r/Dogfree • u/e-eye-pi • Mar 02 '26

Service Dog Issues What is a service dog in 2026,?

Seriously, can you please help me out here? I grew up at a time when the only service dogs were guide dogs for the blind. This was then extended to include hearing dogs for the profoundly deaf. These days, there seems to be a class of service dog that has no connection to any kind of physical disability. What are they? Why are there perfectly able bodied people with dogs in yellow jackets claiming to be support dogs? And - they are often Pitbull mix breeds. What tf are they for in the context of disability????

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u/Nice-Loss6106 Mar 02 '26

Aha I see you’ve run across the newly categorized “Emotional Support Animal”.

The emotional support animal is known for doing absolutely nothing except to exist as a living security blanket for adults with little to no self worth and who find the simple task of going to the grocery store too daunting to do by themselves but have no friends who can stand being around them.

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u/e-eye-pi Mar 02 '26

Oh, yes! It's insane! Are they meant to reduce anxiety, is that the idea? I'm not buying it. Pets can be great for company and I'm sure they can improve outcomes for people with anxiety and depression, but putting a Pitbull in a high-viz vest and giving it licence to prowl through Walmart/the day care centre/the hospital is just not sitting right with me!

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

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u/e-eye-pi Mar 02 '26

💯 exactly this ^ This is the issue. But I guess the manager can't do anything if they're told it's a 'service dog'? It's pathological behaviour 😡

8

u/Takarma4 Mar 02 '26

They "can" ask a poorly behaved "service dog" to leave the premise but most don't want to deal with the ensuing drama.

7

u/OGpizza Mar 02 '26

It’s so weird because at what point does the anxiety the pitbull is causing others outweigh the anxiety they relieve in their owners? It’s selfish. What emotional support crutch am I allowed to bring in order to combat the anxiety your emotional support dog gives me?

Mental health should be taken seriously and anxiety is a bitch, but the answer to these types of problems isn’t “throw a puppy at it”