A Facebook friend messaged me the other day, and I still am not sure what to make of it.
I asked my little sister if I should reply, and she said no, because nothing you say will be nice.
She's right, but honestly I am not sure niceness is called for. We worked together and we were friends, but this is not someone I see anymore.
He told me that he had his dog certified as a service dog so that the dog would be able to stay with him in a temporary apartment. He admitted his dog was no Claren but said he is sure she would respond well to an emergency.
This person is not at all disabled.
I can only guess he was hoping I'd say OK, but here is what I'd like to say:
Dear XXX,
I really wish you hadn't done that. I was sure that anyone who had worked in the same office as a service dog would never try to pass off a pet dog as a service dog. I do understand the desire to have your dog with you. But Claren has been preparing for her life for 10 years, me for eight. Do you realize how you have made a mockery of us? And you do not even face a disability. I remember showing one of your daughters how Claren picked up things and pulled stuff. What exactly will your service dog do? I am actually not sure what Claren would do in an emergency, like me falling. That would require me to fall on purpose so as to teach her what to do. I imagine she would just lie down next to me, which may or may not help. But service dogs and their disabled companions have limits.
matt.
3 comments:
I think you should leave out the part that starts "I am actually..." but the sending part is up to you. I know how difficult it can be to see friends do something that is immoral, illegal, and not right and I also know how difficult it is to call them on it. Whatever you decide to do, good luck.
Yeah, I got it out of my system by writing it here
The guy is a douchcanoe who probably parks his Ferrari in handicapped spaces. Hopefully his dog will see the light and crotch bite him.
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