‘Service animal’ should have boundaries

I have an issue that has been bothering me for some time. It is in reference to service animals. I am a pet lover and this in no way is a condemnation of pets in general.

I always felt that service animals were to perform some type of service: Seeing eye dogs, dogs that assist the hard-of-hearing by alerting the owner to telephone calls, door bells, fire alarms etc. and animals that provide therapy for mentally challenged individuals.

I don’t understand why animals with this designation have to ride around in grocery carts where people put their foods. Also, why do these animals have to be dragged into restaurants and, in some cases, fed on the floor or, worse yet, put on a chair and fed from the table? Why do these animals have to be dragged into congested areas with long retractable leashes that create a tripping hazard for other customers? I have witnessed animals licking food items while their owners shop and aren’t paying any attention to them. Do these animals have to be taken everywhere?

It seems that anyone can get this designation for their animal. If being a companion qualifies for a service animal, then any pet can be one. I don’t think this was the intent of the law.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 1:07 PM with the headline "‘Service animal’ should have boundaries."