Animals in dining areas?

[slavaret]

A woman on ms Amsterdam walked around the ship with a poodle in a stroller. She frequently strolled through Lido, picked up food and ate with the dog by her side. The front desk told me that it was a service dog "certified" to alert of an onset of an unspecified medical condition. My observation was that it was more like a neurotic woman unable to leave her pet at home. Many passengers joked that it was more like a service woman tending to her dog. Although there were dog-friendly passengers, many felt uncomfortable picking up food and eating next to an animal. My concern was sanitary - having an animal next to the food service. I'd like to know what others think about this liberal policy of allowing "service" animals on board?   

[fatcat04]

Here is a really long thread that was still active recently about this very topic. Quite a good read.

 

[GUT2407]

Wow how dare she have a service dog, according to what you were told “certified” at that.

[ski ww]

I have no problem with a real service dog. But from what I read on the above thread people are taking advantage of the system, which makes it bad for those that really have a need for one.

[Roz]

Have you ever been to France?  Dogs abound in cafes and restaurants.  I wouldn't be concerned unless the dog relieved itself in the Lido or DR.  I've eaten more than one meal at home with a cat 😺 on my lap. 

[Suzcruz57]

Ours sleep in bed with us. Thank goodness it’s a king size, as we have 2 golden retrievers.

[hunt182644]

Dog is probably cleaner than some passengers. At least you don't have to worry if the dog washed it's hands after a potty break.

[Mary229]

I don't want to eat with animals.  I have been to cafes that have animals but usually they are confined to outside dining and I can avoid contact.  There has got to be some kind of certification, it just has to happen.  I understand those that have a true need.  Psychological needs? Well some of us are made extremely anxious around animals, should not our psychological needs be a concern also.

[CruiserBruce]

I would be curious to know what the OP's "certification" to be able to factually identify what is a true service dog is, and what is a "neurotic" abuser of the the benefits of actual, trained and certified medical alert dogs?

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

I would be curious to know what the OP's "certification" to be able to factually identify what is a true service dog is, and what is a "neurotic" abuser of the the benefits of actual, trained and certified medical alert dogs?

I do think Canada already has a system in place.  

[fatcat04]

2 hours ago, Roz said:

Have you ever been to France?  Dogs abound in cafes and restaurants.  I wouldn't be concerned unless the dog relieved itself in the Lido or DR.  I've eaten more than one meal at home with a cat 😺 on my lap. 

I'm lucky if it's just one cat in my lap. We call our darling felines the Furry Freeloaders. 😸

[Roz]

13 minutes ago, fatcat04 said:

I'm lucky if it's just one cat in my lap. We call our darling felines the Furry Freeloaders. 😸

 

I've been there.  One on my lap and one perched on the back of the chair looking over my shoulder.  I love cat hair floating on the top of my soup. 

[fatcat04]

8 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

I've been there.  One on my lap and one perched on the back of the chair looking over my shoulder.  I love cat hair floating on the top of my soup. 

Lol. A magnet on my fridge "Home is where cat hair sticks to everything but the cat." 

[Oakman58]

A poodle in a stroller sounds more like an emotional support dog rather than a true service dog.  As far as being certified, just go online and you can get just about any animal certified.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

I would be curious to know what the OP's "certification" to be able to factually identify what is a true service dog is, and what is a "neurotic" abuser of the the benefits of actual, trained and certified medical alert dogs?

 

While there are dogs trained to alert owners to a diabetic or epileptic episode, the US has no official certification. I think the front desk told OP the dog was certified as a way to say that the cruise line had accepted the dog as a service dog. Frankly, the use of the stroller makes me think the dog was a fake. 

 

[Taters]

DH and I were assigned to a table for 6 in the MDR for late dining on the Westerdam a couple of years ago.  We had the most wonderful table mates, 2 other couples who did not know each other.  The 6 of us had a blast on that cruise and still stay in touch.

 

One of those folks at our table was blind and had her seeing eye dog with her.  I looked forward to dinner each night so much.  The very sweet dog, a golden retriever, would lay under the table with his head on my feet each evening, and it was really a joy to see him helping my new friend around the ship.  Sometimes he was declared "not working" and was always such a good boy, hanging out at the aft pool deck enjoying the sunshine. 

 

This beautiful creature was very well trained and brought a lot of independence to my friend.  This is the type of service animal that is priceless to someone without sight. 

 

I personally have seen other animals on board ships who were obviously not well trained nor did they have any manners whatsoever, creating problems for passengers on board.  I have zero respect for those who scam the system.

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, Taters said:

 

 

I personally have seen other animals on board ships who were obviously not well trained nor did they have any manners whatsoever, creating problems for passengers on board.  I have zero respect for those who scam the system.

and there is the problem especially for those of us who are anxious around animals.  People who scam the system have likely not taken appropriate training to handle a dog in such a confined, limited environment and have no clue how that dog will react.  .  At a recent trade show a large "service dog" almost attacked a vendor for no cause - it simply wasn't trained for the crowded environment.   If people like me were assured of a standard level of training we would not complain.  I get a table for 2 to avoid a variety of social interactions.  

[iancal]

Just came back from six weeks in Greece and Cyprus.  Never saw so many cats in our life...mooching about in every taverna we were in.  Awful.

 

We are dog lovers but we definitely do not want dogs on our cruise.  And if dogs...why not snakes, monkey's, minah birds, cats, what have you.  Just how far will this go??   Years ago I worked with a women who used to take her budgie bird with her when she traveled.  In a cage of course. 

 

As granny used to say....there are none so strange as folk themselves.

Edited October 31, 2019 by iancal

[Taters]

5 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

and there is the problem especially for those of us who are anxious around animals.  I get a table for 2 to avoid a variety of social interactions.  

And this is precisely why we like to sit with new people on our cruises.  We get a chance to meet some very wonderful folks.  The 6 of us are all cruising together again in April.  If we'd gotten a table for 2 on the Westerdam, we would not have these kind and amazing and fun people in our lives today.  And yes, there will be a service dog, as well, who will hopefully lay his head on my feet at dinner each night.

[rangeley]

 My husbands last service dog cruised on 13 cruises. Most of them Holland America. He passed in February and we now have a new one that is cruising next month on Princess and in January on HAL. He is well behaved and very clean. There is NO certification or registry for service animals. When we cruise there are maybe one or two people that give us dirty looks but most are happy to see him and always want to pet him. You can usually tell if a dog is a fake. 

[Mary229]

Just now, rangeley said:

 My husbands last service dog cruised on 13 cruises. Most of them Holland America. He passed in February and we now have a new one that is cruising next month on Princess and in January on HAL. He is well behaved and very clean. There is NO certification or registry for service animals. When we cruise there are maybe one or two people that give us dirty looks but most are happy to see him and always want to pet him. You can usually tell if a dog is a fake. 

I think most of us can tell if the dog is a fake but perhaps because of the lack of certification the cruise line's hands may be tied and they have to accept all comers.  That is the root of the issue

[GUT2407]

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I think most of us can tell if the dog is a fake but perhaps because of the lack of certification the cruise line's hands may be tied and they have to accept all comers.  That is the root of the issue

Therein lies half the issues, unless you know what service the dog performs you will only know a fake service dog by poor behaviour. Being in a pram or dressed in clothes doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t performing a service.

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, GUT2407 said:

Therein lies half the issues, unless you know what service the dog performs you will only know a fake service dog by poor behaviour. Being in a pram or dressed in clothes doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t performing a service.

I think I know when a dog snarls and charges that they are fake.  That has been my experience upon occasion, fortunately not in the confined spaces of a cruise ship. Even a small dog or cat can inflict a potentially serious wound

[GUT2407]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I think I know when a dog snarls and charges that they are fake.  That has been my experience upon occasion, fortunately not in the confined spaces of a cruise ship. Even a small dog or cat can inflict a potentially serious wound

But what if a well behaved dog that is a fake, how do you identify it? You said you think most can tell when a dog is a fake. Not you can sometimes tell if it is a fake.

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, GUT2407 said:

But what if a well behaved dog that is a fake, how do you identify it? You said you think most can tell when a dog is a fake. Not you can sometimes tell if it is a fake.

I don't want to be pedantic about this, I am not asking to make the call, I am simply asking to have some protections afforded to other passengers.  Canada has managed to come up with a certification.  I think the US could come up with one too.