Infinity Going To The Dogs?

[Hlitner]

This sounds like the same woman/dog we used to see on RCI cruises (a few years ago). We once met her sister (who was also on one of her cruises) who told us her sister (the one with the dog) was the "nut of the family" and a person she avoided. The problem is that their are very few rules and laws about what constitutes a Service Dog. Folks can simply go online and buy a Service Dog vest or collar, and call their dog a service dog. Cruise Lines (and some other public venues) are afraid to deal with the legal fallout...so simply look the other way.

 

But its not just dogs. Consider the problem on many ships with the proliferation of electric scooters. In some cases, these are great devices which allow their users to do things that would otherwise be impossible. But now there are many folks who rent those devices because they simply do not want to walk around a large ship. Many of these folks have no clue how to drive these scooters and accidents are no longer uncommon. Anyone who has almost been crushed by a scooter flying into an elevator knows about what I speak. But again, the cruise lines are afraid to deal with the issue. That is until Viking Cruises...who simply prohibits the scooters on their vessels. it will be interesting to see what happens to that line when they try breaking in the North American market and have to deal with ADA laws and advocates. Right now their official policy is that Motorized Scooters are not "suitable" for International cruises. When it comes to dogs, Viking says they can only accommodate "certified" therapy and seeing eye dogs. But how they deal with "certified" is a question.

 

Hank

[dkjretired]

This sounds like the same woman/dog we used to see on RCI cruises (a few years ago). We once met her sister (who was also on one of her cruises) who told us her sister (the one with the dog) was the "nut of the family" and a person she avoided. The problem is that their are very few rules and laws about what constitutes a Service Dog. Folks can simply go online and buy a Service Dog vest or collar, and call their dog a service dog. Cruise Lines (and some other public venues) are afraid to deal with the legal fallout...so simply look the other way.

 

But its not just dogs. Consider the problem on many ships with the proliferation of electric scooters. In some cases, these are great devices which allow their users to do things that would otherwise be impossible. But now there are many folks who rent those devices because they simply do not want to walk around a large ship. Many of these folks have no clue how to drive these scooters and accidents are no longer uncommon. Anyone who has almost been crushed by a scooter flying into an elevator knows about what I speak. But again, the cruise lines are afraid to deal with the issue. That is until Viking Cruises...who simply prohibits the scooters on their vessels. it will be interesting to see what happens to that line when they try breaking in the North American market and have to deal with ADA laws and advocates. Right now their official policy is that Motorized Scooters are not "suitable" for International cruises. When it comes to dogs, Viking says they can only accommodate "certified" therapy and seeing eye dogs. But how they deal with "certified" is a question.

 

Hank

 

Will be interesting to see what they do but if they try and ask for certification they would be in violation of the ADA. Interesting point in the ADA is that the person who asks for the certification is in violation of Federal Law, not the corporation.

[ldubs]

Hard to tell that because many times you don't know what the handicap might be. At least with handicap plates there has to be a doctor's signature before people can get them but with Service dogs they are not allowed to ask for proof. That's the difference. Handicap plates of course can be abused by family.

 

Yeah, I agree with you. Sadly, abuse of the system goes well beyond use of the plates by family members.

[keesar]

A family member used to work for the airline industry. Her airline kept data on how many people claimed to need assistance boarding the plane. And how many needed assistance leaving the plane. A miracle occurred for many passengers in the skies.

[NLH Arizona]

 

Either way, the dog being described is not a trained Service dog and the dog and owner/partner should be disembarked from the ship. They give a bad name to those of us with real medical needs, who work hard to train and maintain the training of real service dogs.

Correct and if there is never anything done, like issuing licenses for service dogs, this problem will continue to be an issue, since folks will lie so they can take fluffy on a cruise, in a hotel, in a restaurant, etc.

[NLH Arizona]

A family member used to work for the airline industry. Her airline kept data on how many people claimed to need assistance boarding the plane. And how many needed assistance leaving the plane. A miracle occurred for many passengers in the skies.

One time when I was at the buffet at Harrah's in New Orleans, there was a husband and wife and they were complain that they needed to be up close to the buffet, because the husband couldn't walk and needed to be close because of his scooter. The wife came back from the buffet and told her husband he needed to get up their quick because the crab legs were almost gone and guess what, he got up and almost ran to the crab legs. Pretty sad.

[pammi44]

I have been on 2 Celebrity cruises where someone had a true service animal. They could be in close proximity and you wouldn’t even know they were there. Wonderful animals!

 

 

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[Mynki]

So what kind of animals can be classed as support animals?

 

To me it's simply crazy that anyone would even consider taking a pig on a plane. I'd question their suitability as a passenger if they even tried. I'm amazed the check in staff didn't simply deny boarding on public health grounds if nothing else.

[G.M.T.]

So what kind of animals can be classed as support animals?

 

To me it's simply crazy that anyone would even consider taking a pig on a plane. I'd question their suitability as a passenger if they even tried. I'm amazed the check in staff didn't simply deny boarding on public health grounds if nothing else.

 

No no.It was the pig that took a dumb animal on the plane.:halo:

[NLH Arizona]

So what kind of animals can be classed as support animals?

 

To me it's simply crazy that anyone would even consider taking a pig on a plane. I'd question their suitability as a passenger if they even tried. I'm amazed the check in staff didn't simply deny boarding on public health grounds if nothing else.

People have claimed that pigs, turkeys, snakes, birds, squirrels, kangroos, turtles...just about anything that they don't want to pay to have travel or want them allowed in housing.

[dkjretired]

No no.It was the pig that took a dumb animal on the plane.:halo:

 

ESA animals have no legal status under federal law, can't answer for all fifty states so anything goes. I worked in a supermarket after retirement and a woman came in frequently with her pet parakeet. Store manager let her in because he didn't know the law. The bird supposedly had something to do with her balance.

[NLH Arizona]

ESA animals have no legal status under federal law, can't answer for all fifty states so anything goes. I worked in a supermarket after retirement and a woman came in frequently with her pet parakeet. Store manager let her in because he didn't know the law. The bird supposedly had something to do with her balance.

That is so funny, was she off balance on one side by a few ounces and it kept her straight?;)

[nini]

I am surprised that the dog is allowed in the dining room or other

food venues. Sanitation issues? I would think that the animal

waste issues would be a problem for the ship "cleanliness"

and the need to clean up urine, etc.

[davekathy]

I am surprised that the dog is allowed in the dining room or other food venues. Sanitation issues? I would think that the animal

waste issues would be a problem for the ship "cleanliness"

and the need to clean up urine, etc.

 

...and it's not just happening on cruise ships!:mad:

[dkjretired]

I am surprised that the dog is allowed in the dining room or other

food venues. Sanitation issues? I would think that the animal

waste issues would be a problem for the ship "cleanliness"

and the need to clean up urine, etc.

 

If they are treating the dog as a service animal, they have to let the dog in, no choice.

[cruise47]

I was curious so did some sniffing around (pardon the pun). In the US you must qualify for an ESA (Emotional Support Animal) by getting a qualified mental health professional to submit a letter.

How to Qualify for An Emotional Support Animal

If you have an emotional disability, you can legally qualify for an ESA, short for emotional support animal. You must be certified as emotionally disabled by a psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist or other duly-licensed and/or certified mental health professional. This certification should be a formal and appropriately formatted letter.

 

Other info here:

http://usdogregistry.org/information/information-on-emotional-support-dogs/

This statement should be part of the cruising package and the cruising passenger should apply to the law.

[dkjretired]

This statement should be part of the cruising package and the cruising passenger should apply to the law.

 

No it should not because it has nothing to do with cruising. First off, this is a private concern giving an opinion, they are not part of the US government. The laws they refer to apply only in housing and airlines and have nothing to do with a cruise ship.

 

These dogs are being brought on board as Service dogs and once again Emotional Support animals are not Service dogs under the ADA.

[kands6191]

We have a friend whose daughter didn't want to leave her dog at home while we all stayed in cabins in a state park. She has been seeing a therapist off and on for angst. Basically she's a 19 year old who has been spoiled, became fond of lazing around her parent's house and smoking marijuana wondering where life was going to take her. She asked her therapist to sign the paperwork so her dog could be considered an emotional support dog. He did. Now she takes it on planes, in hotel rooms, to the cabin. Everywhere. She readily admits how she is taking advantage of the system.

I think it is so ridiculous. Why can't someone make the argument that alcohol helps them cope and be allowed to take bottles of liquor on board? Or smoking helps calm them down so they should be allowed to smoke? I'm sorry but there is too much fraud in this and I don't like it.

 

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[Algebralovr]

We have a friend whose daughter didn't want to leave her dog at home while we all stayed in cabins in a state park. She has been seeing a therapist off and on for angst. Basically she's a 19 year old who has been spoiled, became fond of lazing around her parent's house and smoking marijuana wondering where life was going to take her. She asked her therapist to sign the paperwork so her dog could be considered an emotional support dog. He did. Now she takes it on planes, in hotel rooms, to the cabin. Everywhere. She readily admits how she is taking advantage of the system.

 

The hotel' and cabin don't have to let her bring the dog as an ESA. An ESA is listed under the Fair Housing Accessibility Act and the Air Carrier Access Act. Not the ADA. The hotels just don' want to make a stink. They should, if she is calling it a "support animal" or ESA.

[fshagan]

Just curious, in the highly, highly unlikely event of being bitten by one of the faux service dogs, could you claim self defense for you and other passengers and feed it to the sharks without getting into trouble with the officers onboard? :p

 

I believe there is a fine for throwing useless trash into the ocean.

[Jade13]

If they are treating the dog as a service animal, they have to let the dog in, no choice.

 

 

 

But do they have to allow it to be fed from the table as was reported?

 

 

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[fshagan]

It seems to me we should empower a law enforcement agency to check on these claims. Rather than fining or jailing those that abuse the system, we can assist them in becoming members of the true protected class. It is what they want, after all, as evidenced by their actions.

 

We can be respectful of their wishes and give them the choice of entry into the protected class. They could choose which leg to lose, for instance, or let them decide which one of their buddies they want to see die before their eyes. Or, they may choose to have their eyes poked out, or have a bomb explode close enough to render them deaf or give them a traumatic brain injury.

 

Yeah, I'm being sarcastic, but the people who have not been able to choose to have those things happen to them are the ones who need all the help they can get. I'm sure any of them would switch places with the morons who are cheating the system.

[Algebralovr]

Does a passenger have to report to Celebrity that they are bringing alone a service dog or a support dog prior to sailing and does Celebrity verify that the animal is a certified service dog and not a pet?

 

Under the ADA a service dog must be certified.

Is a support dog certified included under the ADA act and where is it found?

 

Yes, you have to fill out forms in advance for the cruise line to be permitted to bring the service dog on board. You also have to fill out forms for the government to be able to import your dog to other countries and back to the US.

 

There is no such thing as a "certified service dog". The ADA does not provide for certification or registration.

[dkjretired]

But do they have to allow it to be fed from the table as was reported?

 

 

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No, that's what they need to document to end this abuse.

[keesar]

At work, a true service dog came to a meeting. You would not have known the dog was in the room for a lengthy meeting. Now on our cruise ship, this lady brought a dog wearing clothing in a carriage, took it in the buffet line, and the dog ate what she had gotten for the dog by the table. Dog left in the stroller.