Had this question posed in another service dog page. As I expected there was an overwhelming NO put up by most. So I wanted to put my thoughts here and see what others thought.
Let me see if I can explain this a little better based on my law enforcement career.
Situation: I am working traffic enforcement and you go flying by me at 70 in a 55. Not too bad. I decided to pull you over. I get you pulled over and I approach the car. Now there are a lot of things that can change how I am going to approach the vehicle.
Is there a dog in the back seat barking its head off as I approach? My handling of the stop is not going to be done from the window. I am going to ask the driver to get out and step to the back of the vehicle. I would not allow this dog out of the vehicle. It appears not in a good mood it can stay in the vehicle for the 10 or 15 minutes the stop is going to take. Reasoning in court would be to simply ask the person if they had ever left their dog alone? No? Never take them to the vet and had to leave them with the doctor for an exam or anything like that?
If I got to the window and the dog was in the front seat but was poking its head out of the window, or trying? Ask the driver to secure their animal and drive on after that. If it could not be secured, then the same as above.
If I got to the window and a problem presented itself, the smell of alcohol, grass, whatever, or a gun in the vehicle, warrants, again I am going to ask the driver to exit.
As we all know we don't have to have any proof that our dog is in fact a service dog. How is the officer to know that it is in fact a service dog? They can't it could be a dog that is being trained for pit fighting, who knows? As an officer, I would not take that chance. People lie.
Also, if an officer were to allow the dog out with the handler, that officer takes all the responsibility for that animal. What happens when a semi goes by, spokes the dog and it jets? Either into the road where it gets hit or off into the woods lost? The officer would be charged because it put the dog in harm's way.
In closing, just be careful when deciding on where to make a stand. If you want to be a jerk (from the above situation) I would also issue a (POP) citation for imitating a service dog (fake) just to make sure you must come to court and prove you are a legitimate team, where you will need a doctors note, training records, vet records, or the like.
Let me see if I can explain this a little better based on my law enforcement career.
Situation: I am working traffic enforcement and you go flying by me at 70 in a 55. Not too bad. I decided to pull you over. I get you pulled over and I approach the car. Now there are a lot of things that can change how I am going to approach the vehicle.
Is there a dog in the back seat barking its head off as I approach? My handling of the stop is not going to be done from the window. I am going to ask the driver to get out and step to the back of the vehicle. I would not allow this dog out of the vehicle. It appears not in a good mood it can stay in the vehicle for the 10 or 15 minutes the stop is going to take. Reasoning in court would be to simply ask the person if they had ever left their dog alone? No? Never take them to the vet and had to leave them with the doctor for an exam or anything like that?
If I got to the window and a problem presented itself, the smell of alcohol, grass, whatever, or a gun in the vehicle, warrants, again I am going to ask the driver to exit.
As we all know we don't have to have any proof that our dog is in fact a service dog. How is the officer to know that it is in fact a service dog? They can't it could be a dog that is being trained for pit fighting, who knows? As an officer, I would not take that chance. People lie.
Also, if an officer were to allow the dog out with the handler, that officer takes all the responsibility for that animal. What happens when a semi goes by, spokes the dog and it jets? Either into the road where it gets hit or off into the woods lost? The officer would be charged because it put the dog in harm's way.
In closing, just be careful when deciding on where to make a stand. If you want to be a jerk (from the above situation) I would also issue a (POP) citation for imitating a service dog (fake) just to make sure you must come to court and prove you are a legitimate team, where you will need a doctors note, training records, vet records, or the like.
