Residents on NYC's Upper West Side Claim Emotional Support Dog Is 'Terrorizing' Them
In a NYC apartment building at 175 West 79th Street where units rent for upwards of $6000 a month, one tenant said Sam, a mixed-breed rescue dog, attacked him in the elevator and he required medical attention.
And he's not the only one who claims they were attacked.
The NY Times reported on the story and said that, "Sam had been involved in roughly a dozen other altercations with residents, staff members and delivery workers in and around the building."
The article also states that "The suit blames Sam’s owners for failing to take preventive action and for refusing to give up the dog or move out. It also claims that the building’s owner and management company, both named as defendants, were aware of the dog’s aggressive behavior but failed to stop it or notify tenants."
People in the comments section have big feelings about this. One person said, "A dog is a dog. The owner is responsible for the dog's behavior. Even if the dog is an emotional support dog. Other people have rights, not just the dog owner. The person who needs the dog is not immune from laws." Another person added, "Doesn't sound like the dog is an emotional support dog at all. Just another dog the owners are pretending is one."
Related: Therapy Dog In Training Getting Too Excited to Complete a Task Is Precious
The article does state that Sam wore a muzzle on occasion, but the guy filing the lawsuit said a sign taped up in the building saying dogs were to be muzzled was mostly unenforced.
That seems like the easiest solution to me, and if all dogs have to be muzzled then Sam's owners wouldn't feel like he was being targeted.
It's such a tricky area with therapy dogs, because they do provide a lot of support to their owners, but if a dog is (allegedly) lunging at other residents how therapeutic can he be?
How To Interact With A Service Dog
Because Sam is an emotional support dog, he's not the same as a service dog. Service dogs are specifically trained to perform tasks or work directly related to a person's disability. Emotional support dogs provide comfort to individuals with emotional or psychological disorders.
You should never pet any dog without an owner's permission, but that is especially true for service dogs.
Before petting a guide or service dog, you should always ask their owner or handler. Even if you see a guide dog not wearing their service harness, you should always ask for permission before interacting with the dog, so that the handler can maintain control.
Always give guide and service dogs the right of way. Practice good etiquette by moving to the side and allowing the handler and dog to pass. Never attempt to grab or steer the person while the dog is guiding or attempt to hold the dog's harness. You should ask if the handler needs your assistance and, if so, offer your left arm.
Never feed a guide or service dog without their owner's permission.
Speak to the handler, not the dog, and never give their service dog commands.
Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities are allowed to be accompanied by their guide or service dog in all places the public is permitted.
It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit plays out. I do think that no dog really wants to (allegedly0 bite anyone, so I hope his owners get him some much needed training so he feels more socialized around people. We wish all of them the best.
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