My mom told me of some of the challenges that people with service dogs face. One particular story frustrated me enough to want to write about it...
Did you know that there are service dogs who have to put up with people (the general public) bullying them? What has this world come to that some people feel it's "funny" to pick on a service dog?
Service dogs have a JOB to do and they are unable to do that job when mindless cowards are creating a distraction. I'm talking about people jumping out at these dogs, scaring them. Or poking them, barking at them, stomping their foot at them and even yelling at them. Seriously? This is what our schools allow within the confines of their 4 walls?
The particular story that I'm writing about is about a senior in high school who has epilepsy. She takes her service dog with her because he is TRAINED to alert and respond to her seizures. He gives her peace of mind knowing that if a seizure is going to happen, he will take care of her. He is the reason she is able to attend school and be a normal teenager.
Yet you have these spineless bullies who feel the need to torment not only the girl, but the dog. And the teachers DO NOTHING! Do we need to have laws in place that protect service dogs- like a zero tolerance for dogs?
I'm only 13 years old but I know what's wrong in the world today. Too much emphasis is placed on material things in an effort to maintain a feeling of power. Well guess what? I don't care about how much money you have, or the house you live in, or the clothes you wear. Having material wealth does not make you better than anyone else and does not give you the right to bully others.
And parents... why aren't you setting a better example for your kids? Why are you allowing them to be rude and disrepectful to others? Why don't you STOP the behavior? Being a parent is more than providing material things for your kids. Being a parent means you will teach right from wrong (assuming of course that you even know what that means), it's about correcting behavior that is unacceptable, teaching that they should treat everyone equal, and teaching them to have compassion toward others.
Kids... WHY do you think it's ok to bully a service dog? Does it make you feel superior? Do you think it's funny?
Here's a clue- you aren't funny, you aren't even cool. You're just ignorant.
I am in total agreement, I am going to begin working with the ADA, to start emplacing and inforcing protections for service animals, they are an addition to their human counterpart, and in that anything done to the service animal, should be considered to be done to the human, and the same laws and regulations should be enforced, until we make a stand, others will continue to abuse us and our service animals.
ReplyDeleteIncidently their is a law in place that does state abuse or death of a service animal is a crime, who ever this is needs to file a complaint with the ADA and with Persons with Disabilities, against the teachers, bullies, parents, faculty, board, county, and state, someones going to take notice, I will address abuse to service animals in my next interview as this has now enraged me even more.
Signed
Angelo John Stevens, Father to my Hero Andrew Stevens, love All, Inspire many.
Ditto to Angelo!
ReplyDeleteNot just the idiots doing it, but the people who are standing by watching doing nothing and letting it happen.
Bullies are bullies no matter who they are bullying and THIS is a case where they can have some legal consequences.
Oh... and Kait... YOU GO GIRL
And I also think that are bullies out there everywhere NOT just High School, that think hey this person has a service dog. EASY TARGET. Dog and person. and that also makes me mad. Service Animals need to be treated with respect and the person who needs thems. I hope that the people who stood by and just watched get fired!
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