Now with so many "service animals" do they have a Vet onboard ?

[bigbeergut]

The one thing that does appear to be clear is that there are no requirements that Support Animals be allowed on-board. Celebrity needs to stand-up to the ever increasing hoard of people bringing their pets on-board. There are far too many people allergic to animals, pets that are not properly trained or passengers that just don't want to be around pets. Please Celebrity, take a leadership position on this problem

[varoo]

Now with so many "service animals" do they have a Vet onboard ?

 

Just wondering seems like a good way to make some bucks for the cruise line.

 

No, and it seems unlikely that they ever will , since they do not have a pediatrician on board and yet some passengers bring their babies, even infants, on cruises.

 

Any veterinarian or pediatrician who happens to be on cruise ship is there as a passenger, not an employee.

 

 

This reminds me of the time we stayed at a hotel out in the boondocks where someone had a medical emergency in the middle of the night, so they woke up the man in the room next door to us who had checked in as Dr. So-and-so.

 

It turned out that he was a doctor of philosophy!

 

 

[chengkp75]

The SCOTUS ruling was not 100% clear. Most law experts interpret the ruling as meaning that foreign flagged ships calling on a US port on any itinerary are required to comply with ADA. Foreign flagged ships NOT calling on a US port are not required to comply. I am not an attorney and I am just as confused as the next person.

 

You are correct in that ships that do not call at a US port are exempt, but ships that do call at US ports must only meet some standards. A quote from Spector v. NCL (bolding mine):

 

"(a) As a matter of international comity, a clear statement of congressional intent is necessary before a general statutory requirement can interfere with matters that concern a foreign-flag vessel’s internal affairs and operations. See, e.g., Wildenhus’s Case, 120 U.S. 1, 12. In Benz and McCulloch, the Court held the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) inapplicable to labor relations between a foreign vessel and its foreign crew not because foreign ships are generally exempt from the NLRA, but because that particular application of the NLRA would interfere with matters that concern only the ship’s internal operations."

 

" It is reasonable to presume Congress intends no interference with matters that are primarily of concern only to the ship and the foreign state in which it is registered."

 

I worked on the Norwegian Sky when we reflagged it from Bahamian to US (to become the Pride of Aloha), and know what was needed to modify the ship and it's "internal operations" from a partially compliant foreign flag ship to a fully compliant US flag ship.

 

But I'm no lawyer, either.

[Eisernes]

This is why "emotional support animals" will never be taken seriously

 

[NLH Arizona]

This is why "emotional support animals" will never be taken seriously

 

 

Actually this horse may in fact be a service animal. Many are used as guide horses for the blind.

 

According to the ADA: In addition to the provisions about service dogs, the Department’s revised ADA regulations have a new, separate provision about miniature horses that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

[trusamandfive]

Interesting read, I qualify for a support/service dog due to PTSD however I already have five dogs all of whom could be considered emotional support dogs.

Now these guys are truly wonderful in making sure I get up in the morning, that I go out to the dog park once a day, one of them even wakes me up from nightmares on a regular basis but I honestly could not imagine taking any of them on a cruise with me.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[El Crucero]

Actually this horse may in fact be a service animal. Many are used as guide horses for the blind.

 

That is true, but as I understand the ACAA has been modified so that only Service Dogs are now allowed on the airlines, all other animals are prohibited. The only problem is that some dog breeds can be almost as large as a small horse!

[El Crucero]

Now these guys are truly wonderful in making sure I get up in the morning, that I go out to the dog park once a day, one of them even wakes me up from nightmares on a regular basis but I honestly could not imagine taking any of them on a cruise with me.

 

And I have a hunch that your dogs are grateful for your decision.

[dkjretired]

That is true, but as I understand the ACAA has been modified so that only Service Dogs are now allowed on the airlines, all other animals are prohibited. The only problem is that some dog breeds can be almost as large as a small horse!

 

And of course horses can now be considered Service Animals....Does bring up another point as these threads are written, people say I'm going to bring my elephant, cat, etc however the only animals now considered as service animals are dogs and horses under certain circumstances.

 

n addition to the provisions about service dogs, the Department’s revised ADA regulations have a new, separate provision about miniature horses that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. (Miniature horses generally range in height from 24 inches to 34 inches measured to the shoulders and generally weigh between 70 and 100 pounds.) Entities covered by the ADA must modify their policies to permit miniature horses where reasonable. The regulations set out four assessment factors to assist entities in determining whether miniature horses can be accommodated in their facility. The assessment factors are (1) whether the miniature horse is housebroken; (2) whether the miniature horse is under the owner’s control; (3) whether the facility can accommodate the miniature horse’s type, size, and weight; and (4) whether the miniature horse’s presence will not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operation of the facility.

 

 

After I retired I was working in a supermarket and a woman used to come in with her pet parakeet perched on her shoulder. Supposedly she had presented to the store manager papers about the bird, he apparently didn't know the law and we knew to allow her in the store. The bird was there to help her with something in the neck regarding a balance problem. Who knows.

[jimbri]

El Crucero - great post!

[bunnyette]

 

I fully understand the difference between a service dog and an emotional support animal.

 

I may have misunderstood El Crucero and thought he meant it is against the law to require a letter from a licensed mental health professional for an emotional support animal (which is an airline requirement).

 

The true service dogs are amazing animals and it is remarkable to see them at work with their owners. Last cruise I was on, there was a golden lab seeing eye dog with his blind owner. They seemed to work together as a single unit.

 

The little fluffy mops of fur in the baby carriages are just the "babies" of their owners and the owner cannot bear to be away from the MaltiPoo or whatever furball it may be. They should NOT be allowed on ships.

 

Agree with you 110%. True service animals have been around a long time, this trend of "emotional support animals" seems relatively new. If you do indeed have such severe mental health issues that you cannot be parted from your support animal, then maybe a cruise is not the right trip for you. And there will be ports that will not let you bring it on shore...as for allowing these types of animals to eat from the table in the dining areas, that is a hygiene issue. You never see a service animal eating in the dining areas. They are trained not to beg or eat in these situations.

[voyager70]

This is why "emotional support animals" will never be taken seriously

 

 

You have got to be kidding me :eek:

[galensgrl]

On a serious note, I do understand the value and importance of a service animal. I also know that this has become one of the most abused work arounds I have seen in recent years.

 

I agree. It is not for me to judge who does or doesn't need a service animal. That being said, if the "service" animal is snarling and snapping at people in public, it makes you wonder if the animal has been at all trained. I work in a hospital, and have seen all types of certificates and "official" vests, but the behavior of the animal and owner at times are enough to make anyone question the validity of some of the service animal claims. There are blatant abuses of the service animal system, which is unfortunate.

[keithm]

Judgment of people who have animals with them is the same as judging those who need to take the elevator one floor. You don't know their circumstances or what service the animal is providing.

Seeing KEESAR'S response is all I need to know! I have no issue calling out fake service animals.

[jaspersmommy]

A dog trained to support someone with PTSD is not an "emotional support" dog, it is a service dog and fully covered under ADA rules and regulations, something an "emotional support" dog is not.

 

From ADA: Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets.

 

 

Your information is semantics that really don't matter to the issue at hand. Many people seem to think all these animals are pets and anyone with one of these "pets" is a nut who is trying to falsely find a way to get Fluffy on the ship. Nobody is in a position to judge unless you know the circumstances surrounding the dog's presence on the ship.

[keithm]

There were two dogs on our last cruise.

 

One was obviously a service dog for a man with vision disabilities. The dog was amazingly well behaved. Anyone complaining about that dog would have been in the wrong.

 

The second was a large german shepherd. The dog was relatively well behaved. Its owners both seemed to be in good health, but who knows. They often had it off leash, and one day it was chasing the dot from a laser pointer up and down the deck. It did not bother me, but a dog that size can be intimidating for many people. I cannot say whether this dog was legitimately allowed on board, but watching the owners flaunt the rules once it was aboard, made me think that they may well have falsified its role as a helper dog.

 

I think you will see and more dogs on cruises. The cruise lines are going to have to figure a way to deal them. I like dogs, but honestly, unless it is a verifiable service dog they really do not belong on board.

I have NO issue what so ever confronting an owner flaunting the law. Nothing is more fun than watching an owner squirm when I inform them of the $2000 fine & 6 months in jail for faking a service dog(the fines are not true, but should be)I'll then flip my phone & pretend to call the police. It's fun to watch them flee from a store or restaurant.

[keithm]

I totally agree. The problem is that the folks that can't leave fluffy at home lie and say their dog is a service dog and cruise lines, as well as most other businesses, are afraid of a lawsuit, so they let them in. I've read of unruly dogs on cruises, dogs who poop in public places (owners didn't clean it up), bark at other passengers, snap at staff, sitting on a table in the buffet, etc. and still the cruise lines are afraid to kick these dogs off the ships. It is going to take a non-service dog biting another passenger and a lawsuit for the cruise lines to crack down on "emotional support" dogs.

If a dog on a ship bit me for no reason, It would most likely get tossed over the side along with it's owner. I'm willing to pay the fine for littering, thank you!

[keithm]

You have got to be kidding me :eek:

I long for Thanksgiving!

[El Crucero]

Your information is semantics that really don't matter to the issue at hand. Many people seem to think all these animals are pets and anyone with one of these "pets" is a nut who is trying to falsely find a way to get Fluffy on the ship. Nobody is in a position to judge unless you know the circumstances surrounding the dog's presence on the ship.

 

Although I work in the industry, I cannot say for sure what is a Service Dog and what is not, just by passive observation. It is best to file a complaint with Guest Relations and let them handle it. AND IF THEY DON'T HANDLE IT, FILE A COMPLIANT AGAINST GUEST RELATIONS!

 

I have NO issue what so ever confronting an owner flaunting the law. Nothing is more fun than watching an owner squirm when I inform them of the $2000 fine & 6 months in jail for faking a service dog(the fines are not true, but should be)I'll then flip my phone & pretend to call the police. It's fun to watch them flee from a store or restaurant.

 

Be aware that harassing a legitimate "Assistance Animal" is subject to a fine and penalties of up to $50,000! Best to file a complaint with guest relations or management and let them handle it. If they don't, you have redress with guest relations and/or management.

[NLH Arizona]

Your information is semantics that really don't matter to the issue at hand. Many people seem to think all these animals are pets and anyone with one of these "pets" is a nut who is trying to falsely find a way to get Fluffy on the ship. Nobody is in a position to judge unless you know the circumstances surrounding the dog's presence on the ship.

I guess you have never been around a true service dog, because if you had, you would know that they are not pets, they are actually working dogs who are trained to help their owners have a better quality of life. Those fakers that call their dogs "emotional support" dogs make it difficult for true service dogs to do their job, because not only do they give true service dogs a bad rap because of their behavior, but most are untrained and can be a hazard to a true service dog if they come in contact with them.

[soccerref]

I haven’t read all the responses to the original post so apologies if I have missed a comment similar to mine.

My DS is violently allergic to allfur and feathers. He gets breathing difficulties, his nose runs, his eyelidsswell and his eyes water. He also comes out in a very itchy rash and thesesymptoms persist for several hours. He doesn’t need to have contact with theanimals. Just a stray hair or being in a space that has been previouslyoccupied by an animal can trigger an attack. He dreads the possibility of beingon a plane or any place where an animal has been where there is no option toremove himself.

I appreciate the importance of true service animals but theyshould not be allowed in aircraft cabins. I know it is a little different on acruise ship but the cabins which dogs have inhabited should be deep cleanedafterwards or future passengers should be told about these cabin numbers sothey can make informed choices.

[NLH Arizona]

Soccerref, I certainly sympathize with your son, as I'm allergic to cats, but your son can take medication to alleviate his issue, a sight impaired person or a person with PTSD can't take a magic pill to make their disability go away. If service dogs were not allowed to travel by air, they would miss out on a lot of things in life that you, me and your son take for granted because we would be able travel on an airplane. I am sure most would agree that we can all handle a little inconvenience knowing that it means that someone else can have a better quality of life or at least I would hope most feel this way.

Edited February 15, 2017 by NLH Arizona

[Scotico]

NLH Arizona, I have no problems with a legitimate service animal (animal that has gone through training and has proper license to alleviate the disability). I do have a problem with bringing your little foo foo dog on planes, cruises, and places where an unlicensed service dog would not be permitted. Paying $200 online for a piece of paper stating your dog is a service dog does not cut it and the person filling out the information for the emotional service dog is never interviewed by a physician.

 

Not all allergies can be stopped by simply popping a pill. I need to take an injection if I come across certain dog hair. My throat swells shut and my eyes swell closed. It is not fun and could be fatal if I do not take the medication on time.

 

 

I think cruise lines and airlines should require a physicians letter stating that this person suffers from a disability that requires a companion dog and the dog should go through training for this particular disability and provide the paperwork from an accredited training facility.

[NLH Arizona]

NLH Arizona, I have no problems with a legitimate service animal (animal that has gone through training and has proper license to alleviate the disability). I do have a problem with bringing your little foo foo dog on planes, cruises, and places where an unlicensed service dog would not be permitted. Paying $200 online for a piece of paper stating your dog is a service dog does not cut it and the person filling out the information for the emotional service dog is never interviewed by a physician.

 

Not all allergies can be stopped by simply popping a pill. I need to take an injection if I come across certain dog hair. My throat swells shut and my eyes swell closed. It is not fun and could be fatal if I do not take the medication on time.

 

 

I think cruise lines and airlines should require a physicians letter stating that this person suffers from a disability that requires a companion dog and the dog should go through training for this particular disability and provide the paperwork from an accredited training facility.

 

Anyone with a sever allergy should be prepared in case they come in contact with whatever triggers their allergy.

 

I agree fluffy should not be allowed if their owner is lying about them being a service dog, but until there is a national registry for service dogs, there will always be someone who will cheat the system. Let's not make those who have true service dogs suffer because of those who won't leave fluffy at home.

 

BTW, I believe the airlines do require a letter from a doctor for an "emotional support" dog, but unfortunately there are to many doctors who will write the letters for their patients even though they know they don't need an "emotional support" dog.

[chengkp75]

NLH Arizona, I have no problems with a legitimate service animal (animal that has gone through training and has proper license to alleviate the disability). I do have a problem with bringing your little foo foo dog on planes, cruises, and places where an unlicensed service dog would not be permitted. Paying $200 online for a piece of paper stating your dog is a service dog does not cut it and the person filling out the information for the emotional service dog is never interviewed by a physician.

 

Not all allergies can be stopped by simply popping a pill. I need to take an injection if I come across certain dog hair. My throat swells shut and my eyes swell closed. It is not fun and could be fatal if I do not take the medication on time.

 

 

I think cruise lines and airlines should require a physicians letter stating that this person suffers from a disability that requires a companion dog and the dog should go through training for this particular disability and provide the paperwork from an accredited training facility.

 

Unfortunately, it is not the cruise lines' business to make US law, and since US law says there cannot be any form of mandatory registration of service or support animals, so there will be those who exploit the system. Is this the cruise lines' fault, or Congress'?

 

 

Your last paragraph is a fine sentiment, but to "require" anything takes a law, and the cruise lines and airlines don't make laws, Congress does. Petition them to tighten the ACAA and ADA.