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<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, December 03, 2009 9:24 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Laughing Stalk] This week's Laughing Stalk -- Canadian Man
Sues Over His Service "Dog"</DIV></DIV>
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<P>Canadian Man Sues Over His Service "Dog"<BR>Erik Deckers<BR>Laughing Stalk
syndicate<BR>Copyright 2009<BR><BR>Believe it or not, there's a controversy
brewing within the blindness community about service dogs (also called Leader
Dogs, Guide Dogs, Seeing Eye Dogs, and Pilot Dogs — named after the school where
they're trained). One organization, the American Council of the Blind, loves
them. They believe service dogs are a valuable help to people who are blind or
visually impaired.<BR><BR>The National Federation of the Blind, on the other
hand, doesn't approve of them. They believe blind people should be totally
independent and not need any help from anyone, including dogs.<BR><BR>However,
both organizations agree that service dogs need to be rather large, solid, and
smart dogs able to obey commands. So most tend to be German Shepherds, Golden
Retrievers, or Labradors.<BR><BR>Needless to say, chihuahuas don't make good
service dogs.<BR><BR>Unless you're Alex Allarie of Ontario, Canada.<BR><BR>In a
story on the CBC News website, Allarie has filed a suit against the former
owners of the Granary Natural Foods because he says they discriminated against
him and his disability, by not allowing his service dog in the store.<BR><BR>His
service dog is a chihuahua.<BR><BR>While I'm not entire convinced a chihuahua is
a real dog to begin with, I'm even less convinced it's a real service
dog.<BR><BR>Before anyone sends me nasty emails about how I'm the worst person
in the world, I DO recognize that a chihuahua does fit into the dog category of
animal classification. I'm just not a fan of them. My best friend in high school
had one, and it was the most obnoxious, turdly dog I had ever seen. The thing
constantly barked and vibrated at the slightest provocation.<BR><BR>In August
2008, Allarie was in the Granary Natural Foods in Carleton Place, Ontario, with
his dog, Dee-o-Gee (D-O-G, get it?) He says the owners barred his dog from
entering, which meant he couldn't enter either.<BR><BR>Allarie said the dog must
accompany him everywhere so he can cope with his anxiety and depression, which
is considered a psychiatric disability.<BR><BR>"Most people just don't
understand because of his size, and I'm very aware of it," Allarie told the
CBC.<BR><BR>Still, one man's. . . "dog" is another man's service
animal.<BR><BR>Joanne Moss, president of the Canadian Foundation for Animal
Assisted Support Services, says there are no official guidelines about what
constitutes a service animal for people with psychiatric disabilities.
Apparently, all anyone needs is a note from a doctor, and they're all
set.<BR><BR>"To whom it may concern: I have determined that this cute and
playful kitten is a necessary service animal for my patient. Signed, Erik's
doctor."<BR><BR>However, Keith and Leslie Rouble, then-owners of the Granary
said the dog wasn't the problem. (They have since sold the store, just to "get
away from this man.")<BR><BR>"We never mentioned the dog at all," Leslie Rouble
said. "It was his vulgar, violent, assaultive behavior."<BR><BR>What kind of
service animal does someone need for that? Maybe a snapping turtle?<BR><BR>The
Roubles say this isn't the first time they've dealt with Allarie and Dee-o-Gee.
Back in 2006, they had another run-in, when Allarie brought Dee-o-Gee in on a
retractable leash, and allowed him to sniff food items. They say the dog wasn't
marked, and wasn't wearing a service animal harness or service coat.<BR><BR>"We
don't allow anybody else in our store with dogs to hold on to them while they
serve up their spices or to let them sniff around the food," Leslie Rouble said.
"Other places, restaurants, don't allow other people to hold their dogs at the
table while they're eating or to bring them in unless they're properly
identified."<BR><BR>I think a service dog should perform an actual service.
Cheering someone up, while very important to someone with anxiety and
depression, does not constitute a service as much as it does therapy.<BR><BR>A
real service dog has been trained on certain rules and dog etiquette, like not
barking at other dogs or sniffing around the floor, and not quivering like
Jell-O in an earthquake or peeing when there are loud noises. <BR><BR>While this
seems like a matter of he barked-she barked, I have to side with the Roubles on
this one. I can't accept that a chihuahua is a useful dog to have if you have
anxiety. If anything, the chihuahuas I have known have heightened anxiety, not
reduced it. And if Allarie can't prove the discrimination, then he doesn't have
a leg to stand on.<BR><BR>In which case, he'll need a bigger
dog.<BR><BR></P></DIV><!--~-|**|PrettyHtmlStart|**|-~-->
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