[Demonskid]

I don't see the forum this would normally go under, but I do see the threads that were there are now in CS SO! Here I go!

I was discussing Companion Pets with a person on another site. I found the topic to be interesting and I thought I found something to talk about with this person. As I was going to bed I told them "I hope we can continue this interesting conversation tomorrow" and their reply was kind of a let down.

They didn't consider the topic interesting at all and they didn't want to continue it.

Maybe I should tell you what the conversation was fully about.

At first I had mentioned how my apartment doesn't allow pets other than a Cat or Dog. No Fish, No Birds, No Hamsters.. And they asked 'Why a Cat or Dog' and I explained to them that the Cat or Dog is considered a Companion Pet, and that to have one here you'd need a doctor's written note stating that you need the pet. I also explained that we have our cats because of mom's Bi-Polar and Manic Depression and that they help her calm down when she's upset and suicidal.

That's where the debate started. They started on saying people with mental problems shouldn't be allowed companion pets just because they 'calm' someone down. And then they started talking about companion pets being forced on them in public.

That is what I found interesting. Apparently where they live, blind or not, anyone is allowed to take a Companion Pet into a store. Around my area, you have to be Blind to take an animal into a store, and even then they don't do that. They leave their Pets in the car and have who ever drove them, help them get what they need.

What also got my interest is that they stated they had Autism and there for no stranger to mental disorder. I was so tempted to ask if they were also suicidal, or just stayed in bed for weeks at a time due to depression.

I learned that the reason they think People with mental disorders shouldn't be allowed to have companion pets, is because they are allergic to pet dander, and their area allows these types of companion pets into stores. I also learned that they don't care if the companion pet keeps these people from hurting themselves or others all because they are allergic to animals.

SO! What I Am hoping from this thread is to hear other peoples thoughts on Companion Pets. Do you think people with certain mental disabilities should have them? Or do you think only the blind should have companion pets?

How does your area handle Companion Pets? No matter what the companion pet is for, are they allowed in public areas (other then Pet stores) or are they to be kept at home or in the car?

I'm curious to hear people's answers on this topic. =)

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I support them anywhere they can do good, but I'm an animal person in general. What gets me about the allergy argument, is that people only seem to apply it to pets. I know several people who are allergic to perfumes and fragrances, but I don't see people complaining about those in shopping malls or on buses to the extent that it's used against animals.

This also ties into what seems to me to be the current sentiment that if someone has a problem, it's the job of the rest of the world to work around it. Frankly, I'm getting fed up with it.

[Witchchylde]

My Chiweenie has appointed herself my Service dog, she keeps an eye on my diabetes, as well as my mood disorders. I'm told I could bring her to the library during our book club meetings but I don't have the service harness yet.

[Awen Moonshine]

Personally I'm not an animal person and I'm actually scared of dogs, but I have a few friends that have service animals for various reasons. I know just how much having their animals helps them and would never want or expect them to leave their animals behind because of me. The animals are there not for me but to keep their owners safe.

I'm also allergic to animal dander/fur, I just make sure I take an antihistamine before I meet with them, plus there are treatments the owners can get to make their animals nonallergic.

[Witchchylde]

Oh, I wouldn't take Winnie out unless she were thoroughly bathed and sprayed with the stuff that keeps her dander from flaking off.

[Coda]

I think there's also a big difference between service animals (who are specially trained for their role) and pets. A pet that's running around uncontrolled is a totally different thing from an obedient animal on a harness.

[Demonskid]

Yay! Conversation! x3

I never knew dogs could help keep track of diabetics! That's interesting and helpful! =o

My cats (Hiro at least) help keep mom in a stable mood when she's upset. Zeke annoys her so I keep him with me when she's in a mood xD

I'm curious to hear other health problems they help out with! =)


Companion Pets o3o Not all pets need to be trained to be a companion pet. cats and dogs can be soothing and theraputic to mentally ill people. My cats weren't trained.. (I did teach zeke to walk around with a harness and leash though >.>,)

Companion Pets for Blind, Deaf, or Wounded Soldiers do need to be trained though.

[Awen Moonshine]

One of my friends in particular started seizures that started after he fell, hit his head and had a bleed on hid brain. He also has Fibromyalgia and a whole list of other issues but his support dog Kayleigh lets him know when he has a seizure coming on when out and helps when he is having/has had a seizure.

[Lucid:]

I think companion pets are great, but I do also think that they should be required to have SOME sort of training to be taken to public places that don't typically allow your standard pet.

I have an aunt who purchased certification for her dog and calls her a "companion pet/therapy pet." My aunt has absolutely no need to have her dog nearby, and at dinner parties tells funny stories about people asking her what the dog helps her do and her giving funny or awkward answers. She brags about how she can cheat the system since she's able to get the certification so easily and is not legally obligated to disclose her "illness" which her dog "helps" her with.

Now, luckily my aunt's dog is tiny and well behaved. But not everybody's pet is suited to handle crowds, or children, or strangers, etc. The fact that anybody can get their standard, run of the mill pet "certified" to bring to public places just by spending a few bucks is absurd. Pets who aren't well trained around strangers can be disruptive or harmful. I don't care about the whole allergy thing, but if a little kid pulls the dog's tail and the dog turns around and bites the kid, that is a serious problem. Pets trained to be companions in public areas (hopefully) wouldn't have social problems cropping up. Requiring a training course would twofold decrease the problems people have with other peoples' companion pets, and also increase the barrier to entry for obtaining the proper certification.

[Coda]

Lucid, fortunately it's not quite as ridiculous as it sounds. People CAN'T get a certification for just any run-of-the-mill pet, and non-disabled people can't get a service/support animal registration. For starters, even though a disabled person doesn't have to tell the specifics about the disability, there is a requirement to verify one's disability with the registration board by having a licensed mental health professional write a letter to the board verifying that the animal is medically necessary. And not just any pet can get the registration; the pet must be "manageable in public" which means that it must never show aggression towards humans or other animals when unprovoked. And if that pet is a dog on a leash, there are a set of commands that the pet must recognize and obey.

The registration is, technically, not a requirement. It just makes things easier because you can show the registration and avoid a lot of questions. (You can't be asked to show registration, but you can show it if you want.) However, if your service/support animal misbehaves in any way, even if registered, you can get kicked out like anyone else.

The law also says you also have to be able to explain how the animal assists you to anyone who asks, and provide verbal evidence about the necessity of the animal and the role the animal plays. If it looks like you're making something up, or if the animal isn't necessary to perform the task (for example, if the animal carries supplies that you could carry yourself in a bag), then again, you can get ejected.

So basically... the idea that you don't have to explain anything is misleading. You have to explain EVERYTHING about the animal -- just not about yourself. So you'd better be practicing your story.

As an aside: "Therapy dogs" that provide comfort and affection are not service animals and entertain no protection under the law. (This is different from an emotional support animal, whose presence mitigates psychological issues.) If some service is claiming to register them, they're a scam.

[Salone]

My opinions may not be popular here, but stick with me.

First off, to people who are allergic to dander, well...there's this thing called Benadryl. It's cheap, allows you to suck it up and stop leeching the joy that animals bring out of everyone else's lives. Not everyone has to cater to you and your special snowflake tendencies. The world is cruel, but animals are not. Don't make it worse.

On the flipside, I absolutely abhor people who just take their pets with them everywhere they go. Service animals are excluded from this next bit, but pets are like genitals: Yeah sure it's lovely to have them, but start taking them out in public everywhere you go and no one is going to like you for it.

In today's 'everything must be insured and protected' world, animals are an unknowable variable. Something can always set off a dog who 'doesn't bite' or cause an accident. Plus, most public places and stores are made for people, and need to follow certain rules that animals can violate. Hygiene alone is one. I worked at a pharmacy, I didn't need flea-ridden animals who could have anything coming in. This was a place of medicine, not the barnyard vet clinic. Just because your little yappy rat dog is cute to you doesn't mean everyone else needs to see it. Leave it at home. It has no concept of time, it can stand to be away from you.

The exception here is proper shelter. If you're traveling with an animal and need to go somewhere, I understand bringing it in. An animal should not be left in a car for any circumstance, no matter the weather. So...as much as I hate seeing people showcase their dogs that cost more than I make in a month, or the more appropriately adorable muttbags, I'd rather them be in a public place or store than trapped in a vehicle. I love animals too much to leave them in a position of possible harm.

Now for service dogs, well...did you know it's really, really easy to buy a harness for your dog that says 'service animal' on it? A lot of people near these parts will just plop them on their animal so they can take them in wherever they go. Which admittedly, paints a bad picture for real service animals everywhere.

So yeah I have this awkward mix of loving animals but hate seeing them paraded around by their owners in public. Not the animals themselves, but just the owners.

Screw those owners.

Therapy animals or anything similar to that in a home is fine with me. Keep whatever. It's just the public bits that get me.

[CupcakeDolly]

My apartment has a two-pet maximum and a monthly fee for each pet, but the fee can be waived if the pet is a registered service animal (for any reason, including for therapy).

Unless an animal is providing a necessary service, such as leading the blind or (and this is a thing I just heard about recently, and I'm all for it) helping to alleviate severe social anxiety, I don't see the point of taking them into a grocery store or other place. Therapy pets are only necessary at home, where you can take the time to cuddle up to them and give them your focused attention.

On the other hand, it seems silly to complain about it. Like Quiet said, it's not your job to work around other people's issues with your pet.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Salone

First off, to people who are allergic to dander, well...there's this thing called Benadryl.

This too.

[Awen Moonshine]

Obviously things in America are very different than here in the UK regarding this as the animals have to be trained and pass that training to be classified as a service animal. We don't really get animals for having mental health issues over here though.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Animals can do a lot for people. I know there are companion/service animals available for people with Autism, PTSD, seizures, diabetes, physical disability, etc. Animal therapy can cover a large amount of territory. I know of therapy riding for people with disabilities to assist with mental and physical therapy, apparently cows and their inclination to herd with anything can be helpful for people with autism, and goats keep good company with kids with Tourette's since they are indifferent to spontaneous behavior. It's interesting stuff. I just happened to come across a news thing talking about a program in Toronto that's working on getting pet visits for people in hospital.

[Lawtan]

...
*The Autistic seven-headed dragon with anxiety/trauma-induced clinical depression eats the other Autistic person*

Honestly, I have been considering getting/working with/training one to help with my problems. When your problems keep you from:
1) Being able to cross a crowded area
2) Be unable to leave a quiet area (to exercise, eat, et cetera)
3) Run around people to get away from them
4) Lose hours due to anxiety/depression
et cetera

...may be good to have a companion. Biggest thing is that a dog is another being, and I don't want to risk that I could hurt it by not giving it enough attention.

Originally Posted by Quiet Man Cometh

I support them anywhere they can do good, but I'm an animal person in general. What gets me about the allergy argument, is that people only seem to apply it to pets. I know several people who are allergic to perfumes and fragrances, but I don't see people complaining about those in shopping malls or on buses to the extent that it's used against animals.

^This.

Originally Posted by Coda

I think there's also a big difference between service animals (who are specially trained for their role) and pets. A pet that's running around uncontrolled is a totally different thing from an obedient animal on a harness.

To my knowledge, this is the case (Mom has been working to turn a half-way trained military dog (rather poorly done) into a decent service dog. While at times he can be difficult, he is certified now and listens well to mom.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

[QUOTE=Lawtan;1672321...may be good to have a companion. Biggest thing is that a dog is another being, and I don't want to risk that I could hurt it by not giving it enough attention.[/QUOTE]

That would depend on the dog (if we're talking dogs). Some breeds are different from others and dogs within a breed vary, too. Some are more independent, others are clingy. I had a Cavalier which is considered to be a very social and "sticky" breed. He never seemed to require too much of my attention (unless I had food) but he was always in my company. If I sat on the couch, he was on the couch. If I got up to put a dish in the sink, he came with. Upstairs, downstairs, the other room, etc. If I was anywhere, he was somewhere in the same area if not within five feet. Feeding him would get me up in the morning, and looking after him had me doing more than I normally would in a day.

Learning about him (his individual habits, his breed, and dogs in general) also gave me something else to focus my energies towards. Training, caring for, and working with an animal can give someone a feeling of capability which can also help self-esteem.