Service dogs a target for abuse, despite users' disabilities

I walk into Terra Nova Kennels on Roaches Line and I see three dogs wearing vests: a German shepherd, a King Charles cavalier spaniel and a little black toy poodle.

The vests aren't of the dress-up variety, though. They're service dog vests.

Each dog performs a different service, each service crucially important to its handler.

You may be wondering: What is a service dog, exactly?

It's a type of assistance dog that is specifically trained to help people with disabilities. They're most often associated with people who are blind or visually impaired, but they serve far beyond that. Their handlers may have a hearing impairment, or seizures, or diabetes, or mental illness and so on.

At the kennel is Jessica Quinton, the head trainer for the program PAWS — Proud Animals Working to Serve. PAWS focuses on training service dogs.

Quinton says many people don't know there are different types of service dogs.

"A lot of people only think that service dogs are guide dogs but they actually can have huge variations," she told me.

And it's not just in the type of service where they vary.

"They come in many different shapes and sizes and breeds. It's not just your average yellow lab or golden retriever or German shepherd even," said Quinton.

Confrontations in public spaces

The lack of knowledge around service dogs has led to problems.

Ian White retired four years from the Navy after a career that lasted more than 20 years. His retirement, though, wasn't exactly of his choosing.

That's because White has post-traumatic stress disorder.

Eight months ago, White, who lives in Shearstown, got Shilo, a German shepherd service dog, to help him navigate daily life.

On Remembrance Day, White attended a ceremony in Bay Roberts. He was wearing his medals and was with Shiloh when he was confronted.

"I had one gentleman come up to me and point blank said, 'You're not blind, you don't need that dog,'" he said in an interview.

"She had a camouflage-coloured vest on with 'service dog' and everything written on it. And because he didn't see any physical injuries, he didn't think I needed her," said White.

White also recently had a similar experience at a McDonald's, when another customer confronted him. White said he was chatting with a friend when someone approached him about his dog.

"He came right up to the dog and tried petting her." he said.

"I told him she's working, please leave her alone. He got ignorant with me and wanted to know what laws they had for service dogs, was she certified - he wanted to see her papers," said White.

White is totally within his rights, by the way.

In 2012, the Newfoundland and Labrador government replaced the Blind Person's Rights Act with the Service Animal Act. The new act says that if it's readily apparent the animal is a service animal, you shall not "deny a person with a disability the accommodation, services or facilities available in a place to which the public is customarily admitted."

Shopping hassles

But even with legislation in place, people with service animals still run into problems when they're shopping and running errands.

Take, for instance, the case of the Bannister family in St. John's. Heather Bannister's daughter Nicole uses a service dog because she is prone to seizures.

Nicole is an adult and can speak a little, and relies on a service dog - a little black toy poodle named Angel — for her independence.

Angel can detect when Nicole is about to have a seizure and starts licking her face. Heather told me that Nicole used to have to take the drug Ativan to come out of a seizure; now, when Angel licks her hands and face, she comes out of a seizure on her own.

In just five months, Angel has become a crucial part of Nicole's life.

When Nicole goes out with her mom, Angel sits at the base of Nicole's wheelchair with her service dog vest on.

Heather says a lot of times they get asked to leave stores when they are out shopping - until they explain that Angel is a service dog.

Confronted by a cashier

At a Wal-Mart store one day, while they stood in a long lineup, a cashier at separate lineup spoke up.

I said, 'But it's a service dog,' and she said, 'That dog is too small to be a service dog.'- Nicole Bannister

"[She] said, 'Excuse me, you're not allowed to have this dog in here'", said Nicole.

"And I said, 'But it's a service dog,' and she said, 'That dog is too small to be a service dog.'"

Nicole showed Angel's service dog tags to the cashier — and also complained to the manager.

"I thought it was disgusting because the person in the cash wasn't even having anything to do with us. We were at a different cash and she leaned over in front of all of her lineup and the lineup I was in, and made an issue about the dog, said Nicole.

I got in touch with Wal-Mart for its response. Alex Robertson, director of corporate affairs with Wal-Mart Canada, said the chain permits service animals to accompany customers with disabilities.

"In certain cases, it may not be easy to identify an animal entering the store as a service animal. In such cases, for health and safety purposes, a Wal-Mart associate shall ask the customer to confirm that the animal is a service animal," Robertson said.

Robertson added that Wal-Mart "may deny admission of the animal into the store until such time as the customer can produce a tag or card or other document from a public health authority or medical practitioner confirming that the animal is a service animal."

Robertson acknowledged that due to staff turnover there can be training gaps with staff and recognizing service dogs.

The bottom line

 Dog trainer Jessica Quinton said that asking someone to explain why they have a service dog can be embarrassing.

 "A lot of people don't want to explain their medical condition to you. So you don't go up to someone ask why they're in a wheelchair, which is the same thing," she said. 

The bottom line?

"You don't ask someone why they have a service dog."