog could put the dog's human partner
in danger. When the dog is working, the dog's job is to focus
on their partner. The dog is there to assist the person, and
to make sure that the person is not harmed. Yes, these dogs
are trained to ignore distractions, but why make their job more
difficult?
Be aware that even though you might be curious
about the role the dog plays in that person's life, that the
person likely does not have a lot of time to stop and answer
questions.
Be aware that asking a person about their disability
is often considered rude and intrusive. Most people are not
comfortable discussing their medical histories with strangers.
Be aware that many disabilities are not visible,
and even if the person looks "OK" to you, if they
have a Service Dog, they must be disabled.
Please explain to your children that when Service
Dogs are working, its just like when the child is in school
and working on a project. During these times, the child does
not want to be poked at, called to, teased, etc. Children should
treat Service Dogs with the same way that they would like to
be treated.
If you are scared of dogs, please understand that
Service Dogs have been extensively trained and socialized. These
dogs are very safe to be around, otherwise they would not be
allowed to work in public. However, if you are scared of the
dog, it is perfectly acceptable to politely tell the dog's partner
that you are scared of dogs and then you and the team can work
to avoid each other. Remember that being scared of dogs is not
a reason to deny a disabled person the right to be in public.
If you are allergic to dogs, please be aware that
Service Dogs have been well groomed and are very clean. In fact,
the average pet dog owner will likely carry more dander and
allergens on them than a well groomed Service Dog. However,
if you have bad allergies, please politely inform the team that
you are allergic and then you and the team can both make an
effort to avoid each other. Remember that disabled people accompanied
by Service Dogs have the same right to be in public that you
do.
If you witness someone attempting to deny access
to a public place to a person partnered with a Service Dog,
it is sometimes helpful to politely ask "is there a problem
here?" and to mention that the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 says that Service Dogs are allowed in public places.
It may also be helpful to let the person being discriminated
against know that you are willing to act as a witness on his
or her behalf, should they need you to do so.
Samantha Fogg
copyright 2002 all rights reserved