Why do you need a service dog? Because I am a disabled American Citizen in need daily help to navigate life. I can't afford to pay someone to follow me around all day doing minute tasks, but Charlie can and will do them for me.
Who trained him? My family and I.
Is that legal? Yes, according to the Americans With Disabilities Act.
How will/does he help you? Charlie Majors helps mitigate my disabilities in several ways. He can provide balance/support for me. He also can get my medications/help for me if I am incapable/incapacitated. He also helps with household tasks like laundry, and recycling!
What's wrong with you? I'm assuming when this question is asked that you are inquiring about my health. I do not have to share this information, but I choose to - so I can advocate for invisible disabilities. I have a connective tissue disorder that is still pending final diagnosis from a Geneticist. Currently my insurance is not willing to cover the testing because I need 3 tests and they range in price from $10,000 to $30,000 each. The Rheumatologist diagnosed me with "Ehlers Danlos Syndrome". I also have "Neurogardiogenic Syncope", and a host of other medical diagnosis. Those are the main two that make life hard.
Why can't I pet your dog?/Why can't I talk to your dog? Because even when it looks like Charlie Majors isn't working or doing anything, he needs to be focused and at my disposal if I need something. He needs to learn that all good things come from me, so we can trust each other completely. If you pet or distract him while we're working, it will chip away at our bond and it will put my health in danger.
Well, is he ever allowed to have fun or meet people? Yes! He's a total puppy when he's off duty! At the dog park he runs around like a loony, and in the car at Starbucks he's so excited that his tail will just about beat the door open! When we go to someone's house, he's allowed to play by the owner's rules, and if they have pets he LOVES to make friends. He's a bed hog, and loves to watch movies with dogs, or "The Dog Whisperer" with me at night after work. He loves the beach and rides in boats too.
Why is the title on your blog "a Zebra and her dog"? You're human. Because young doctors are taught the phrase "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras". The phrase means instead of looking for rare illnesses, they need to assume it's common illnesses. The problem is, people such as myself slip through the cracks and get ignored for years. (I've lost count of how many times I've been checked for arthritis!) I'm still trying to get all the help I need. I am not a "regular" patient. I am a Medical Zebra.
Why does your dog have a weird name? My husband and I had been talking for over a year about how upsetting it is for me to ask for help constantly, and for people to see me with my cane and ask "What happened?" or "Were you in an accident?" by random strangers. We decided it would be best for me to get a Mobility Support Service Dog, and we wanted to name it after Lee Majors, the star of "The Fall Guy" (because I fall a lot). We have a weird sense of humor, I know. Well, Charlie was the name of our dog when he lived at the Humane Society, and it just fit to add a middle name. I got my dream! :)
Are you allowed to go everywhere with your dog? Yes, except private property - people have the right to ask us to leave their private property. Also there are some instances where Charlie has not gone with me in hospital, he has had to stay behind with my family.
As a business owner, what questions am I allowed to ask when I see a dog and person trying to enter my store? "Is this a service dog? What task does he do for you?" However, you are NOT allowed to ask what a person's disability is. Likewise, it is NOT a requirement that a service dog wear a certain garment, and service animal teams are not required to show any form of paperwork or id card.
Sometimes I've seen you with a cane and the dog, sometimes without them, sometimes with a walker - you're a fake gimp, aren't you?! No. I'm a "real gimp". My needs change on a daily basis. Some days Charlie might be sick, or needing a break from working really hard, so I will use my walker. I have a walker, cane, service dog and multiple joint braces to help me mitigate my disabilities.
PLEASE REMEMBER: Service animals should be treated by YOU as a medical device. If you wouldn't do it to an oxygen tank, don't do it to a service animal!
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