AU/ Man's best friend needs a bed, too

[responsiblek9]

Man's best friend needs a bed, too
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/mans-best-friend-needs-a-bed-too-20110820-1j3j5.html
Sydney Morning Herald -

In some states in America, Ms Reynolds said, homeless people could register dogs as ''assistance pets'' to help with their psychiatric conditions

[HumSD]

We have a HUGE problem here with homeless people claiming their dogs are SDs, usually PSD because it's a highly misunderstood field.  Many of these dogs are young, untrained, unvaccinated, unaltered, and have parasites. 

Our local food bank now has a small gated area where people can leave their dogs while they come in to get a food box (I gave a presentation on SD laws there).  Maybe other places could do something similar. Probably better than just dubbing them all SDs (completely illegal) so they can be allowed in. 

I think the writer of the article in Australia is a bit confused.  The homeless people may call the dog a SD but in reality, the majority of them are not! Australia has a certification process (right?) and we don't so it's much easier to just tell the dog it's a service dog here and get away with it. There's even a website for people who love the transient lifestyle that tells people how to get around the SD laws.  It disgusts me!

[jshad]

Is it ok if I say something... from my corner of the room...... from my personal experiences....

many people who are homeless have mental and emotional issues.. but not all... and if they don't start with one they may surly end up with one.... I can atone to that personally and by experience. whether it be on the streets... in shelters... even in several domestic abuse shelters... I have seen it all. Sometimes the economy caused homelessness sometimes its a combination of the two, economics and mental stability . Theirs nothing wrong with a homeless person using a dog for the mental / emotional side if it really helps that person.  I am finally not homeless for the moment... dont mean the world wont come crashing down again before were finally out of the woods and on our own not with family I have no medical.. no Dr only myself and my SD('s)

Just my two cents...

[FrostedAcres]

yeah-- me too- Been There, Done That...

[Kirsten]

There is a difference between keeping a dog for emotional support and it being a service dog, regardless of whether the owner is homeless.  A big difference is whether it is appropriate to inflict that dog's presence on others.  A fully trained, healthy, clean dog should have minimal impact on others.  An untrained, unvaccinated, unhealthy or unclean dog may be a health/safety risk for others.

[robbertbobbert]

A fully trained, healthy, clean dog should have minimal impact on others.  An untrained, unvaccinated, unhealthy or unclean dog may be a health/safety risk for others.

This.

The ONLY dogs I've ever seen with homeless people around here are the second variety. They don't have collars or leashes, just dirt/ragged rope tied around their necks. They have patches of fur missing, fleas, diarrhea (which is rarely picked up) and are ill behaved. Of course there could be homeless people with impeccably clean/healthy/well behaved dogs that I don't know are homeless, but I've seen many people slap a handwritten "service dog" patch onto their animal and drag it everywhere with them.

[Roxie]

In some states in America, Ms Reynolds said, homeless people could register dogs as ''assistance pets''

Gosh! Our reputation for fakery and fraudulent SD's in America has made it global knowledge!

The homeless shelter here has a kennel for dogs belonging to homeless staying at the shelter. Many do not.

I don't understand how the homeless get cigarettes and booze and still can feed their dogs. How do they get the minimum of vax's? Living where rodents, varmints and feral animals live could be dangerous for the dog. Panhandling is illegal and one can get a ticket and jail time. Where does their dog go? Why take on a relationship with a dog that they know will be terminated at the blink of an eye.

I haven't seen homeless fake a SD. I have not seen a homeless person with any unkempt or unleashed dog.

[Kirsten]

There are almost certainly homeless people who do have real SDs and who do manage everything appropriately regarding the dog's care and public safety.  I've known homeless people you would never have suspected were homeless because they manage things that effectively.

But that is not what most claimed as service dogs are.  The big difference between the homed and the homeless?  No place to leave the dog when they go someplace pet dogs are not permitted.  This puts an increased incentive on a person to fake.

[robbertbobbert]

I haven't seen homeless fake a SD. I have not seen a homeless person with any unkempt or unleashed dog.

I'm amazed. Not being snarky at all, I'm just surprised. Most times time I'm walking Ell in the city, a homeless person comes up (usually the young ones about my age) with their mangey dog wanting to introduce it to Ell.

[jshad]

yeah.. my animals looked cleaner and smelled cleaner then  me , when we lived in our car, on the street then in the travel trailer  ...  . .even now.. i still look kinda tattered. good thing im not  trying to impress anyone. I just wish i could find a free shower chair... i would be more willing to take a shower more often

[robbertbobbert]

I just wish i could find a free shower chair... i would be more willing to take a shower more often

Too bad you're so far from me. I'm cleaning out my parents' house and they happen to have one they don't need anymore.

[caring canine]

I think the writer of the article in Australia is a bit confused.  The homeless people may call the dog a SD but in reality, the majority of them are not! Australia has a certification process (right?)

Yes, I do believe you are correct in saying the writer may be a little confused.

No, we do not have do not have national certification at this stage, though a couple of states do have a process in place.

ESAs are generally not recognized. Only now are SDs in the broader sense becoming more commonplace.

[silverpegasus]

I got the impression from this article that some of the quotes were very misinformed, but I don't think they were advocating faking service dogs.

I think this paragraph is very misleading:

In some states in America, Ms Reynolds said, homeless people could register dogs as ''assistance pets'' to help with their psychiatric conditions.

It comes across as if the quote is a quote of what can be kept in the USA. I think it is actually in quotation marks to indicate it's a direct quote from Ms Reynolds who herself has the information wrong. What I think she might be referring to is ESAs.

In Australia (as Liz said) we don't have any previsions for ESAs. It's either an "assistance animal" or a pet. I think what they may be lobbying for is something which is kind of similar to ESAs:

...as well as stopping the ban on animals in apartments, retirement villages and rental properties.

I think they also want something that would enable homeless people to bring their pets with them to shelters etc. I don't think they want them to be able to take them into shops or similar.

[FrostedAcres]

jshad

 the same went for me--I lived out of my truck-- the dogs got bathed  at a Dog Wash (they supply the stuff, you wash the dog) I took my showers at the Salvation Army, and baby wipes were used frequently on us both!  Of course, being homeless, with a working vehicle, makes things a bit easier on a person, especially if they have a pet or SD. But then, the vehicle is 'home'

[HumSD]

A few months ago, we were talking a walk through a former chunk of ocean that is now a protected marsh.  There are quite a few homeless encampments down there.  Some are clean, some are not.  As we walked, a tied up dog growled like crazy at us and tried to come after us, thank GOD it was tied!  I was more disturbed by what I saw than what the dog did.  The dog had a CA SD tag on it's collar!!  A dog with that kind of behavior should NEVER be a SD.  It's way too easy to get the tag in this county and they just wash their hands of it.  After encountering many situations like this (homeless guy with dog wearing a muzzle riding the bus claiming SD) I have a huge bias against homeless people with dogs.  I'm sure there are some who take care of their dog first (I've known some) and get the altered and vaccinated but there are plenty who don't and use the dog as a begging tool.  Stuff like that really chaps my hide!