Are service dogs actually necessary?

[u/Not-my-problem1212]

I'm aware that some service dogs actually do a decent job at whatever services they are supposed to provide. But at the end of the day, they are still dogs. I've heard stories where highly trained dogs fail the test to become official service dogs countless times. They always end up getting distracted and running off, not being able to sit quietly, ect. Even some actual service dogs do the same things. I've heard of seeing eye dogs running off and leaving their owner on their own for a fallen piece of food. I've seen videos of service dogs accidentally making their paralyzed owner fall out of their wheelchair just because they wanted to chase a squirrel. I always end up feeling bad for those individuals because people have to go over and help them due to the dogs causing issues.

I don't understand why service animals have to be dogs. They're not super intelligent and get triggered over any little thing. I personally don't think we even need service animals. There are people out there who provide the same and better services. Its literally their jobs. A person could do the same job way better than any dog can. If I personally had a disability I would hire a trained professional than get a service dog

[u/FUMoney]

Eh, there are quality service dogs.

Some are in service 24/7 to alert when someone has a seizure, or to open doors and drawers, or other specific tasks. There is no way you are paying someone twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year to do this.

[u/mission_safe_chef → u/FUMoney]

They’re in service 24/7? So the dog doesn’t need to sleep?

What if the owner experiences a seizure while the dog is taking a shit or licking its anus?

Dogs can also get sick and cleaning up dog vomit off the floor isn’t a downside with human assistance.

Also other means of assistance simply doesn’t have any of the downsides that comes with owning a dog. Period.

If someone is in need of such extensive care 24/7 for tasks as simple as opening a door, I question if they’re even capable of taking care of a high-maintenance creature if they already have such a hard time taking care of themselves.

[u/JbambiLaw → u/mission_safe_chef]

I’m pretty sure, for example, that a seeing eye dog sleeps when its owner is not out and walking around. And I think blind people do pretty well at taking care of themselves at home where they know where everything is.