The Service Dog Quandry and Solutions

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280 – The Annual, 2019-20

By Amy Fernandez

     It took a little trip into NYC recently, Lincoln Center to be precise. For all the inconvenience, the city’s holiday rep is well deserved. An instamatic moment wherever you turn. So, here’s the newsworthy thing I noticed-dogs everywhere. Most prominently, this new social order is represented by the legions of detection dogs stationed throughout any and all major events. Some are NYPD, but many others punch the clock for iconic venues like Lincoln Center. They unobtrusively scan for hidden threats and their obvious presence provides a definite sense of security for attendees. But there were plenty other dogs doing normal dog stuff, on the street, on the subway, but invariably ignored or greeted with delight.

     It wasn’t long ago when a dog-any dog- in a public place triggered a chain reaction of hysterical complaints. They carried germs, behaved badly, and generally compromised the smooth flow of social traffic. A few decades down the road, rather than an all purpose public hazard, dogs are regarded as a ubiquitous aspect of urban life.

     The vanguards of this sea change have unquestionably been the broad brush category of service/therapy dogs. The formerly rare appearance of a Seeing Eye dog has morphed into an enormous cadre of canine professionals. And this ever-expanding role has definitely leveraged their presence into revised attitudes and policies. A dog walking around medical facility triggers about as much surprise as a doctor. (In many instances, they probably rate as a more welcome sight.) It’s fair to say that dogs are entering a new age. My point is that this newfound tolerance stems directly from an established, positive perception regarding their behavior and demeanor.

     It has been especially precious to legions of individuals relying on the relatively new classification of comfort/emotional support companions. This term covers a vast array of human issues, which from a mental health standpoint is good, as well as a vaguely defined job description for the aforesaid companion (which frequently isn’t a dog at all.) The one thing all are presumed to have in common is that they have valid reasons to be there and are superbly trained to perform whatever task they’re doing.

     But humans being way more prone to bad behavior than dogs, this generous interpretation has inevitably ushered in a truckload of problems. Time and forbearance have amplified both the benefits and the complications of this canine carte blanche. Things have been going wrong for awhile, ranging from fundraising scams to bogus training and certification programs. In other words, despite its clear intention and proven value, this deregulation has opened the door to plenty of jerks hell bent on ruining it for everyone.

Click here to read the complete article
280 – The Annual, 2019-20

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