We all know that dogs are man’s best friend, but aside from all of the joy and companionship they bring us, they can also become essential members of our family. In the United States, there are currently at least 500,000 service dogs, constantly helping individuals with disabilities. Unfortunately, not everyone understands how vital these dogs can be, as one woman recently found out.
This woman shared a story on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit detailing how her family members that are staying with her temporarily have begun pressuring her to relocate her husband’s service dog for the time being. Below, you’ll find the full story that might make you extremely frustrated for the woman and her husband, as well as some of the replies heated readers have left on her post.
We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and feel free to share any of your personal stories, if you have experience with service dogs, as well. Then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article featuring drama that ensued after one relative was kind enough to take their family members in, you can find that story right here.
After being pressured by her relatives to relocate her husband's service dog, this woman is wondering if she's in the wrong
Image credits: My Photo Journeys
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska
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Although you may not encounter one every day, service dogs are a vital part of many people with disabilities’ lives. They can take on many different roles, depending on the needs of their owners, but as the woman in this Reddit post stated, they are just as helpful as a human being. You may be familiar with guide dogs, who are used to help individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and hearing dogs, who help people that are deaf or hearing impaired, but there are a variety of other services that our furry friends can learn to help with.
For individuals with epilepsy, seizure alert dogs can be a godsend. They are trained to detect the signs that their owner might be having a seizure and know how to alert others for help and even position themselves in a way to help protect their owner. Diabetic alert dogs use their incredible sense of smell to detect when their owner’s blood sugar starts to drop dangerously low. And if it’s already become too low, the dogs know how to seek out help from others.
Allergy detection dogs can be great for children and adults with life-threatening allergies. Yet again, the dog’s outstanding sense of smell comes in handy, as it can be used to find traces of allergens in the air or in foods close enough to their owners to potentially cause harm. Sometimes, these dogs even accompany kids to school or adults to work to help detect allergies in less controlled environments, such as a school cafeteria or office lunchroom.
There are also mobility assistance dogs, which can do anything from pulling wheelchairs up ramps to pressing elevator buttons for people with impaired motor functions. But service dogs can be helpful for people without physical disabilities as well. Autism support dogs can provide companionship and support for individuals on the autism spectrum. These dogs can even help people maintain their well-being, navigate social situations and improve their communication skills.
If you see a service dog out in public, no matter how adorable they may look, resist the urge to look them in the eye or try to get their attention. They cannot be distracted from their main purpose, providing support and assistance to their owners. It is incredibly insensitive for the family members in this story to demand that their relative go without his trusted, service dog companion, even for a short time. If the dog bothers them so much, they can always find somewhere else to stay. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments, and if you have a service dog, feel free to share how helpful it is for you.
Many readers have weighed in reassuring the woman that she has every right to stand her ground
