Where do service animals go to the bathroom?

[Mallefiscent]

I hadn't really thought about it, until someone made a comment in another post about emotional support animals.  If you take an animal on a cruise ship, where does it do its business?

[lilyhammer]

They have a special area for it. I saw a youtube video by Molly Burke which was all about this. She's blind and has a seeing eye dog and brought it with her on a cruise. I'll see if I can find a link.

[lilyhammer]

Here's Molly Burke's video. It looks like she was on the Celebrity Edge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRepA3ITrxg&list=PL_Xm8PicNxr25s-MsDFTW2aqpJug-IQvr She talks about it about 5 minutes in.

[Junkhouse]

I have seen cat litter boxes setup up in the aft section of the lifeboat decks.

[blueridgemama]

There are litter boxes filled with wood chip like material. They were located on the running track on deck 5 on Oasis of the Seas. I'm guessing they are emptied and cleaned by the crew

Edited May 22, 2020 by blueridgemama

[Merion_Mom]

The Poop Deck.

 

Duh.

[cruisegirl1]

Just now, blueridgemama said:

There are litter boxes filled with wood chip like matetisl. They were located on the running track on deck 5 on Oasis of the Seas. I'm guessing they are emptied and cleaned by the crew

Similar litter boxes are placed on the walk around deck of any ship that has a service animal.    More recently I’ve seen plastic bags, a trash can  and a container of hand sanitizing gel.   

M

 

[Mallefiscent]

2 hours ago, lilyhammer said:

Here's Molly Burke's video. It looks like she was on the Celebrity Edge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRepA3ITrxg&list=PL_Xm8PicNxr25s-MsDFTW2aqpJug-IQvr She talks about it about 5 minutes in.

 

That is a great video.  She is doing a great thing by showing others how she maneuvers through life.  I'm sure it helps a lot of people.  Her dog is adorable. 

[Mallefiscent]

Thanks for the info everyone.   Now I can go back to wondering if penguins have knees.  😛

[brevardcruiser]

Seen them in a couple places. OAS AOS had on deck 4 and 5 running track and life boats. Never saw any animal use them

[Ourusualbeach]

FYI, Royal no longer allows emotional support animals aboard their ships.  Service animals only. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[Eddie Wilson]

I have a brother who is blind and in the past 20+ years has had three different service dogs.  He likes to retire them after so many years so they have years to live without Working.

 

Anyway, he says he and his dog would take a walk every morning.  So I asked him one day...who cleans up after the dog goes?  Obviously my brother can’t see to pick it up.  His dogs were so well trained they did not go while on those walks.  He said when they are working, they know they are on call, and wait.  

 

Those are are some well trained dogs.   I have no idea how it would work on a ship, and my brother has no intention to cruise.

 

Eddie

 

[Mallefiscent]

58 minutes ago, Eddie Wilson said:

I have a brother who is blind and in the past 20+ years has had three different service dogs.  He likes to retire them after so many years so they have years to live without Working.

 

Anyway, he says he and his dog would take a walk every morning.  So I asked him one day...who cleans up after the dog goes?  Obviously my brother can’t see to pick it up.  His dogs were so well trained they did not go while on those walks.  He said when they are working, they know they are on call, and wait.  

 

Those are are some well trained dogs.   I have no idea how it would work on a ship, and my brother has no intention to cruise.

 

Eddie

 

 

They are very well trained.  When they have been in the hospital with their owner, they don't go.   It was explained to me that they won't go if their service equipment is on.  The wife of one of my patients said their dog could up to 24 hours without using the bathroom.  (I had asked when I needed to take the dog out, since she was leaving to go home for a bit.) When you take their service equipment off, they know they are off duty.  When it is on, it is all about the work. 

[Ptroxx]

This was on the track deck if the HOS.   
 

Edited May 23, 2020 by Ptroxx

[Mallefiscent]

I wonder how many dogs miss that little box.

[blueridgemama]

36 minutes ago, Mallefiscent said:

I wonder how many dogs miss that little box.

 

It probably works well for lady dogs  but I can see boy dogs  having a problem with #1 as there are no trees or fire hydrants around😊

[crazyank]

7 hours ago, Mallefiscent said:

I hadn't really thought about it, until someone made a comment in another post about emotional support animals.  If you take an animal on a cruise ship, where does it do its business?

Genuine service animals,  in the boxes set up for that purpose.  Emotional support animals (aka pets),  pretty much anywhere,  before they were banned.

[L454S]

3 hours ago, crazyank said:

Genuine service animals,  in the boxes set up for that purpose.  Emotional support animals (aka pets),  pretty much anywhere,  before they were banned.

 

And thank goodness they were banned. It had really gotten out of hand with the baby strollers for fido, etc. We saw one guy get insulted that someone complained about him wanting to sit at dinner with his pooch at the MDR table.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

9 hours ago, Mallefiscent said:

Thanks for the info everyone.   Now I can go back to wondering if penguins have knees.  😛

They do....but rarely use them.

[Computer Nerd]

True service animals use a box or something set up on deck. I don't believe emotional support animals are allowed on ship.

[puppycanducruise]

There's a thread on the disabled cruise forum about travelling with your service animal.  Lots of good information from those folks who travel with their helper and friend on 4 legs.

[msmayor]

HAL ships that we've been on have a large box with actual sod grass inside for the animals...it appeared each morning that someone cleaned and 'rinsed' the grass daily.

 

For anyone interested in the training for a service dog and access to Disney+, check out "Pick of the Litter".  It's a wonderful six-part series that follows pups through the process of becoming seeing eye dogs, and matching with owners.  

[johnjen]

4 hours ago, L454S said:

 

And thank goodness they were banned. It had really gotten out of hand with the baby strollers for fido, etc. We saw one guy get insulted that someone complained about him wanting to sit at dinner with his pooch at the MDR table.

For real. If anyone needs emotional support from an animal, they should stay at home in the house with their pet.

[Seville2Cabo]

9 hours ago, blueridgemama said:

 

It probably works well for lady dogs  but I can see boy dogs  having a problem with #1 as there are no trees or fire hydrants around😊

A lot of the airport “rest areas” have fake hydrants.  

[1025cruise]

True service animals are trained to "go" anywhere and when they are told to. No need to worry about them missing.

Granted, I'm sure accidents do happen, but I'm sure that's the exception, not the rule.