[Missouri-l] {Disarmed} This week's Laughing Stalk -- Canadian Man Sues Over His Service "Dog"

[Nancy Lynn]

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: laughing_stalk-owner at yahoogroups.com
To: laughing_stalk at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 9:24 PM
Subject: [Laughing Stalk] This week's Laughing Stalk -- Canadian Man Sues 
Over His Service "Dog"



Canadian Man Sues Over His Service "Dog"
Erik Deckers
Laughing Stalk syndicate
Copyright 2009

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.

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.

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.

Needless to say, chihuahuas don't make good service dogs.

Unless you're Alex Allarie of Ontario, Canada.

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.

His service dog is a chihuahua.

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.

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.

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.

Allarie said the dog must accompany him everywhere so he can cope with his 
anxiety and depression, which is considered a psychiatric disability.

"Most people just don't understand because of his size, and I'm very aware 
of it," Allarie told the CBC.

Still, one man's. . . "dog" is another man's service animal.

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.

"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."

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.")

"We never mentioned the dog at all," Leslie Rouble said. "It was his vulgar, 
violent, assaultive behavior."

What kind of service animal does someone need for that? Maybe a snapping 
turtle?

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.

"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."

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.

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.

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.

In which case, he'll need a bigger dog.



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