We all know not to judge a book by its cover. You can’t possibly know what’s going on inside someone’s mind or body without them telling you, so we certainly shouldn’t make assumptions about someone’s health just by glancing at them. But unfortunately, that doesn’t stop people from doing it!
One Redditor recently shared a story online detailing how they encountered a woman at the grocery store who insisted that they couldn’t possibly need a service dog. Below, you’ll find the full story of how that woman learned a valuable lesson that day, as well as some of the replies readers shared.
This person has a service dog to help with their medical condition
Image credits: guyswhoshoot / envato (not the actual photo)
But a stranger refused to believe that the dog was necessary until she witnessed a medical emergency with her own eyes
Image credits: ilonadesperada / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: CompetitionAsleep468
Later, the author clarified a few more details about their situation
Service dogs can help with both visible and invisible disabilities
There are currently over 61 million people in the United States living with disabilities. And contrary to what some people might assume, a significant number of those disabilities are invisible. Just because a person isn’t in a wheelchair or blind does not mean that they can’t benefit from the help of a service dog.
In fact, it’s estimated that there are about 500,000 service dogs working in the U.S. at the moment. These include guide dogs, hearing dogs and general service dogs, which can help with a variety of conditions.
As far as what conditions service dogs can help support, Service Dog Certifications notes that mental conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, dissociative and personality disorders, autism and neurocognitive disorders can all qualify someone for a service dog.
And, of course, physical conditions such as MS, sensory disabilities, dementia, cancer, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s Disease, arthritis, diabetes, chronic pain, stroke, paralysis, vertigo and more can qualify someone for a service dog.
Now, when someone has a service dog, they are allowed to take them into almost all public places. Whether they’re eating in a restaurant, grocery shopping or walking through the mall, their service animal should be allowed to stay by their side.
It’s important to be respectful of service animals when encountering them in public
Image credits: Thirdman / pexels (not the actual photo)
In some situations, however, a business or government institution may deny entry to a service dog if they will “fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, programs, or activities provided to the public,” the ADA explains. For example, if an environment must be kept sterile, it may jeopardize someone’s health to allow an animal into the room.
But if you’re in a public space, and the service animal is well behaved, there is rarely a reason to deny them entry into any area. Some people could definitely use a refresher on service dog etiquette, though. Michigan State University notes on their site that typically, we should just ignore service dogs and let them do their jobs.
Don’t try to pet them, and don’t try to get their attention. At the same time, leave their handler alone as well. Don’t ask the owner about their disability or ask for proof that their dog is in fact a service animal.
And if you own a pet that is not a service animal, don’t ever try to pass them off as one. It can hurt the credibility of actual service animals when people see pets disguised as service dogs behaving poorly.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think the woman in this story learned her lesson after witnessing a seizure right in front of her? Feel free to weigh in. Then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing similar drama right here.
Readers assured the author that they didn’t do anything wrong, and some noted that the woman deserved to learn this lesson
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