With morning wakeup calls like this, who needs coffee? I went from groggy to "orange alert" in about two seconds.
The scene of the crime: my local subway station. I was waiting on the train platform with a bunch of other commuters, reading the Times. It was about 9:30 AM. After the train pulled up, I stepped inside.
It was then that I encountered this black and brown brindle pit bull and its smug, asshole owner. I would have turned around and stepped right back out, but the doors closed behind me:
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| Pit Bull Owner Says: "I love to intimidate my fellow straphangers with my dog! That's how I roll!" |
I took a seat as far away from them as possible. Then I took out my camera and snapped a few pics.
Now, I think that the situation pretty much speaks for itself, but let's go over a few notes:
With the exception of SERVICE dogs and police dogs, it is illegal to bring animals on New York City subways unless they are crated or otherwise contained. Incidentally, I have only witnessed this law broken twice. The other time it was also a person with a pit bull. Millions of other New Yorkers carry their pets in a crate or hire a damn taxicab to take their dogs somewhere, like you're supposed to.
The pit bull is wearing a green vest. On one side, the vest says "Service Dog," and on the other it says: "Please Ask to Pet Me." Is that an invitation...? Most vests I've seen say: "Please don't pet me. I'm working!" I don't know.
The pit bull was sanding up and looking around the whole time. Every service dog I remember seeing would sit or lay down at its owners' feet once the owner became seated.
This woman is wearing high-heeled boots and carrying a large tote bag. I have no idea what her disability is (Dawn James suspects it is Narcissistic Personality Disorder), but it doesn't seem to be mobility. (I do know that many disabilities are "hidden," like MS)
The train car was pretty full and some people were standing, but nobody wanted to sit next to this Special Snowflake and her stunt pit. Some more people got on at the next stop and they preferred to stand. She got half of a full row of seating all to herself! Of course she did--she's entitled! Bet your ass she's on a pit bull forum right now complaining about how nobody would sit next to her on the train.
She spent the entire time bent over the dog, holding it by the leash close to the collar, with this little smile on her face. You can see the smirk even in the blurry photo below.
I almost approached her to take better photos, but I didn't want to get too close to the dog. The train is a high-stress environment for any animal. Lots of strange noises, strange people coming and going, it rocks on the track, sometimes the lights go out. Lord knows pits have flipped for less.
I reached my destination after a few more stops and got off the train. Thanks for making my morning commute more interesting, asshole!
66 comments:
yeah , lots of em seem to have this attitude of f.u. as though theyre fighting terrible injustice and prejudice against their noble shit-bulls. ive seen it with pitters walking their mutants on-leash, off-leash and even running free unsupervised . self-entitled assholes is right.
oh miss margo, i was just being a smart ass with the narcissistic personality disorder comment, although i would not be surprised if her personality was disordered :-)
"as though theyre fighting terrible injustice and prejudice against their noble shit-bulls. "
snarky the poet.
This lady probably does have narcissistic personality disorder. Correct me if I'm wrong, but part of that is the inability to truly love or care for something other than yourself. So, I'll ask: who here would cart around their dog in high stress situations like this if not really necessary?
I know that my dog would be scared and shaking the whole time. Why would I do that to him?
Have I said yet today how much I hate pit nutters?
The vest was the dead giveaway that it wasn't a certified service dog. In all my years of working with the disabled, your description of the service dogs is accurate. They do like to push the envelope don't they?
I think I'll order a service dog vest for my Mastiff's and Great Pyrenees!
http://www.ldsleather.com/patches.html
No disabled person that I've ever been around had a vest that said pet me.
Thanks for the comments, everyone! I know this isn't the most muckraking blog post in the Pit Bull War Blogs, but I had to write it. I could not believe my eyes! She perfectly demonstrated stereotypical pit bull activist personality traits: the belief that rules did not apply to her; a lack of consideration for others; disingenuous; and a self-righteous attitude.
I am very glad she is not my next-door neighbor.
Think we could get Jewel Jade's thoughts on this stunt? Also, if I see this happening again, who do you think I should complain to? I will look into this today.
Personally I think anything service dog related should not be able to had by anyone with a computer...only by accredited service dog orgs or accredited orgs associated with person's with disabilities.
As a dog trainer for 35 years who has volunteered with CCI and other groups, I agree that this dog appears to be a "fake" service dog. A licensed dog generally carries a state-issued ID in a clear patch on the vest... does NOT invite petting... and lies down during transport. When asked, a truly disabled person should be able to prevent a state-issued license for their service dog.
Due to availability of patches and vests, anybody can fake that their dog is a service dog.
I read increasingly about for-profit organizations that take dogs (like pits) from the shelter, give a few weeks of obedience training, then place them as "service dogs" for people who do NOT qualify for a real service dog. These people include those who are: 1) lonely, 2) have ADD, 3) are ex-military--even those who never saw a minute of combat, 4) like to be treated as "special."
For instance, this bozo, whose book I was misfortunate enough to read: http://www.amazon.com/Until-Tuesday-Wounded-Warrior-Retriever/dp/1401324290. He says his dog knows over 70 commands, but couldn't name any but sit, down, stay, heel and fetch when I e-mailed him in person. His reason for having the dog is to "calm him" when he goes into public because he "has PTSD from having served in Iraq."
Well, I've had trauma in my life and find dogs a calming influence too, but I don't have the convenient excuse of having served in the military. So my dog has to stay home when I go out. Anyway, I wish people would stop abusing the system or REAL disabled people and their dogs will soon be in the minority compared to the "fake" service dogs.
handicapped should mean physically not mentally. not that there arent any mental handicaps but those that are only mildly stupid or borderline psychotic shouldnt be abusing the system by parading their mutants around as though they are highly trained service dogs .
miss margo, if nothing else, these photos are a great addition to the pit bull paparazzi. click on the label under the post date.
i had hoped this would take off and people would send me their photos. oh well...
as for what you could do the next time, i tried to complain about a "service" pit bull that was barking, lunging, growling and snapping at people in a grocery store. the asst manager even saw it. she wouldn't do anything about. businesses are fearful of bringing the wrath of the ADA down on them. i informed the asst manager that she not only as a right to ban this dog, she has a duty to protect her customers. she just shrugged her shoulders. so, the answer to next time, be ready to video any behavior that provides evidence of stunt pits.
I would fear more the wrath of the disabled community. Their efforts are hard won. These type of fake service dogs can cause problems for the truely disabled. Their already dealing with serice supports being cut in many states due to funding issues.
I have alwasy asked true service dog owners when out in the community if I could pet their dog, yes who was lying at their feet(except the one standing I saw in a checkout line-that dog was huge! Soem kind of doodle but as big as my Mastiff almost) I have always been kindly told no that their dog was working except when I visited a clients hime then I was given permission.
Thanks for the insight, Mr. Yildiz.
Dawn: the grocery store? Jeez
yep, it was quite the show. mid 20's white male, dirty, baggy pants. he looked like a pot head. his pit was black and white, very young, maybe a year old, no vest, no harness. i wish i had a video camera that day. i would have made him and his service mutant famous. i try never to be caught with a video camera now. this was my second missed opportunity to capture the essence of pit bull for the world. i could tell you about the pit bull in the car next to me stopped at a light going apeshit and trying to break out to get my dogs. the look of horror on the nutter's face as she scrambled to get the half open window closed while trying to calm and control her lick you death raised with love and affection gripping dog, it was just as priceless.
There's a guy that walks his "service dog" past the house. The dog is off lead and no vest. I asked him about it and he flashed some paperwork once. I'd call the police or AC, but they only deal with problems after the violence occurs. The guy with the service dog is off his rocker I belief. It looks like a brindle medium-large medium length hair mutt. He told me it was part dingo and part cane corso....whatever.
Hi gang! Wow, interesting post! Here are my thoughts on this pit bull "service dog." The first thing that bothers me about the photos is that the dog is staring at another rider and not even paying attention to its handler. A service dog is a service dog, for whatever reason, but it's purpose is to care for/serve its handler. How is it going to serve its handler, when its busy staring at other riders on the train. It isn't even paying attention to what's going on with its handler.
Another thing...yes, a service dog will sit when its handler sits usually, unless for some reason it knows it's not supposed to. That's rare. Yes, it should at least be sitting either sideways where it can see its handler peripherally or sit facing its handler, or lying down, with handler in its view. (peripherally works) Unless the dog is for PTSD specifically and it's "protecting" its handler, meaning letting the handler know when someone is getting too close. (cont.)
Speaking of mental handicaps, there are some that a service dog can assist with. PTSD is one, but the dog MUST be individually trained to PERFORM SPECIFIC TASKS, not just make you feel good. Some are trained to lick its handler's face to break the handler out of a flashback, or put their paws on the handlers chest, etc. A service dog can also find the door and take the handler to it, in case of a panic attack etc. But no, a service dog is not a service dog if it's just there to make the handler feel good. That's an emotional support animal, not the same thing, and not afforded the same public access rights.
As far as the vest goes....my service dog always wears a vest, or her harness (for mobility purposes) when out in public with me. It just makes good sense to avoid confrontations about access rights. No the dog does NOT have to have any type of i.d. card or paperwork to prove its a service dog...the dog's behavior should speak for that. Most people can tell whether a service dog is a REAL service dog by the way it behaves, and whether its serving its handler or not. The ADA regs are not vague regarding what is and is not a service dog. I personally prefer that people DO NOT PET my service dog as that distracts her from doing her job. Most handlers feel the same; however, there are some people that feel it's okay if their service is pet, but they want people to ask first. I do let some people pet my dog, when she is not in her harness, and only wearing her vest. That's because she's not in the process of doing mobility work, because I'm in a scooter. When she wears her vest, she is doing only retrieving, and other work, not mobility. I prefer NO ONE pets her, but some people beg, and I feel bad, so I let them. Mostly children...while they pet, I educate them about service dogs. Some handlers do have vests that state,"Ask before petting," but I disagree with that whole thing. It should be noted, that regardless of what any of the vests say, people tend to pet your service dog anyway, most times without asking. I HATE THAT!!!
Having said all that, although the ADA does NOT have any breed specific regulations on what can/cannot be a service dog, I WISH THEY DID! I don't personally believe that pit bulls make good service dogs, as they are completely unpredictable. One thing I'd worry about with this woman and her "service dog" on the train....what if another person with their service dog came on also. How would this pit bull react? That's extremely important, as their are other service dog teams out there.
And, lastly, yes, there are a lot of invisible disabilities. I know it's hard, but it's important to really try not to discriminate against someone with a disability that you cannot see. I realize that's not easy, but it's important. This dog could be a diabetes service dog, or a seizure response dog. But...if that were the case, IT'D BE AT LEAST PAYING ATTENTION TO ITS HANDLER. Also, the vest should have the logo, or patch of the organization that trained the dog, if it was trained by an organization. It's crucial to represent the organization and give them credit for training your dog.
I wouldn't have gotten on that train with my service dog, with that lady and her pit there.
I'd also like to say thank you for posting this on your blog! It's important that people see the difference between how a REAL service dog behaves, vs. a fake "service dog." Most handlers who choose to have a service dog, won't choose a pit bull, just because it makes good sense to have a service dog that will be okay with people getting close to the handler/touching the handler if need be.
It REALLY bothers me that this "service dog" isn't paying any attention to its handler, and it's not sitting quietly or lying down with the handler in its view. That's bothersome to say the least. The dog is supposed to be there FOR the handler, not to intimidate others. That's just sick!
I know there are a lot of invisible disabilities out there, and I too question whether this service dog is real, but not because of the handler's invisible disability; I question it because of the dog's behavior.
Thanks again for posting this! Glad I could add my two (more like 3 or 4) cents to it. :) Keep fighting the good fight!!!!
last january, snack sized dog did an excellent blog post on service pits
There's just one more thing I want to say...(sorry for carrying on)....Any business owner or manager has EVERY right to ask a handler to remove their service dog if it is being a nuisance or being aggressive, etc. A restaurant owner can ask a handler to remove their service dog if it's sniffing customers or their food, begging for food, etc. Business owners really need to understand that this is their RIGHT! They DO have the right to ask a service dog to leave, BUT they must allow the handler back in to finish their business without the dog.
I think if business owners and managers knew or understood this RIGHT that they have, there'd be a lot less problems. They don't have to determine whether the dog is a REAL service dog or not, they CAN ask it to leave if it's bothering people, barking, etc.
One comment here talked about a service dog lunging, barking, snarling etc, and the manager refused to put the dog out. That's CRAZY!!! There is absolutely NO reason that manager couldn't have asked that dog to leave. Business owners have rights too, and they need to use them. They need to be educated on that.
Just wanted to add that....
Jewel Jade;
Thanks for reading my post and for leaving such generous and edifying replies.
Haha--you are right--the dog was indeed staring at the folks across the isle by the door almost the *entire* time. I kept looking in front of its eyeline wondering, "What's it staring at?" Well, obvious answer. It was looking at exactly what (or, in this case, whom) it appeared to be looking at.
After read or see real service dogs and their handlers, it makes the fakers seem even more deployable. It's almost like if real search/rescue dog/handler teams were searching rubble for a child and then here come pit dingbat with her fake search pit sniffing around getting in the way and smiling ("look at me! look at my pit! woo hoo!")
Jewel Jade:
Thanks for tne additional info. It's very helpful. I've been around service dogs but never worked directly with a client that had one. My time has been with Quads, MR/MI.
I know two REAL service dogs...one of course, Jewel knows too...the other a dog that helps a man who is wheelchair bound because of a car accident. This piece of shit nutter and her freaky dicky pit are nothing but an insult and hard slap in the face of bonafide service dogs and the incredible souls who count on them. What the hell possess people?? I know, it the demon soul of that thing on the end of the leash in the bad green vest.
I think I might have had some fun with the pit lady...
"Hey pit lady, did you read the story of the pit bull that dragged its owner in front of the train instead of onto one? That was in California. Man, California… It seems like they have all the luck!"
"So, what's your disability - other than you couldn't find a real service dog in a world full of labradors."
"Brown shoes and a white bag... a brindle pit in a green vest. Let me guess… the carpet doesn’t match the drapes, either. Is that what made you give up?"
“You know, it’s a shame that dog will never be a golden retriever, or a lab, or a collie, but look on the bright side… it could still become a Korean dish!”
“Aren’t you afraid your pit bull might suddenly kill you? Not that any of us care if it’s you – just curious.”
I 2nd the idea of forwarding this to jewel jade. The disabled community should not be exploited so that sociopathic weirdos can exempt themselves from the rules.
er, duh, they posted here. I looked for a post on their blog instead of here. Thanks for the insight jules!
GREAT PIT BULL JUDICAL MOMENTS IN HISTORY:
2002 US District Court Judge William Alsup weighs in on PTSD "Stunt Pits" and landlords:
Issuing one of the first court verdicts to weigh a conflict between the right of a legally disabled person to keep a companion animal and the duty of landlords to protect tenants from dangerous dogs, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled on August 8, 2002 that the San Francisco landlord of Guy Lowe, 38, met the requirements of federal law and the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission by allowing legally disabled persons to keep small dogs, and that Lowe, whose claimed disability is severe depression, acted unreasonably in demanding to keep a pit bull terrier. "The potentially catastrophic consequences of a pit bull attack must be considered, even if the risk of that attack is remote," Judge Alsup wrote
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/02/10/judges1002.html
Since Judge Alsup's ruling, 22 Californians have been mauled to death by Pit Bulls.
Disclaimer* You can't make this stuff up!
your one funny dude, as I was reading I thought it would be great to have stickies that you can pop on the vest over ask to pat
that say
please shoot me
"So, what's your disability - other than you couldn't find a real service dog in a world full of labradors."
Priceless.
The stickers that Unknown mentioned are a good idea. You could also slap one of these target stickers on it.
http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/images/catalog/target-stickers-main.jpg
I got into it with a woman with a service pit once over the interwebs. She described how the pit helps with her mobility and such and that she was a small person and so a medium size dog was good for mobility work, etc. My question was:
"No offense, but you are a small person with a physical disability, and you think you could control a fighting breed dog that saw another dog and suddenly switched on?"
That really pissed her off and sent her into a tirade.
I think this is one reason why the more biddable and tolerant breeds are used for service.
""No offense, but you are a small person with a physical disability, and you think you could control a fighting breed dog that saw another dog and suddenly switched on?" "
you nailed DubV. i cringe when i see seniors, children and those who are physically incapacitated in some way hanging on to a leash of the ultimate canine gladiator.
i think people are kind of trying to pull a fast one when they expect others to believe these mutants are anything but fighting dogs. they arent popular cuz theyre lovable and sweet and protective and like to dress up as ballerinas , no thats all smoke screen for the real reason which is : people like em cuz they are pit bulls, everyone really knows what that is .
theres a saying : if it looks like a duck, quacks and likes water....maybe it is a duck.
or u could say : if it looks like a pit , has a sleazy looking owner and it wears a "please dont pet me vest".....maybe its a fake service dog. lol at pitters with "service" dogs .
One time I brought Markie, our old Mastiff, to visit my folks. When I took him for a walk..many people stopped to better him which he was fine with. Then we walked past a guy that had just put his pit in his car(the area I grew up in has REALLY changed) and turned to walk toward us with his hand out as he asked if he could pet Markie. Markie growled low in his throat and backed up-I looked at the guy and said "Markie said no" and as we walked away I told Markie I didn't blame him-the guy had pit germs.
This woman might be trying to get around some dog restrictions in her living situations. It wouldn't surprise me. I'm going to look around at: nyc service pit bull
and see if I can find this pair bragging somewhere on the internet.
(something tells me dawn is already doing this!)
LOL@ RESCUE PANTHERS, ED THE TALKING HORSE AND "SERVICE" PITS....(not)
notice how pitters are always trying to pull a fast one? lets see now , theres the ambassador pit (ive met several imperfect ones), the service pit and least but not last im sure, the CANINE GOOD CITIZEN pit. these dont have to be muzzled but if something goes wrong theres always the MAUL N DASH to fall back on .
actually ive known of street people who had "service" pits. kept em warm on park benches and guarded their meager belongings when they found someone to buy them a meal and smokes. had this one street pit, just left there unsecured ,lunged at me and then the super scungy owner come out and berate me for it . yea it was just doing its job ....service with a snarl . LOL not.
hey dawn , thanks for letting the truth shine forth through all the fucking bullshit. shine the spotlight on these self-entitled hypocrites and real people can decide for themselves what to think of them .
nope, i wasn't looking for her but if you find her, send me the link and i will check it out and make sure that miss margo gets first crack at it.
i'm just stunned that people fake service dogs...wtf?
I don't believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that anyone has to show proof their dog is a true service dog. Might get to that point though.
Pitt nutter, faux service pits are very trendy. Simple enough to do, "certification" through an online scam, two clicks of the mouse and the payment of $69 is all it requires. Any dog is certified, sight unseen. With your fake "certification" you can bully your dog into restricted housing, stores, public transportation, and communities with breed restrictions. This is a shameless abuse of the ADA.
"Can you have a pitbull service dog in your apartment under the Insurance Ban in RI you have no legs?"
Yes. The Federal Americans with Disabilities Act trumps any state and local restrictions on Pit Bulls or any other service dog. That said, Pit Bulls aren't used by the service animal industry for a reason, they don't have the temperment that a Lab or Golden has. There is a word of caution, do not claim your dog is a service dog if it isn't. Doing so is a Federal and in most cases State crime.
Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. (ADA)
businesses can not ask for certification but they can ask how the dog assists them.
I took that off an insurance website.
imo it's the same as faking a disability to get a handicap parking pass in order to get the good spots at the mall. Truly telling about the personalities of the people.... or personality disorders lol
BUT if I had depression and there was a loop hole I would try to get my pup certified
...or something like that...i could see people taking advantage of the system. seem like a lot of work to me
During the past few years the disability community has increasingly been a target for budget cuts. When I've been to the Capital and people are there with their service dogs, I have never seen one Pitbull among them.
http://community.dog.com/forums/p/100440/799201.aspx
i only know of one pit bull service dog and really don't know what service he provides. He is on the show Pitboss. Hercules is Shorty Rossi's service dog.
not really sure what makes good service dog or not but on the show his dog is very calm and docile.
Also, someone mentioned bringing a dog on the subway and the dog acting afraid. Any how their dog would act afraid if it were on the subway. I would argue that a dog that went on the subway on a regular basis, regardless of the breed would become accustom to all the noises and be able to relax on a subway. In Boston Mass. you can bring any living animal on the subway...all you have to say is it calms you down....seriously
I have a serious phobia of needles. So bad I get all my dental work without anything. And I've had 13 crowns done. Maybe I need a Mastiff service dog to calm me around needles. Just kiddling.
wouldnt the drill hurt his ears?
i tried that once but it felt like a pitbull had clamped down on my jaw. cured my fear of needles but now my phobia is pits and pitters.
@ nice pitter.
it might calm the pitter but what of the rest of the passengers?
nice pittie , nice pittie , dont get upset, i luv pitbulls.
Yup, the English Mastiff would dash out the door. I think the Dogue would handle it better.
my service dog is an angel and wouldnt bat an eyelash unless he was sitting next to a mutant .
I would love to see the Federal Government come in a sue a city for not honoring Pits as Service dogs...
Yes, That SAME federal government that bans Pits for public safety purposes in DOD family housing and Federal Housing would have to defend Pits in court. Knowing all the while, the US Supreme Court ruled that regulation of dogs is a state and local police matter over 100 years ago.
Its a dog! it didn't hurt you, but seeing How annoying you are maybe it should have!!!!!
thank you pit nutter for sharing your opinion.
Have any of you ever been around a properly trained pit bull? If so, you would know that they are no more aggressive than any other properly trained dog. Many of the "pitbull" maulings that make the news are perpetrated by dogs who have no bull breed in them at all. And while we are on the subject "pit bull" is not even a single breed.
For the record, I do own two "pit bull" mixes...one who is in training to become a service dog. While I agree that people abuse the system more than we care to admit, pit bulls are no more volatile than any other dog if they are raised properly.
And no, I did not choose a pit bull to be a service dog. Our trainer chose to use her instead of aa diferent dog because of her temperament and her bond with me.
blah blah blah anonymous.
Labs and retrievers attack more often than pitbulls.
My sister's pit is an angel as well. She's been attacked by other dogs twice - a st Bernard the size of a bear that left me with a 10 inch scar, and a chihuahua who clearly didn't know its own size. Our dog hid behind her mom or me each time. She isn't territorial, doesn't lunge, only barks when adult men approach too close to my little sister, and almost immediately gets into a submissive position when she sees someone she recognizes (displaying her tummy at their feet).
Any dog raised with aggression will learn to display it.
Fear and distaste aren't a reason to hate and discriminate against anything, including a breed of animal. Negativity is like swallowing poison and somehow hoping the person you hold those feelings for will die. It only hurts you.
blah blah blah
I'm not sure what I'm more annoyed by, the fact that you took the time to write an entire post about your disgust with stranger and her dog sitting peacefully on a train minding their own business, or the fact that I wasted my time reading the damn thing. Next time you should sit quietly and keep your nose out of other people's business like that sweet little pupper.
what a great fucking comment viral vigilante!
always a pleasure to witness pit nutters valuing the first amendment in action.
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