Service Animals on Celebrity Ship?

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi, my name is Roz. I started a thread in Special Interest Cruising-Disabled Cruising, called; Cruising With a Service Dog-Everything You Ever Wanted To Know. I started it in 2005 and it has over 1/2 a million hits.

 

My Service Dog "Horton" and I have just returned from the Crown Princess. It was Horton's 4th cruise. My first Service Dog "Brenda" had finished her 15th cruise before she retired at the age of 11.

 

Dogs and Minature Horses are the only animals covered by the ADA and protected by the Federal Gov. Monkeys, cats, iguana's and birds don't have public access rights, just as the "Emotional Support" animal does not.

 

The Service Animal must mitigate an issue for it's handler. To just make the handler "feel good" is not reason enough to be allowed into the public venue.

 

The animals potty-box is usually made of wood, lined with plastic and filled with a Cyprus Mulch. I pick-up the solid waste and the mulch absorbs the liquid. There is no smell and the box is usually placed away from the public in an outside deck. I prefer the stairwell nearest my cabin. The public NEVER sees the box and has no idea it's even there.

 

The well trained Service Dog is invisible. The public should NEVER see it doing anything untoward or hear it make a sound!

 

I will "call out" anyone who brings their "pet" onboard and I witness anything unprofessional about its behavior.

 

My dog is formally trained by Canine Companions for Independence and goes wherever I go. He acts like a gentleman at all times and loves to travel with me. I'm very proud of his behavior and desperately need him to live a quality life.

 

If you ever see a dog onboard a cruise or anywhere else that offends you, it's your duty to report such behavior to the Passenger Services Desk.

[hulamoon]

Thank you Roz.

[Illinisue]

Roz,

 

Thanks for your post. I was referred to your post earlier in this thread. I learned so much and appreciate your hard work on behalf of these amazing animals.

 

Susan

[wizard-of-roz]

You are all so welcome. My first Service Dog, Brenda brought my life out of the dark shadows and taught me to be brave and not to give up! I lost her at the age of 14 on February 8th. My grateful heart will never forget her hard working, dedicated and devoted soul.

 

If you're fortunate to meet a hard working Service/Working Dog, you've met a true hero, I'm so lucky to live and work with one.

Edited May 3, 2014 by wizard-of-roz

[4cats4me]

You are all so welcome. My first Service Dog, Brenda brought my life out of the dark shadows and taught me to be brave and not to give up! I lost her at the age of 14 on February 8th. My grateful heart will never forget her hard working, dedicated and devoted soul.

 

If you're fortunate to meet a hard working Service/Working Dog, you've met a true hero, I'm so lucky to live and work with one.

 

I am so sorry for the loss of your loyal companion, Roz.

 

Dana:(

[wizard-of-roz]

I am so sorry for the loss of your loyal companion, Roz.

 

Dana:(

 

Thank you, Dana. I have her cremations with me and a paw print with dozens and dozens of amazing pictures all over my home and office of our many adventures together. I love her so much and will never, ever forget her beautiful, big soulful brown eyes and the way that she would look right through your eyes to the depths of your being.

 

Dramatic, no, just the truth of my beautiful Brenda girl.

Edited May 3, 2014 by wizard-of-roz

[Maverine]

We had a very questionable "service dog" on our cruise in the caribbean a last year. Maybe the same mentioned above. A little white fluffy thing. I love dogs, cats and other animals but I was really put off when I saw it peeing on the lawn. Many people like to walk barefoot on the grass or sit on it. Nether thought about that there probably had a dog peed. People also reported that this dog was in the MDR and was obviously not well trained.

Many people reported this to guest relations but nothing happened.

If somebody is blind, deaf or needs a dog that is trained to pick things for him/her I would never mind. These dogs are usually well trained and don't affect other people (except for allergies). But just labeling my untrained pet as a service dog to take it with me on a vacation is more then selfish and cruise lines should be much stricter in avoiding this!

 

 

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Edited May 3, 2014 by Maverine

[Quampapetet]

I personally see absolutely NOTHING wrong with having to prove that the dog was issued by a bona fide agency that trains service animals. No internet purchased vest and "card" saying service animal allowed or worse a letter from someone with a degree that they paid to write it. I love animals and have owned dogs in my life but as much as I loved them I recognized that they just can't go everywhere with me and it never occurred to me to lie to create a scenario where they could.

 

There is a huge thing that is wrong with that scenario: legit service dogs who did not come from "bona fide agencies". Plenty of real service dogs were trained by private trainers hired by the disabled person (dog's owner) or the disabled person themself. There are many reasons for this, including there not being enough programs for everybody who needs a service dog (the many that do exist already have waiting lists several years long), there not being programs that train dogs for certain types of disabilities, the fact that most programs refuse to train dogs for people with multiple types of disabilities (i.e. mobility and hearing or guide and seizure response/alert), there are people who need certain breeds (such as hypoallergenic breeds) that programs do not train (most use only Goldens and Labs), somebody may have a young pet who alerts to their seizures/diabetes/etc. (a rare trait) that would work well as a service dog once they were trained, some disabled people are dog trainers themselves, and more.

 

Something definitely needs to be done about the fakers, but not at the expense of people with disabilities who need their service dogs by taking away their abilities to get them if you were to limit it to only service dog programs.

[BosoxI]

I feel the same way. My experience is with the dogs trained to assist people with Epilepsy. The dog is trained to alert someone if the person has a seizure, sit by their side until help arrives, push a button on a special phone to call 911, and open a door to let rescue personnel in. Some become so in tune with their partner that they alert when a seizure is coming before it ever happens so the person can make themselves safe.

 

Like your situation there is a long waiting list and they must be matched to the right dog. There is great expense to get one and the requirements are very rigid. Far beyond getting a doctor to simply scrawl a note on a prescription blank and ordering a vest from the internet. The training time is also at least a month on site then followed up at home.

 

Please do not isolate yourself on the cruise simply because you have a service animal. Do not let the few abusers of the service animal privilege keep you from your freedom to enjoy the cruise like everyone else.

 

There was a man with a standard poodle on the recent Eclipse TA nd the dog, I was told, was trained to do just that. Very well mannered dog, at least when I saw him.

[cle-guy]

There was a man with a standard poodle on the recent Eclipse TA nd the dog, I was told, was trained to do just that. Very well mannered dog, at least when I saw him.

 

I was on this sailing as well. My aunt has a service animal that also alerts to epileptic events, however was told the animal could not sail as Celebrity is not authorized to bring animals of any kind (even assistance animals) into the UK, that Cunard is the only way to bring an animal into the UK by sea. Their website as well as the UK's websites also stipulate the same.

 

Celebrity does allow animals on all other sailings (unless they end in the UK), subject to local port regulations that may not allow the animal off the ship while enroute.

 

I inquired on board why was she told no animals at all, yet I saw this poodle and 3 others on board, I got no answer. My aunt made it clear it was a service animal, not a pet.

 

X's website link: http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_special_needs&cS=Footer&ICID=Cel_10Q4_web_hp_ftr_accessibility

Edited May 10, 2014 by cle-guy

[Clydesmom7865]

There is a huge thing that is wrong with that scenario: legit service dogs who did not come from "bona fide agencies". Plenty of real service dogs were trained by private trainers hired by the disabled person (dog's owner) or the disabled person themself. There are many reasons for this, including there not being enough programs for everybody who needs a service dog (the many that do exist already have waiting lists several years long), there not being programs that train dogs for certain types of disabilities,

 

The "self" training IS the problem. While some individuals may be quite good at it, there is no actual recognized expert attesting to the animal's actual use as a service animal.

 

there are people who need certain breeds (such as hypoallergenic breeds) that programs do not train (most use only Goldens and Labs)

 

Actually the man who invented the "golden doodle" now regrets it and has come out and said developing that cross was his biggest mistake. There is a reason certain breeds are used and it is due to many factors and reduced allergies is but one of them. While service dogs are a great asset to many people it does not mean that you can automatically turn any dog into one because someone needs one. Not ever need can be fulfilled and it is a fantasy to believe that there is a one size fits all solution.

 

Something definitely needs to be done about the fakers, but not at the expense of people with disabilities who need their service dogs by taking away their abilities to get them if you were to limit it to only service dog programs.

 

Unfortunately when ever you have people who are willing to cheat or bypass the system to get their own way it is ALWAYS at the detriment of those who truly benefit from the purpose as it stands. Until there are rules that address the false claims of service animals merely so some spoiled entitled self centered jerk simply so they can take their nasty bark bark everywhere they go this will continue to be a huge problem. Even without those rules there still are not enough properly trained service animals for the number of people who legitimately need them. Enacting rules to ensure that animals that are in places requiring accommodation will not decrease the demand or increase the supply of them.

[Jem 12]

There was a man with a standard poodle on the recent Eclipse TA nd the dog, I was told, was trained to do just that. Very well mannered dog, at least when I saw him.

 

 

We were also on this sailing and were very surprised to see at least 2 different dogs, the poodle you mention who did seem to behave very well and like a true service dog but also a small terrier who we were told was classed as emotional support just so they could bring into the UK without quarantine as there daughter would have been too upset to leave it.

 

I don't know anything about dogs on ships but I do know that I would not like to think that my cabin had been used previously by a badly behaved dog UCK!!!!!!

[Clydesmom7865]

a small terrier who we were told was classed as emotional support just so they could bring into the UK without quarantine as there daughter would have been too upset to leave it.

 

THIS is the biggest problem. This is not a support animal or even an emotional support animal. That terrier is a PET and the person attached to it got away with bringing it on a cruise by simply saying it is a support animal. Until this bad behavior on the part of passengers lying to bring their pets on a cruise or anywhere else for that matter I will not change my stance that there needs to be clear cut laws in place as to what is an actual service animal to prevent these clods from taking advantage.

[timetravellers]

We, too, were on the Eclipse TA. We saw the big poodle and guessed it was a service dog. But the Yorkshire Terrier? We were really puzzled about that one!

[ghstudio]

THIS is the biggest problem. This is not a support animal or even an emotional support animal. That terrier is a PET and the person attached to it got away with bringing it on a cruise by simply saying it is a support animal. Until this bad behavior on the part of passengers lying to bring their pets on a cruise or anywhere else for that matter I will not change my stance that there needs to be clear cut laws in place as to what is an actual service animal to prevent these clods from taking advantage.

 

This type of "abuse" will never stop. Almost anyone can claim that they have an emotional support animal and, if necessary, get some physician to write an appropriate note.

 

The truth is that those people actually believe they need that dog, they aren't "abusing the system" at all...they truly can't distinguish between a pet (and we all love our pets) and an animal they just can't live without for even a week. Just the thought of putting that animal in a pet shelter would be abhorrent, cruel, inhuman. We've all seen the dog baby carriages that are proliferating...it's as if the dogs have emotional support people.

 

Keep in mind that there are those who wouldn't think of going on a cruise without their pets. A strict rule would stop some from cruising alone or even with their family in tow so don't look to celebrity (or other cruise lines) to be firm in their policy on this....it might cost them bookings/$'s.

 

Look, from my perspective, those folks are scamming the system, they are "me" folks, I really have a problem with them...but from their perspective, they aren't doing anything wrong. You/we aren't going to change that perception without strict rules and strict enforcement and that's just not going to happen.

 

Hopefully, we will have some true service dogs on our next trip (incredible, wonderful, truly life changing/helpful animals).....but as far as the others, I can only hope that the chef's get creative late at night and we see "fricassee d' emotional support chien" as a buffet selection.....just (sort of) joking....but if you have ever seen "war of the Roses" movie, you'll understand the suggestion.

Edited May 10, 2014 by ghstudio

[Kat in CA]

Like two previous posters, we were also on the March 2013 sailing of the Eclipse. This dog was not a service animal based on its behavior. We sat in the MDR a few tables away from it. The woman did have it in a stroller, but the dog ate from the table, with the waiters bringing food on regular plates. Whenever the waiters sang Happy Birthday to anyone, the dog went nuts barking and growling.

To us, this was unacceptable.

[ghstudio]

BTW..I was a little too harsh in my previous post. There are some, for example veterans with PTSD, where an emotional support dog is tremendously helpful....and, by the way, that's one of the reasons for lack of laws and rules on emotional support dogs.

 

An interesting article to read:

 

http://2012.servicedogsfl.org/?p=22

[blindrid]

good to know CELEBRITY has lenient policies on comfort animals.

later this year, i'll be bringing my hyena, boa constrictors, and large

box of scorpions. ~~~i mean---- who would question whats COMFORT

to me? ~~~~

 

And I'm smoking a cigar wherever I want:)

 

AND if a.similar dog is in my pay restaurant, I'll be leaving and not paying. As to my cigars, I follow the rules and expect X to ensure my enjoyment of not stepping on dogs@@@.

Edited May 11, 2014 by blindrid

[NLH Arizona]

BTW..I was a little too harsh in my previous post. There are some, for example veterans with PTSD, where an emotional support dog is tremendously helpful....and, by the way, that's one of the reasons for lack of laws and rules on emotional support dogs.

 

An interesting article to read:

 

http://2012.servicedogsfl.org/?p=22

Just as an fyi, the ADA recognizes a dog that calms a person with PTSD as a bonified service dog, where they do not recognize emotional support/comfort dogs.

 

From the ADA: Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.

 

If anyone see behavior like feeding a dog at a table, dog pooping in public, aggressive behavior, etc., take a picture and when you get home send it to the Health Department, because that is the only way that we can stop these pretend service dogs from giving true service dogs a bad rap and it will give restaurants, cruise lines, etc. the amno to stop allowing any but true service dogs in their establishments.

Edited May 11, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[ghstudio]

Which health department would be able to take action against a cruise ship or cruise line?

[NLH Arizona]

Which health department would be able to take action against a cruise ship or cruise line?

Florida, where the cruise line has a headquarters and where they do the inspections of the ships. Or you can call the health department of the first US port you get to.

Edited May 11, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[deise17311]

This really burns me...these fools should be put on the do not sail list...what sick, rude, and selfish people let alone the trauma for the dog having to go to the bathroom

On carpet and flooring...hopefully someone will post these people's names

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[NLH Arizona]

This really burns me...these fools should be put on the do not sail list...what sick, rude, and selfish people let alone the trauma for the dog having to go to the bathroom

On carpet and flooring...hopefully someone will post these people's names

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

I know that NCL did ban a passenger and her dog for not being housebroken. Hopefully, Celebrity will do the same for that publicly pooping dog that cruises with them.

Edited May 11, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[teecee60]

As I said, even having a dog sitting on a person's lap in a restaurant is streatching it, but having them on a table (think about how clean their butt and paws are) is disgusting and the health department would not look to kindly on it.

 

I guess I don't see the problem. :confused:

 

Dogs are constantly "cleaning" their butts and their paws... :cool:

 

...just remember that every time you get a "doggie kiss," or an affectionate lick. :rolleyes:

[wizard-of-roz]

There is absolutely, positively no medical or physical reason for a dog to be sitting on the table in a public restaurant. If the dog is a "medical alert" dog, it can sit on the persons lap or at the person's feet. There is no reason for it to be sitting on the table.......none at all!!!!!

 

If I were to see such behavior in the public venue I would call the person "out" and complain to management.

 

I walk/work/cruise and go through my everyday life with a Service Dog and have done so since 2002. My first Service Dog, Brenda, was by my side everyday, everywhere [including cruise ships/airlines/theaters, etc., etc., and everywhere I went] for 11 years until she retired. I now travel with my Successor Dog, Horton, and he's completed his 4th cruise in April and will be on his 5th in September.

 

I have had more people comment that they didn't even know there was a dog in the room because a true Service Dog should be "invisible!" I'm very proud of his behavior in the public. My dogs have NEVER gone to the bathroom in public and are clean and well manicured.