Service dogs in church?

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Why would she want to do that instead of sit in a pew like everyone else? A service dog is not a child that is brought there to cry.
 
There’s no reason for the OP to isolate herself in a room meant for noisy, hyper children because some random parishioner objects to her well-behaved, non-noisy, legally-permitted-in-the-public-church dog.
 
well, maybe at an earlier Catholic Mass, when it’s not so crowded , the OP could sit with her dog quietly where other parishioners wouldn’t be bothered by the dog.
 
Maybe instead, the person that is bothered by the the OP and her dog (that have every right to be there,) should go sit in the cry room!
 
They ought to sit somewhere else. They should show special consideration to someone who has a disability. It isn’t befitting for a Christian to display such self interest.
 
I only have light perception, but apparently people don’t think I “look blind”, whatever that means.

and yes, I have been asked before if I’m faking as well
 
technically religious establishments are exempt from the ADA.

and actually, I am Canadian, but it’s the same here, a church could theoretically deny a person without needing a reason. that’s why I asked in my original post if there could anything in christian theology used to justify this, so far, there seems not to be anything valid
 
angell1 said:
but apparently people don’t think I “look blind”, whatever that means.

and yes, I have been asked before if I’m faking as well
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That’s harsh. I’m really sorry you have had to endure that.
 
You could ask them what they think of property damage in Luke 5? That’s the one where people took apart a roof to lower their disabled friend through. Wonder if they’d find that disrespectful.
 
PetraG said:
I agree that a lot of people taking their dogs into grocery stores and restaurants do not control their dogs as required by law. I don’t know if they are “real” service dogs or not, but they’re not behaving or being handled as required for service dogs.
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I’ve attended St. Francis Day services at the Episcopal Church. The animal guests behave phenomenally well. I think most people are smart enough to bring only the well-socialized ones that won’t get over-stimulated or “converse” with each other from pew to pew. Our dog, whom we adopted as an adult, couldn’t stand other dogs. My daughter had the good sense to draw a picture of him and just have it blessed. 🙃
 
Maybe first ask the pastor, then it won’t matter if the dog “attends”.
 
margaret42 said:
well, maybe at an earlier Catholic Mass, when it’s not so crowded , the OP could sit with her dog quietly where other parishioners wouldn’t be bothered by the dog.
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Based on my experience, it’s more a question of the dog being bothered by other people, who can’t refrain or hold their kids back from petting or otherwise interacting with the dog. I’ve seen numerous service dogs with a “please do not pet” cover on them. A true trained service animal - as opposed to a “comfort animal” - has a job to do and should be left alone to do it.
 
Would people say that a person in a wheelchair makes them uncomfortable? Or a person wearing hearing aids? Eyeglasses? Carrying an oxygen tank? Reserved pews up front for those people with mobility challenges?
 
LumineDiei said:
I don’t understand why anyone on this thread would be suggesting the OP should do anything different (such as sit in a cry room or somewhere away from her fellow parishioners when at Mass).
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I took that person’s post more as a suggestion to the OP if they were looking for ways to side-step the issue in order to avoid uncomfortable confrontations rather than as something the OP was required to do. I could be misinterpreting it, though.
 
If that’s the case, then I disagree. Reasonable accommodations should be made for the handicapped. Churches should not be the exception. Heck, I feel that consumer goods should be required by law to include braille on all containers and wrappers.
 
I’m just not getting why anyone would be bothered by a service dog, or why someone who needs one should have to change their schedule to not offend a few uncharitable people.
 
That_Flint_Guy said:
If that’s the case, then I disagree. Reasonable accommodations should be made for the handicapped. Churches should not be the exception. Heck, I feel that consumer goods should be required by law to include braille on all containers and wrappers.
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I have seen gas pumps with braille labels. I hope it is not to accommodate blind drivers.
 
Maybe people just aren’t used to the idea of a “guide dog” coming to assist someone at Mass.
 
People will often say things that make you feel guilty; you already know that you want to “respect God”.
 
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