It is no doubt that people consider their pets as their best friends. In today’s media, Service Animals are often seen as an excuse to bring a pet into public places and it creates a negative connotation for those who actually need a service animal.
The most recent and bizzare story that made headlines this week was about a woman trying to take her service squirrel on a Frontier airlines flight, where rodents are strictly prohibited to that airline’s policy.Although the article did not specify whether the squirrel was specifically trained or certified as a service animal, many sources say that she is adamant about suing the company out of spite for questioning her about the service animal and removing her from the flight.
There is no need for actual service animals to face the scrutiny that they do face because of people that use their pets as “fake” service animals for comfort. Service animals are certified or in training to help someone that needs assistance for a legitimate reason. Guide dogs help people with vision loss. Mobility assistance dogs help those with balance or immobility issues. On the contrary to what some believe, emotional support animals are not specifically trained nor certified, and by law emotional support dogs are not to be allowed into restaurants, markets or any place where food is sold or served. But a psychiatric service dog is one that is specifically trained and certified to assist those with PTSD, anxiety and/or depression, is allowed to go into public places. Emotional support animals are there to comfort someone, but for someone with PTSD, a psychiatric service dog will sit on guard at its handler’s feet and keep a watch from behind to make sure they are safe.
In general people should not be so quick to judge; in the same aspect people without disabilities should not take advantage of privileges specifically given to those with disabilities.
XOXO
Anastasia D’Ausilio