Pam Hays WARNING!!! Language alert. I am sharing this for a couple of reasons. One, the owners of business staff and managers are not being educated thoroughly on their responsibility on service dogs. Business owners take the time to share the link below in your orientation and display in your business. Information is scattered and word of mouth is the worse way to figure out what is legal and what is not. Two, I understand the frustration of others not understanding. No, I dont have a service dog, and no, this is not only a veteran issue. Civilians with service dogs get questioned also. PTS(D) means that controlling anger is sometimes difficult. My opinion is though, if ALL who have any reason to have a service dog with them, try to be part of the solution by taking just a moment and sharing the basic law rather than reacting emotionally. The reason I say this is that one method is going to work towards change in the community, calm and educate, and the other, lashing out to someone who might just be uninformed, not mean and cruel, is going to only stigmatize the next person that comes in the business. The latter creates animosity that never leads to positive change. As I said, I get the frustration factor, just suggesting that a more positive approach be TRIED, realizing time and time again being asked to leave could bring out a host of negative emotions. Below is a link from the ADA that might be helpful and it could be copied at 50% and be small enough to carry in a wallet to help educate community members. Remember too, that veterans own and manage businesses and they too are many times not responding well to service animals also. I would suggest ALL service dogs wear a type of identification just to stop the confrontational episodes like this one. No one wins here! Imagine if the veteran pulled out the educational piece and said I understand you dont get it and maybe no one told you the rules, but here they are if you would read them, then would you see I have a right to be in here with my therapy dog. (Make sure your dog is trained as the ADA rules say and that you are in compliance with the rules too.) A THANK YOU might have been expressed by the employee and a whole lot of frustration alleviated for the veteran (in this case). #beyourownadvocate #helpeachother
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 23:25:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015