Dog on ship

[grapau27]

For my aunt, who was diagnosed with celiac disease about 60 years ago, it was tough. She was always sick because nobody had ever heard of gluten, nobody knew what it was, where it was found, what foods to avoid or how easy it is to cross contaminate. She's the healthiest she's ever been at the moment - the last 10 years have given her a huge range of foods she could have never eaten before. Life is so much easier for her now than it was 40 years ago.

 

My husband also has celiac disease - diagnosed when the awareness of it started to rise. Before that they thought he had IBS.

 

It annoys both my husband and aunt when people self diagnose a gluten intolerance ... because if they say they can't have gluten, but then turn around and say 'oh I'll have a piece of that cake, I'll just have a sore belly later' it makes others think that all people who avoid gluten can just go ahead eat it without anything too bad happening. Not so for many, who end up very ill if they consume it. It also leads to stinky attitudes and eye rolling, with people belittling what is a significant health disorder for those who truly have it.

People have misconceptions about lots of issues and it is only when you experience these yourself that you can truly understand them.

[Panda3]

I did not know any but service dogs were allowed on cruise ships and this dog was doing no service except being cute. So what gives?

 

The service dogs are everywhere now. People abuse it like handicapped stickers. I love my dog and would love to take her on the cruise. Do I feel better when my dog is around? Yes. so she is an emotional therapy to me. I just have not taken that extra step, like others have has, to go to the doctor to get the doctor to write a note about my "emotional" stability, just so I can take my dog everywhere. I just wouldn't do it. And if you have a companion pet, it's pretty selfish of you to "turn" it into a service dog and take it on the cruise . The pet would rather be home in it's own environment then in a purse next to you in a smoky casino, lol

 

That being said, yes I know there are valid disabilities that warrant a service dog.....but c'mon...we all know many of the folks are "fudging" the truth.

[Panda3]

Not necessarily. We have friends who have a child who is very brittle diabetic. Before he got his dog, he ended up in the hospital all the time. Now, they don't have to worry so much, especially during the night, because the dog alerts them all when his sugars get too low She is a small dog and the child often carries her around, and the dog sleeps in the bed with him. Apparently, she needs to be close because she detects changes in his blood sugar levels through a specific scent in his breath.

 

I'm just curious, I'm not a diabetic. Isn't there any other way to know (computer or blood test) if your blood sugar is low or is a dog the only way to detect this? I would just think for a few days they could leave the dog home or a cruise wouldn't be the best vacation for them.

[salmonoftheseas]

A Delta passenger was bitten by an PTSD emotional support dog about 2 weeks ago. Every owner should be required to carry insurance for the damage by an emotional support animal. At the very least, current pet immunizations records should be provided before travelling with the animal.

 

I think I had been on the flight you refered to:

Delta DL24 from ATL to DUS, May 30. Two rows in front of us, a lady sit with her poodle, declared as a service dog.

She asked another passenger across the aisle(in the middle three bulkhead seat section) to help her with aseat adjustment. The pax reached overto her seat and was bitten in his hand by her dog.

 

· After this event, all passengers in the vicinity were on high alert. We observed the dog andnoticed that it did not exhibit typical service dog behavior. For example, it jumped up in joy and jumpedup on the mother of the passenger who sit at a different spot in business class and visited herdaughter in economy class occasionally. Also, it reactedto all stimuli around it which service dogs are trained not to do. It should have worn a nuzzleto protect other passengers.

As a very frequent cruiser with RCCL, we had some occasions were we encountered service-or comfort dogs:

Just three examples:

1. An ex-soldier and AFG veteran with brain injuries was accompanied by a true service dog (I remember him saying that the Army even paid for the dog's training) for truly "guiding" the soldier as he could not walk a straight line anymore.

2. During a TA we spoke daily on the promenade deck with an American couple with a boxer declared as service dog. Towards the end of the cruise they admitted to us they relocate from the USA to Spain and it was just cheaper for them to declare their "living moving good" a service animal to get free transportation.

3. Another TA, a single travelling lady was accompanied by her "service dog". It was the talk on the ship why she needs a service dog as she drunk and danced all evening/night long at R-bar. Her "service dog" locked in her cabin. But the dog was cute and everybody was allowed to pet and play with it during the day.....

[grapau27]

The service dogs are everywhere now. People abuse it like handicapped stickers. I love my dog and would love to take her on the cruise. Do I feel better when my dog is around? Yes. so she is an emotional therapy to me. I just have not taken that extra step, like others have has, to go to the doctor to get the doctor to write a note about my "emotional" stability, just so I can take my dog everywhere. I just wouldn't do it. And if you have a companion pet, it's pretty selfish of you to "turn" it into a service dog and take it on the cruise . The pet would rather be home in it's own environment then in a purse next to you in a smoky casino, lol

 

That being said, yes I know there are valid disabilities that warrant a service dog.....but c'mon...we all know many of the folks are "fudging" the truth.

Perfectly said.

[grapau27]

I'm just curious, I'm not a diabetic. Isn't there any other way to know (computer or blood test) if your blood sugar is low or is a dog the only way to detect this? I would just think for a few days they could leave the dog home or a cruise wouldn't be the best vacation for them.

My late mam was diebetic and always carried a few sugar sweets and when she felt her sugar drop she would suck a sweet.

She also had a small machine where she had to take a pin prick sample of blood a few times daily and it gave an instant blood sugar reading.

[grapau27]

I think I had been on the flight you refered to:

Delta DL24 from ATL to DUS, May 30. Two rows in front of us, a lady sit with her poodle, declared as a service dog.

She asked another passenger across the aisle(in the middle three bulkhead seat section) to help her with aseat adjustment. The pax reached overto her seat and was bitten in his hand by her dog.

 

· After this event, all passengers in the vicinity were on high alert. We observed the dog andnoticed that it did not exhibit typical service dog behavior. For example, it jumped up in joy and jumpedup on the mother of the passenger who sit at a different spot in business class and visited herdaughter in economy class occasionally. Also, it reactedto all stimuli around it which service dogs are trained not to do. It should have worn a nuzzleto protect other passengers.

As a very frequent cruiser with RCCL, we had some occasions were we encountered service-or comfort dogs:

Just three examples:

1. An ex-soldier and AFG veteran with brain injuries was accompanied by a true service dog (I remember him saying that the Army even paid for the dog's training) for truly "guiding" the soldier as he could not walk a straight line anymore.

2. During a TA we spoke daily on the promenade deck with an American couple with a boxer declared as service dog. Towards the end of the cruise they admitted to us they relocate from the USA to Spain and it was just cheaper for them to declare their "living moving good" a service animal to get free transportation.

3. Another TA, a single travelling lady was accompanied by her "service dog". It was the talk on the ship why she needs a service dog as she drunk and danced all evening/night long at R-bar. Her "service dog" locked in her cabin. But the dog was cute and everybody was allowed to pet and play with it during the day.....

This says it all really.

[purescottish]

A few years ago we were on Freedom and a couple had 2 dogs with them, a male and a female, the dogs each had a matching outfit for everything, and I mean matching their owners, the lady carried the female dog while the male carried the male dog, they had matching formal and casual outfits, then matching outfits for each port, the lady wore red shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt, and the dog wore the same...the man wore blue shorts and blue hawaiian shirt and the dog wore the same.,

 

they matched the dogs to everything they wore every day, they even had matching swimwear !!! not that the dogs ever got in the pool, but we saw the owners sunbathing by the pool with the dogs at their feet in doggy like speedos and the female in a doggy bikini

these dogs always created a circus around them with everyone saying how cute they were and touching them, was a sight to see

[Panda3]

A few years ago we were on Freedom and a couple had 2 dogs with them, a male and a female, the dogs each had a matching outfit for everything, and I mean matching their owners, the lady carried the female dog while the male carried the male dog, they had matching formal and casual outfits, then matching outfits for each port, the lady wore red shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt, and the dog wore the same...the man wore blue shorts and blue hawaiian shirt and the dog wore the same.,

 

they matched the dogs to everything they wore every day, they even had matching swimwear !!! not that the dogs ever got in the pool, but we saw the owners sunbathing by the pool with the dogs at their feet in doggy like speedos and the female in a doggy bikini

these dogs always created a circus around them with everyone saying how cute they were and touching them, was a sight to see

 

 

Wow, they sound like some selfish narcissistic people who actually take their "service" dogs to sunbathe. The animals are props to them. Sad.:o

[grapau27]

A few years ago we were on Freedom and a couple had 2 dogs with them, a male and a female, the dogs each had a matching outfit for everything, and I mean matching their owners, the lady carried the female dog while the male carried the male dog, they had matching formal and casual outfits, then matching outfits for each port, the lady wore red shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt, and the dog wore the same...the man wore blue shorts and blue hawaiian shirt and the dog wore the same.,

 

they matched the dogs to everything they wore every day, they even had matching swimwear !!! not that the dogs ever got in the pool, but we saw the owners sunbathing by the pool with the dogs at their feet in doggy like speedos and the female in a doggy bikini

these dogs always created a circus around them with everyone saying how cute they were and touching them, was a sight to see

Now that would be interesting to see.

[Paulxyz2004]

I'm just curious, I'm not a diabetic. Isn't there any other way to know (computer or blood test) if your blood sugar is low or is a dog the only way to detect this? I would just think for a few days they could leave the dog home or a cruise wouldn't be the best vacation for them.

 

Of Course you can do a blood test for your sugar Level. The dog is not a replacement of that test, as the dog won´t tell you what your sugar Level is at. The dog is there to alert you to check your sugar Level and do something about it.

The majority of People suffering from Diabetes are fine without a Service dog, but few People with Diabetes suffer from quickly changing sugar Levels and I´m talking about changes being so quick and rapid that they might not feel anything until too late already, especially when they are asleep.

 

The Dogs will detect any issues and Alarm the Person way earlier than they would notice. This way they can check their Levels and do something about it.

 

These Dogs are highly trained and they never have any time off. I.E. seeing-eye Dogs work when they got their vest and gear on, but they are also given some rest in between. A sugar Level detecting dog is working 24/7.

 

To give you an idea about here´s a Little Story. A Person with Diabetes and an alert dog was in the park with the dog sitting on a bench. The dog would give an alert and she checked her sugar Level being fine, but then she noticed a man sitting next to them and she asked him if he was diabetic, which he confirmed. Well she told her to check his sugar Level NOW!!! You guess it already he was Close to a shock.

 

As for a cruise not being the best vacation for them, well yep onecould think so, but this would be the same for any other People with Service Dogs and especially those with fake Service Dogs.

[toxicfairy]

So how about some serious documentation and the cruise lines actually following through and checking it out! Like a doctors letter and the cruise company calling that doctor to make sure it is a SERVICE dog not a Support dog. I have family memebera with severe anxiety but they don't take their pets with them everywhere. I get some people's needs are different but I also feel we are living in a world that promotes all these problems. Come on we now use tax dollars to put " safe rooms" in colleges for kids that are old enough to live away from their families to go if something someone SAID hurts their feelings. Of course they're going to grow up to need to carry a dog and think eeveryone else needs to except it!! Uggg society has gone so far BACKWARDS!!

 

Sent from my SM-J700T1 using Forums mobile app

[lbjen]

Never mind that its predominantly older people taking their pets on board with them :confused:

[Don Pedro]

It's illegal to charge for a service animal. But they can ban support animals.

 

Not everywhere! Many ports in the Caribbean charge a fee for bringing a service animal ashore and some like Jamaica bar them entirely.

[grapau27]

Not everywhere! Many ports in the Caribbean charge a fee for bringing a service animal ashore and some like Jamaica bar them entirely.

I never knew that but it is discrimination against genuine service animals and their owners.

[kknorr0320]

I never knew that but it is discrimination against genuine service animals and their owners.

Caribbean countries aren't covered by the ADA.

According to ADA guidelines the only thing a company can ask is what physical service the dog provides, like hearing, seeing, detecting issues. It would be nice if there was something more concrete though.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[graphicguy]

I never knew that but it is discrimination against genuine service animals and their owners.

Discrimination where? International waters, cruise ships could (and should) restrict the use of non-legitimate service pets. Those supposed discrimination cries have no validity in international waters.

 

I am in favor of the idea that pets be charged a fee to onboard a cruise ship. 90% of the abuses would go away!

[Kamloops50]

Some ports is to stop the spread of disease .

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[grapau27]

Caribbean countries aren't covered by the ADA.

According to ADA guidelines the only thing a company can ask is what physical service the dog provides, like hearing, seeing, detecting issues. It would be nice if there was something more concrete though.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

Well done for cc posters for letting us know.Fortunately i don't need a service animal but i know people who do and i think this info should be readily available for people who need service animals in case they might book a Caribbean cruise to these islands.

[reallyitsmema]

Well done for cc posters for letting us know.Fortunately i don't need a service animal but i know people who do and i think this info should be readily available for people who need service animals in case they might book a Caribbean cruise to these islands.

 

You can not just bring an animal, whether it is a service animal or a pet, into any country without meeting that countries requirements, it is not just the Caribbean.

[grapau27]

Discrimination where? International waters, cruise ships could (and should) restrict the use of non-legitimate service pets. Those supposed discrimination cries have no validity in international waters.

 

I am in favor of the idea that pets be charged a fee to onboard a cruise ship. 90% of the abuses would go away!

I said if countries like Jamaica and other Caribbean countries ban genuine guide dogs for the blind or partially blind in particular this is discrimination.

[grapau27]

You can not just bring an animal, whether it is a service animal or a pet, into any country without meeting that countries requirements, it is not just the Caribbean.

Thats a fair comment but not knowing the legality people with genuine properly trained and vaccinated guide dogs are at an extra disadvantage.

[Trainman-2]

I said if countries like Jamaica and other Caribbean countries ban genuine guide dogs for the blind or partially blind in particular this is discrimination.

 

 

These Islands and most other other countries are not banning Service Dogs. They are banning all animals until they can be tested for diseases that could affect the country. In many Countries, pets coming in have to be quarantined for weeks before they can be admitted to the country.

 

 

Rest assured that people who actually own and use Service Dogs know all of these rules!

[grapau27]

These Islands and most other other countries are not banning Service Dogs. They are banning all animals until they can be tested for diseases that could affect the country. In many Countries, pets coming in have to be quarantined for weeks before they can be admitted to the country.

 

 

Rest assured that people who actually own and use Service Dogs know all of these rules!

Thats good to know that they are informed beforehand.

[libby724]

Never mind that its predominantly older people taking their pets on board with them :confused:

 

 

 

Not true. I'm on Allure saw a young woman get on holding her tiny dog.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums