Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Three large dogs in City Fire Restuarant
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Old 04-14-2013, 07:26 AM
JourneyOfLife JourneyOfLife is offline
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Some information on it

Is a ‘Comfort Dog’ a Service Dog? | Delta Society – Animals Helping People - seattlepi.com

I can understand why some need the animals with them (e.g. blind person with seeing eye dog). The dog performs a concrete function that no one can dispute.

But in subjective areas, most would find a doctor that would sign off on it (for the yearly fee of course) and it would be widely abused. The whole idea, other than the fact that we like our pets, is very subjective.

The "comfort animal" concept has a number of practical problems. If dogs, how about cats? How about a pet python? They all might bite. What is the difference other than your bias for a dog and someone else bias for a some specialty Lizard? How about birds?

I do not buy the argument of "I can't be without my comfort dog for an hour". I would say it is stated in the name: "Comfort", which does not mean "need"... more like a preference.


There also some other practical problems:

- Dogs and other animals, can bark and make noise
- They can (and do) get into fights
- They can (and do) attack people.
- They can (and do) relieve themselves whenever they choose.
- They can (and do) tend to want to roam. Even a trained dog is not going to want to sit like a statue in one place for an hour and a half.
- Probably a thousand other things too.

Sorry Fido relieved himself in the restaurant... but you were so rude to fido with that face you made, now fido is very upset.... "I'm not tipping." As they stomp out and leave fido's "Tip" on the floor.