Dogs

[pilot]

Had a first last night in the dining room on Nieuw Statendam. Saw a couple leaving the dining room with a dog in a stroller. Have been on previous cruises and have seen working service dogs, but never have seen one pushed around in stroller through the dining room. 

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, pilot said:

Had a first last night in the dining room on Nieuw Statendam. Saw a couple leaving the dining room with a dog in a stroller. Have been on previous cruises and have seen working service dogs, but never have seen one pushed around in stroller through the dining room. 

Search for "dogs" and "Koningsdam" there is much conversation. And pictures.

Very unfortunate. 

[Kay S]

Maybe it was a teeny tiny service dog?  Dogs provide many more services than just assisting the visually challenged.

[Niagarawine]

The dog should not be in the dining room. I spent 14 days on a transatlantic with this. It was on Celebrity a few years back. I hope I do not have this issue on the Koningsdam as has been reported. These are not service dogs.

[Toad]

Agree, dogs shouldn’t be in the dining room. 

[jlawrence01]

if the dog is a legitimate service dog, the dog accompanies the passenger everywhere.

 

And if the HAL ship has a dog on board, the crew rolls out a small pallet with grass and a "fire hydrant" for the dog out onto the Promenade deck in the aft portion of the ship.

[Mary229]

I encourage you to send strongly worded criticism to HAL on the app, on the survey and by email or letter.  Express your dissatisfaction with their lack of judgment 

[House_Atreides]

3 hours ago, Kay S said:

Maybe it was a teeny tiny service dog?  Dogs provide many more services than just assisting the visually challenged.

As a service dog trainer of many years, service dogs do NOT ride in strollers.  Absolutely dogs provide many services, none of which are done for a stroller.  Teeny dogs can be service dogs in a few capacities, NOT working from a stroller.

 

These owners disgust me.

Edited April 9 by House_Atreides

[nannygoatjunction]

I have dogs. They are my world.  I believe all dogs serve as some form of therapy or another.  

But if I saw a dog in a stroller (pram in Australia 😛 ) on the ship, I would be ropeable and even  more so in a dining area!  It is a rare 'trigger' for me.

Service Dogs, however,  have my absolute admiration.  

...and a pic of one of my troublemakers just cause...

 

 

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, House_Atreides said:

As a service dog trainer of many years, service dogs do NOT ride in strollers.  Absolutely dogs provide many services, none of which are done for a stroller.  Teeny dogs can be service dogs in a few capacities, NOT working from a stroller.

 

These owners disgust me.

Well said - thank you for saying it.

As a cruise ship passenger recently subjected to the abuse of non-service dogs and their owners, I am unfortunately very familiar w/the flagrant disregard of HALs service animal policy. It's heartbreaking.

Service animals absolutely should always be allowed on board - impostors never! 

[Dancing Shoes]

We were on Celebrity's Apex last year and there was this couple who had a dog in a rolling dog carrier that we saw on several decks.  My husband and I had the "I can't believe they brought a dog" conversation. 

 

We were seated in the MDR and a couple was seated next to us.  He signaled to us that they were deaf.  It was the couple with the dog and it was with them in its little carrier.  

Maybe the dog was their ears if needed.  So, I try not to judge. 

 

[pilot]

3 hours ago, jlawrence01 said:

if the dog is a legitimate service dog, the dog accompanies the passenger everywhere.

 

And if the HAL ship has a dog on board, the crew rolls out a small pallet with grass and a "fire hydrant" for the dog out onto the Promenade deck in the aft portion of the ship.

Not always true. When we got on the ship Sunday they were taking apart the dog potty area on the Promenade deck. There is nothing there now. No idea where the dog is going to do his business. 

[jlawrence01]

33 minutes ago, pilot said:

Not always true. When we got on the ship Sunday they were taking apart the dog potty area on the Promenade deck. There is nothing there now. No idea where the dog is going to do his business. 

 

When we were on the Eurodam, the doggie area was still there from the last cruise when we arrived.  On the first full day of the cruise, the staff was towing it away as there was no need on our cruise.

[AryMay]

From the Koningsdam in February...

 

 

[cccole]

The above photo is of a comfort dog not a service dog?   Is there no official paperwork that is required?  The woman has a brace on her knee but the dog does not seem to be helping with that.  I would love to bring our dog on a cruise but I just don't think I can put a fake "service dog" halter on him.  The other problem is taking your dog in an area where there may be someone who is allergic to dogs.  Post #11 does make me think twice about judging.  Maybe the woman in Post #14 has problems that we are not aware of.  So sad if someone is abusing a program meant to help those with special needs.  Cherie

[Kay S]

Cute dog. 🙂

[oakridger]

If I see a fake "service" dog on my cruise I will raise holy hell with HAL.  Period.

 

 

~Nancy

[ski ww]

There are always people that will abuse the system. It is about people who think the rules don't apply to them.

[chengkp75]

6 hours ago, AryMay said:

From the Koningsdam in February...

 

 

In the first picture, the dog is not in compliance with the rules of the ADA, but at least in the second picture it is.  The ADA states, unequivocally that a service dog has to be in one of two allowable locations: on the floor, or in the owner's arms, or a chest carry harness.  Small dogs, typically for diabetics, are allowed to be kept in the owner's arms or a chest carry harness, if they need to be close to the owner's face to detect keto acidosis.

 

I cannot think of a "service" that a small dog would provide for a person with a knee brace, sine the person would still have to bend down to the dog.

 

Those with allergies to a dog do not have the right to challenge the person with the dog as to whether it is a service dog or not, but do have the right to challenge the cruise line about it. 

[Wehwalt]

I judge. Sorry. It's been too widely abused. There, I said it.

Edited April 9 by Wehwalt

[Cruising Is Bliss]

I hate that people abuse this because OMG they can't possibly be separated for a minute from their pet and to h*ll with everyone else.

 

FWIW Max Domi, an NHL player who is Type 1 and was diagnosed as a child, does have a large service dog, a golden retriever.

 

A service dog for the deaf is trained to alert to specific sounds depending on the needs of their owner, and can be a small dog that would do very well in a stroller in large groups of people.

Edited April 9 by Cruising Is Bliss

[chengkp75]

16 minutes ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

A service dog for the deaf is trained to alert to specific sounds depending on the needs of their owner, and can be a small dog that would do very well in a stroller in large groups of people.

But, the ADA specifically states there are only two places a service dog should be, and a stroller is not one of them.

[shadow 123]

Is there such a thing as a service cat ? ???? Just asking

[highscar]

Sort of.  .  I am my cats server. 

[Wehwalt]

2 hours ago, highscar said:

Sort of.  .  I am my cats server. 

You haven't met my service boa constrictor, Squeeze? All he wants to do is hug.