The newest scam for dog owners and timeshares

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

The "service" animal.

Granted there are dogs that ARE service animals. A service dog is a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities including visual or hearing impairment, and also to help people with mental disabilities including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and severe depression. Some dogs are even trained to help with medical conditions such as recurrent seizures or diabetes. Additionally, they may also be trained to carry life support equipment such as oxygen tanks.

They do their job and I have no problem with them getting special treatment. I love dogs and almost all creatures.

However, I have had conversations with quite a few people that have bogus service animal treatment documentation. They are allowed to bring their pets to various timeshares because their dog "detects seizures" which they don't get.

Puh-lease! I should bring my cat. He wakes me up by 6:30am and sits and gives me dirty looks if I'm not in bed by 10:30pm (and that is a greater service to the general population than false seizure dogs).

Do you know people that do or have done this? What are your thoughts?

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

I looked into getting one of my dogs trained to be a service animal. In my search, I found a site that if you click a button that says you have some type of disability that affects your daily living, you can order the documents for the dog. I could have ordered a card, a service jacket for my dog and I forget what else.

I really wanted my dog trained. I didn't want phony documents. Anyway, they are very easy to get on the internet. Much easier than finding a place to train your dog - which I never did find.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

Ttwo years ago a neighbor of mine told me about going on a cruise and taking her dog. Her dog was a little bitty shitzu (sp?). She just couldn't stand to leave it at home, she said, so she had it certified as a service dog. She didn't say how she had done it, but there was nothing wrong with her that I knew of. She also said I should have Brianna certified. I can just see Bree certified...she would wander off to be petted by everybody who came by because she is such a Princess.

On my last cruise there were four "service dogs" that I saw, none of them seeing eye dogs. Two of them seemed to have multiple handlers, which seemed to be suspicious, to say the least.

I think it is a big fat scam. Searching Google appears to prove me right.

Fern

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

I had written a training article on this issue for a small resort where I was doing some consulting. I posted part of the article on my blog..

The real issue for resorts and businesses is that in the event of a complaint, the "investigation" is done by the government- so you end up having legal expenses even if the complaint had no basis.. According to the ADA attorney I interviewed, resort employees should never ask for a certification document.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Yep, this is a consequence of ADA---on balance, I think it is good law---but there are certainly corner cases that people are all too quick to exploit.

That said, I just chalk it up to "people are ***holes" and leave it at that.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

yep, there will always be people cheating to get what they want.

Make up some hugga bugga about my pooch's service to me in a medical or emotional capacity? No, I would never do that. Would never put an ill-gotten vest or credential on her. To cheat? no, my daddy taught me better than that.

Yes, it's hard to leave her behind, but when I go somewhere that she can't, that means that she gets to "go to camp" with someone else, and Get Spoiled, so, it's win-win.

some people don't think the rules apply to them. Others think rules were made to be broken.

But to pretend to have a disability so my dog can join me? NO. That's reprehensible.

[catwgirl Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close catwgirl]

These "service" animals are also making a big presence on airlines. On Southwest, they sit in the first row at their owner's feet. Some of them take of the foot space of the folks sitting next to the owners too.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Grocery Store

I had written a training article on this issue for a small resort where I was doing some consulting. I posted part of the article on my blog..

The real issue for resorts and businesses is that in the event of a complaint, the "investigation" is done by the government- so you end up having legal expenses even if the complaint had no basis.. According to the ADA attorney I interviewed, resort employees should never ask for a certification document.

We are not allowed to ask in Safeway anymore even if the dog is in the cart (where you put your food).
Bart

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

My biggest concern would be about the person coming in to the unit behind those with the dog. What if that person were very allergic to dog dander. What are HIS rights?

Does the resort charge extra for having the dog so the carpets can be shampooed and sanitized; I think not.

Nothing would pis* me off more than having to end up in the ER due to allergies and not being able to breathe.

Joy

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I don't personally know anyone who has done this, but I'm not surprised.....There's always those looking to benefit themselves, and the heck with everyone else.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

I did see a person at NCV a few years back that had a whippet with a service dog vest. Turns out she was active OY, and we did end up meeting by the pool.

Inquired about the qualifications of the service dog, and purpose. It was not your typical seeing eye dog, so I was curious.

I can't even explain the dogs training or purpose. But at the time I did not give it a second thought.

But now you have me questioning this, and my cynical ego is wide open these days. (Just look at my postings on the Marriott Forum OY).

I liked the dog because it was a whippet, and that was the year the whippet got loose at JFK.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Do you know people that do or have done this? What are your thoughts?

I recently met a lady at Morritt's that had her dog certified. She was very nice and the dog was adorable. Definitely wouldn't consider it a service animal since it's about 10 pounds soaking wet. We started chatting and she fessed up that she was able to get an ADA service animal certification because of emotional support. Apparently she had a friend who was a psychologist who encouraged her to do it. She lives in the heartland but owns a condo on Cayman and the only way she would buy at the Reef was if she could have her dog. This was the workaround. So apparently the sales people must have encouraged her as well.

She said it wasn't as easy as filling out an application on the internet but that the dog needed lots of vaccines and had to have health certifications and all sorts of paper work and I believe even some kind of passport.

I gotta admit that I used to sneak my pooch into hotels in the past. Sometimes you just don't want to leave them behind so I understand why someone would go to all the trouble to do this. I don't have a dog anymore and I'm sure this would definitely not work with my cats. They don't travel well at all. They'd think I was taking them to the vet.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

I know someone Well, know, like I know all of you. Friend of a family member. I have never met her-but have booked t/s for her. I always wanted to ask what the disability was..but thought it was none of my business. If the dog was certified then it was good enough for me. The breed in question is one that I love and own myself though I have only known this breed to be therapy dogs and not service dogs. I always thought how lucky this pooch was to visit such nice timeshares and be welcomed...but in the back of mind wondered how justified it was for the dog to sleep IN the bed with the owner.

I was always told that said person would take care of the "details" with the resort..and she did. Finally, my family member told me "you know it's a ruse...right? She has the papers but there is no disability"

Blah.

*****

I have visited a couple of resorts where they have posted an explanation that there will be a service dog on the premises from X date to X date..usually in the elevator. I'm all for service pets but please don't abuse the privilege. I board mine and pay dearly for it. My vacation dollars have to be budgeted so that I am already paying for something before I leave. Heck-I'd board said person's pup in my own home if the issue is who can keep her in the lifestyle she has been accustomed to. I'd love to have the same person for mine.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Not timeshare-specific, but I have a friend on long-term disability with chronic disease and a toy poodle (the poodle is not the disease, though some might beg to differ - not me, I'm a poodle lover ). She considered applying for service animal status so she wouldn't have to leave the lapdog home or in the car, ever. I stayed out of it.

She gets away with bringing the dog most places anyway since she never puts it down.

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

These "service" animals are also making a big presence on airlines. On Southwest, they sit in the first row at their owner's feet. Some of them take of the foot space of the folks sitting next to the owners too.

I was just going to mention this. On Flyer Talk there has been some recent threads about people who bring their pets (anything from bunnies to lizards) on board and are let because they are anxious about flying and their pet keeps them calm. Guess some sort of Dr's note goes along with it.