Take your pet cruising on Carnival with you !!

[newbie101]

I should have also mentioned that I have no problem with service dogs... just wanted to joke that mine is not a service dog... though she would disagree (providing something to pet is also a service in her mind)... yes, we spoil her!!!

[cruisinwithboys]

I don't care how well behaved the animal is, some people are extremely allergic to animals, if it's a long haired breed, their hair gets into places that can't be reached by a vacuum and end up in someone's nose who will develop a severe allergic reaction. There is no defending an animal in your stateroom prior to your cruise, joke all you want, the cruiseline needs to establish a procedure to inform passengers when a service animal has inhabited the stateroom prior to your stay, period. A severe allergy can kill someone.

 

I've never seen anyone seize and convulse from an animal allergy from a service dog that was previously in a certain area. If someone is that allergic, they may need a bubble to live. I get allergies in the Spring time from pollen, but I'm not going to ask everyone to cut their trees down.

[Mad Capn Bob]

Maybe I can take my cat and claim she's a service cat. After all, she constantly demands I serve her with food and belly rubs...

[MissDiva1]

All I have to say is I can't wait til I get home so I can take my best buddy out for his daily walk. The ignorance runs rapid on cc yet again and again:rolleyes:

[newbie101]

Well, I think I jumped into this thread too quickly. I only read the first few posts before adding mine (which was meant to be humorous). I did not realize this was such a heated thread until I read the following posts. So if anyone is offended by my earlier post, please understand is was only in jest, and that I was not trying to diminish the importance of real service dogs in any way. That said, my little pooch would tell you that everything she does in a service in her mind... but she is a puppy, and doesn't understand that the world is not there for her personal amusement :-P

 

I do have some serious thoughts here though on this issue. I am a big believer in service dogs as they do save lives. I also have family that is highly allergic to certain animals (mainly cats). One is so allergic that they keep an epi pen with them at all times (and an inhaler). Posters comments about allergies do have merit... this is and should be a concern. What confuses me is that most posters here seem to be taking a "one or the other" approach (as I said, "seems"... I do not know what peoples actual intentions are, but that is how I read a lot of the posts).

 

Personally, I think that the cruise lines (and hotels for that matter) should be obligated to provide you with an allergen free (to the best of their ability) environment for sleeping if you do have debilitating or life threatening allergies. This is not limited to pet dander, but also smoke, perfume, etc. Much like handicap cabins, these accommodations should be available on a first come first serve basis, which means a person with severe allergies may have to adjust their trip when planning and booking a cruise (or hotel) to ensure availability.

 

If these types of accommodations are provided, service dogs and people with severe allergies can co-exist on the some cruise without incident.

 

Oh, and I just wanted to point out that most hotels in the US and Canada can provide you with allergen free accommodation guarantees, meaning they will do their best to ensure the environment is free of certain allergens to the best of their ability (though not a complete guarantee, but this is no different than the guarantee of accommodating food allergies at a restaurant... there is a certain level of risk you have to accept when steeping outside your front door)... you just have to ask the hotel to accommodate you. I am not sure if that applies to cruise ships as well, but I would be shocked if it didn't.

[halos]

Pure of soul; Pure of heart.......Don't you wish more people were like this?

 

I could only wish to be half as good as my dog.

There is nothing like a dog...nothing.

:)

[gemsm]

Patrick, your post is a good one and I'm only quoting you because you've brought up some very good points:

 

I'm a long-time follower of the cruising with a service dog thread and am a paralegal working for an animal law attorney so while none of the information below is meant to be legal advice, I have spent a lot of time dealing with service dog statuatory and case law.

 

First of all, most mainstream cruise lines comply with US ADA regulations because they are required to when they sail from any U.S. port.

 

I have found most legitimate service dog handlers are the loudest advocates for limiting the definitation of service dogs. The new, more limited, federal definition of service animals is a direct result of advocacy by legitimate service dog handlers.

 

Actually what constitutes true "certification" isn't really in question. "Certification" is not required and, as of March 15, 2011 the definition of a service animal is:

 

"Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. . . The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. The new ADA regulations very clearly exclude "emotional support" or "therapy" animals.

 

As an allergy sufferer myself, I appreciate your concern for those who have allergy or hygiene issues but the law is clear on that issue--please see the Department of Justice's ADA Business Brief (http://www.ada.gov/svcabrpt.pdf) which states "Allergies and fear of animals are generally not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people with service animals"

 

Of course, if those who have posted that their allergies are disabling (i.e., an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as seeing, hearing, moving about, dressing, eating, etc) they are also welcome to require that the cruise line make reasonable accommodations for their disability.

 

Why just dogs? I know there are trained service cats. I also know that they are pushing mini horses for the wheelchair bound that need mobility assistance

[Valentine's Mom]

I thought that it might be a chin. I have 2 and 1/2 chins (one is part chin and part pekingnese). I just love them but they shed so much. :).

 

Yes they do tend to shed a lot. That's why I keep Valentine cut short. She is much cooler in summer, or Caribbean cruises, and just put a coat on her if it's cold. Seems to work for us. I always bush her every morning and bathe her at least once on a 7 day cruise. (not easy in Carnival's shower) LOL but it does make her much easier for her to be around strangers.

[tulsacubfan]

I'm willing to bet those service animals are much cleaner and more well-behaved than a good chunk of passengers. Just sayin.......

 

Cleaner or being well behaved does not negate the allergic reactions a lot of people have to dogs.....just sayin......

[tulsacubfan]

I wonder if the people who complain about service dogs on ships also avoid theaters, grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, libraries, schools, hotels, post offices, museums, sports events, doctor's offices, airplanes, trains, taxis and buses as well, since service dogs are allowed in all those places.

 

You aren't a captive audience for a week at a theater, grocery store, etc.....

[Loves_Dogs]

I could only wish to be half as good as my dog.

There is nothing like a dog...nothing.

:)

 

Couldn't agree more!

[celle]

You aren't a captive audience for a week at a theater, grocery store, etc.....

 

And you're not a "captive audience" on a cruise ship, either. You don't have to be where the dog is. It is just as easy to avoid being near the dog as it is to avoid being around obnoxious people.

 

People who cruise with service dogs have to go through a lot of preparation and paperwork to have their dogs permitted on board. You will never see a dog on board that is not there for a valid reason. If that reason is not apparent to you, it is not your job to question or judge.

[SpiderSilva]

First, I want to thank my dear husband [rolls royce lover] for standing-up for Service/Working Dogs. And, then I wanted to add one more thing; if you look at my Avatar and within my post you will see Brenda.

She's my Hero.....she's made it safe for me to go out into public; she's saved my life on more than once occasion [and, never expected anything in return]; she's selfless and unselfish. She makes friends wherever she goes; she never judges or says unkind words; she's always ready to play; she always gives me love and is ready to receive it; she's a wonderful girl, with a golden heart and is pure of soul.

She's 11 years old now and I know that her life is winding down; she's slower to respond to my needs and likes to sleep a bit more than she used to but she's still ready to go to work every single day!!!!!

She doesn't whine because she doesn't think she's paid enough or cry when she doesn't get as much as the next dog......she just wants to go to work and make me happy!

She'll have a younger playmate soon, as I'm up for a Successor Dog and then she can stay home with PaPa and take her naps and get belly rubs all day long, if she wishes.

Pure of soul; Pure of heart.......Don't you wish more people were like this?

 

 

Bless you and Brenda...she's beautiful :)

[otowncruisr]

You don't have to buy it. Seizure dogs smell chemical changes in the body prior to a seizure. Since a dog can smell a female dog in heat MILES away, or some breeds can locate cadavers up to 100 ft under water from a boat...I'm betting that strolled dog would catch a whiff of the hormones/chemicals that they are trained to detect. Would you "buy it" if you or a family member potentially had cancer and they brought in a terrier to see if that dog could locate trouble areas that might not show up on other tests?

 

 

(Shaking head at this thread)

 

Couldn't agree with you more. THose are great capabilities that canines can provide, and can provide tremendous quality of life and safety for their masters. I'm all for them and highly tolerant of them. Watching them and demeaner is actually amazing. But those are highly trained "professional" dogs that by the nature of their training maintain a high level of discipline, and are not rolled around in strollers. Stollers, feeding at the table, or other such activies would be called a pet.

 

Here's an interesting link on the subject: http://www.sonomapets.com/?p=603

[Latitude 20]

Why just dogs? I know there are trained service cats. I also know that they are pushing mini horses for the wheelchair bound that need mobility assistance

 

You're right, the law itself doesn't mention mini horses (which are no bigger than large dogs) but they must be accommodated also. This was to allow for service animals for those who are allergic to dogs or cannot use dogs for religious reasons. Also, a horse's lifespan is much longer than a dog's so the animal does not have to be replaced as often.

 

Some of the reasons given for not including cats were that cats are much harder to train and keep trained (all service animals have to practice constantly or they lose their abilities) and more people are allergic to cats than to dogs. As a practical matter, I think they drew the line at dogs and horses just to stay off a slippery slope. There was a guy in our state who was complaining because the new law didn't cover his "service snake!"

[waldocruiser1]

Wow, instead of making all sorts of sarcastic assumptions why didn't you just ask the owner what type of service dog it was, even though they don't owe you an explanation.

 

Not only are some breeds trained to signal oncoming seizures, there are some that are also trained in dealing with folks who have sleep apnea. There are also quiet a few service animals trained to assist with our troops that have come back from war and have trouble returning to everyday civilian life. Do some research before you make such snide remarks.

 

and then again, they might have just paid a "boat load of cash" to bring their dog, and nobody would know, because as you said, "they don't owe you (anyone) an explanation"

 

I think this is a good example of people should have to explain (a little) why they have their dog at the buffet? (by explain I mean it is a service dog, for seizures, not I have xyz illness)

[tazco]

First, I want to thank my dear husband [rolls royce lover] for standing-up for Service/Working Dogs. And, then I wanted to add one more thing; if you look at my Avatar and within my post you will see Brenda.

 

She's my Hero.....she's made it safe for me to go out into public; she's saved my life on more than once occasion [and, never expected anything in return]; she's selfless and unselfish. She makes friends wherever she goes; she never judges or says unkind words; she's always ready to play; she always gives me love and is ready to receive it; she's a wonderful girl, with a golden heart and is pure of soul.

 

She's 11 years old now and I know that her life is winding down; she's slower to respond to my needs and likes to sleep a bit more than she used to but she's still ready to go to work every single day!!!!!

 

She doesn't whine because she doesn't think she's paid enough or cry when she doesn't get as much as the next dog......she just wants to go to work and make me happy!

 

She'll have a younger playmate soon, as I'm up for a Successor Dog and then she can stay home with PaPa and take her naps and get belly rubs all day long, if she wishes.

 

Pure of soul; Pure of heart.......Don't you wish more people were like this?

Thanks for the lovely tribute to Brenda. My two are not service dogs but in their own way they devote their lives to watching out for dh and me. Dh doesn't cruise because they would be devastated if we left them (especially our older shih tzu) and dh says he wouldn't have any fun. Pure of heart is a good description of mine too. If others don't understand service dogs or even just ordinary pets it is their loss.

[ContingentSea]

This has been an eye opening thread. I see the roses on both sides of the path. I don't think it would bother me personally for personal service animals being on a cruise, but I would have to deaw the line on a little pooch being strolled around the Lido Deck in a baby carraige...Just saying;)

[Latitude 20]

and then again, they might have just paid a "boat load of cash" to bring their dog, and nobody would know, because as you said, "they don't owe you (anyone) an explanation"

 

I think this is a good example of people should have to explain (a little) why they have their dog at the buffet? (by explain I mean it is a service dog, for seizures, not I have xyz illness)

 

Service animal handlers on a ship aren't required to explain anything to random passengers (although most are very gracious if someone is genuinely interested). However the cruise line (or any place of public accommodation) may legally ask two questions:

 

1. Is the animal is required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform that mitigates that disability?

 

If the cruise line isn't asking those questions, then that's an issue to take up with the cruise line, not the service animal handler.

[newcatintown]

This has been an eye opening thread. I see the roses on both sides of the path. I don't think it would bother me personally for personal service animals being on a cruise, but I would have to deaw the line on a little pooch being strolled around the Lido Deck in a baby carraige...Just saying;)

 

Just being blunt here, but did you see why they are often in a stroller or carriage? So many people on a cruise with no expectation of an animal onboard, and one little dog. It is safer for the dog to be contained, lest it get hurt accidentally. How would you feel if you injured someones service animal? I know I'd feel really, really bad and it would ruin my vacation. Not to mention the Lido gets very hot, will burn human feet, I image it would also burn a dogs paws... Just sayin'

[tazco]

Just being blunt here, but did you see why they are often in a stroller or carriage? So many people on a cruise with no expectation of an animal onboard, and one little dog. It is safer for the dog to be contained, lest it get hurt accidentally. How would you feel if you injured someones service animal? I know I'd feel really, really bad and it would ruin my vacation. Not to mention the Lido gets very hot, will burn human feet, I image it would also burn a dogs paws... Just sayin'

Not to mention going in the crowded elevators! I get scared packed in there.

[Carnivaluver]

and then again, they might have just paid a "boat load of cash" to bring their dog, and nobody would know, because as you said, "they don't owe you (anyone) an explanation"

 

I think this is a good example of people should have to explain (a little) why they have their dog at the buffet? (by explain I mean it is a service dog, for seizures, not I have xyz illness)

 

Fake service dogs are becoming more and more a problem because people can just buy certificates online and there is no checking them out. http://www.examiner.com/mind-and-body-in-national/fake-service-dogs-online-websites-who-certify-without-training-are-scams

[ehfl]

While there has been a lot in the news lately, about phony service dogs (owners just taking pets on vacation, pretending they're service dogs), it's possible that they were actually service dogs. You often can't tell by looking, and size or breed alone is no indication.

 

Many hotels, cruise lines, airlines, etc. are cracking down, and requiring more rigorous documentation of service dogs. Hopefully, it will cut down on this type of fraud.

[newcatintown]

Fake service dogs are becoming more and more a problem because people can just buy certificates online and there is no checking them out. http://www.examiner.com/mind-and-body-in-national/fake-service-dogs-online-websites-who-certify-without-training-are-scams

 

Someone is always, and I do mean always, going to find a way to abuse anything & everything. I find it sad. On the flip side, I do find most people to be upstanding, and just what they present themselves as. As much as I love my animals, I just wouldn't put the effort into getting them onboard unless they were a true service animal.

[Latitude 20]

Fake service dogs are becoming more and more a problem because people can just buy certificates online and there is no checking them out. http://www.examiner.com/mind-and-body-in-national/fake-service-dogs-online-websites-who-certify-without-training-are-scams

 

While there has been a lot in the news lately, about phony service dogs (owners just taking pets on vacation, pretending they're service dogs), it's possible that they were actually service dogs. You often can't tell by looking, and size or breed alone is no indication.

 

Many hotels, cruise lines, airlines, etc. are cracking down, and requiring more rigorous documentation of service dogs. Hopefully, it will cut down on this type of fraud.

 

The new service animal access law is designed to prevent the abuse of service animal access rights. And it's important to know that any animal (including a legitimate service animal) may be excluded if:

 

1. The animal is out of control and the animal´s handler does not take effective action to control it

2. The animal is not housebroken

3. The animal is not harnessed, tethered or leashed (with some exceptions if the animal cannot do its job while leashed)

 

However, hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and other places of public accommodation cannot "crack down" or require any documentation for a service animal. As I pointed out in a prior post, legally, they can ask only two questions:

 

1. Is the animal is required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform that mitigates that disability?

 

Requiring answers to any other questions or requiring documentation (which as you point out is easily faked) is illegal under federal law.

 

I'm sure you'll agree that making it more difficult for legitimate service animal handlers isn't an appropriate way to prevent the abusers.