Please Don't Distract Working Dogs

If there is one post of mine that you ever read, let it be this one.  If there is one post of mine that you take to heart, let it be this one.  If there is one post of mine that you share with all your friends and family and coworkers and random strangers, let it be this one.

Why?  This post is a PSA about the importance of not distracting a working dog: distracting a Service Dog can seriously hurt its handler.  It can also undo years of training and force the dog to retire early, leaving the disabled handler without his/her source of independence.  I know I've said it many times in many posts, but it cannot be said enough.

Distractions include, but are not limited to:

• petting
• touching
• staring
• barking at/making noises at/speaking to the dog
• attempting to feed/feeding the dog
• making direct eye contact with the dog
• separating the dog from its handler
• interfering with the dog's job or task
• taking your /child over to the dog to "say hello"
• any interaction with the dog without permission of its handler in that specific moment

Service Dogs are their handlers' lifelines.  Distracting a service dog can directly lead to the harm, injury, hospitalization, and even death of the handler.  Only mere seconds of distraction can lead to massive consequences for the handler.  Dogs are very cute, but is petting that dog really worth risking someone's life?  Would you deny someone their Epipen during a life-threatening allergic reaction?  A Service Dog is not there for your amusement: it is there to aid its handler.

This is the real life consequence of only seconds of distraction.
(This photo is used with the original user's permission.)

If the reality of the photo didn't sink in, please take a minute to read this article and see why it's so incredibly important to let Service dogs--and any working dogs--just do their job.  Beyond that, interfering with someone's medical equipment is disrespectful to that person and is a sign of ableism.  And if any of the moral reasons haven't convinced yourself just to ignore Service Dogs and let them do their jobs, then know this: it is illegal to interfere with a Service Dog, and depending on the state, you will have to pay hefty fines and/or spend time in jail.

So please, if you see me or any other service dog out with its handler, do not acknowledge us.  If you see a service dog, ignore it.  It's that simple.


Thank you,
Kelsie Iris

Edited to Add:  This is probably my most important post about interacting with Service Dogs.  However, it's probably not my most important post of all time.  I strongly believe that my best and most impactful posts are the ones in which I discuss health and illness, especially mental health and its stigma.  So please, even if you really do take this post to heart, don't forget to take other posts to heart as well.  Thank you!  On that note, you might want to read this post and this post.



Check out these other posts of mine:
SD team etiquette
Don't distract SDs
Spoon Theory
Confused? See my terms and abbreviations