American Dog Owners Act So Damn Entitled
Nobody is fooled by your fake service dog, Becky
When Carly ran into the apartment crying, slamming the door behind her, I figured she was just being dramatic. She is, after all, a twelve-year-old girl. I was slightly annoyed because I was on the phone and the call was difficult, but by the time she got to my bedroom door, I knew something was really wrong.
I was still on the phone when Carly told me that a dog had bitten her while she was on the swing. My daughter is afraid of dogs, and always has been. That tends to piss off certain dog owners who insist that their dog is friendly and that being afraid of dogs is irrational. That might be so, but most fear is.
At this point I was still irked about the interruption, but I also knew by now that Carly did actually need me and that I needed to be fully present for her despite the fact that what I had been doing was important. Carly was upset and afraid and in this moment, she needed her mom.
She talked quickly because her adrenaline was still running, telling me that she had been sitting on the swing listening to her music through her earbuds when the dog, technically on a leash but who was walking it’s owner rather than the other way around, came up behind her and just bit her on the ass.
Of course, I had to have Carly show me the bite, and I saw that the dog’s teeth had pierced through her skin. I was officially pissed off with this dog’s owner, who apparently had just slinked on out of the park rather than trying to see if my child was okay.
Unfortunately for the lady down the street, my neighbor’s camera had gotten a recording of the entire event, and so when I called animal control, they were able to find the dog and it’s owner, who was awarded with a $1,000 fine and a ten day quarantine for her dog.
Needless to say, Carly’s fear of dogs just got stronger.
The sheer entitlement of a certain segment of dog owners in the United States of America is really fucking obnoxious. Of course I know many great dog owners, but I never saw this level of entitlement from dog owners until I arrived in the USA.
Many dog owners are liars, purchasing fancy vests with fake certification papers online, claiming their dog is a service dog when it is not. Then they attempt (and are usually allowed) to bring their dog into the store or other public places even though by now everyone knows it’s a ruse.
Most people don’t bother standing up to these kind of dog owners anymore, as they get rather aggressive about their insistence that their precious baby be allowed anywhere, everyone else be damned. It’s so bad that in my area nobody dares say anything anymore.
Now, I’m well aware that service dogs exist, and I’m glad that people who need them have access to their dogs. These dogs are important companions, and legitimate service animals that perform life-saving tasks. These dogs absolutely need to be present in spaces their person is in.
I have no complaints about those that bring their legitimate service dogs that are essentially medical equipment, I just can’t stand those who pretend their princess is a service dog so they can cart it around everywhere.
One day, while I was in a space that I’m in a minimum of once a week (my therapist’s office), there was a person with a fake service dog, whose handler allowed it to bail me up against a wall and sniff at my crotch. This was totally unacceptable and triggered me in ways she will never understand. The owner shrugged and said “sorry” but that was it.
I don’t hate dogs, often the problem is their owners. I am, however, afraid of some dogs. I have my own dog-related trauma. I’ve been told that I’m a terrible human being because people who are afraid of or don’t like dogs are bad people, and untrustworthy.
It’s socially unacceptable to not be a fan of dogs.
I and my family are cat people, we have a gorgeous gray tabby and chonky tri-color calico. We don’t hate dogs, we just greatly prefer cats. One of my children loves all animals great and small (up to and including spiders and snakes), one is fine with most dogs, and Carly is frightened of dogs.
It seems that it’s just not okay to not love dogs, but it’s perfectly fine and trendy to hate on and be afraid of cats. As a cat owner, I don’t bring my cats everywhere I go, and many dog owners would be angry if I did. I’ve had them tell me that it’s different with cats, but that’s just not true.
Not liking a particular dog, or not wanting to share public space with dogs doesn’t make me a bad, untrustworthy person any more than someone hating cats makes them bad.
Is it really that hard for Americans to leave their dogs at home for a few hours?