A few weeks ago my wife and I were in one of our favorite diners when another couple walked in with their small service dog in a pouch. Personally, I do not care, as long as the dog is well behaved the group can do what they will and the dog seemed very at ease. My service dog was tucked and did watch the couple as they entered but stayed at his tuck under the table.
As we were enjoying our meal I happened to notice a commotion coming from the other sd table and I glanced over. The female hander was asking her husband(?) to take a picture as she hugged the dog above the table. Ethically I have some problems with this, but I get it. But, it got me thinking about all the conversations I have had with "want to be" handlers and really wondered if their disability really breached the ADA definition of "disability". Has the openness of the ADA mandate in the search for better inclusion created a worse monster now that we are 10+ years out from the last revision?
Are some people using the thought of a service dog to simply bring that person the attention they may be missing? I am not pointing this at anyone, or even say it is truly happening, just my overactive brain working through things I have been noticing.
What are your thoughts on it?
