Most of us have seen service animals out in the world, but what should you do if you meet one? Lisa Chelenza has more in this edition of Pet Pointers.
Star Utter suffers from non combat PTSD and her dog, Wizard, looks so inviting -- but Star says petting really isn’t something you should do when you meet them in line at the coffee shop.
"Service dogs should not be pet, because it distracts them and anything that distracts them from their job can be very dangerous for the person they are supposed to be watching. The type of things that can happen when a dog gets distracted is, a person can give off very subtle clues related to their illness that the dog will miss even if they are distracted for just a second," said Utter.
These distractions can be dangerous for the dog and their human companion. Although these dogs are trained to be alert at all times and most will not be put off by affection from a stranger, Star asks that you not be offended if you receive a no when you ask to say hello to a service animal.
"I hope that when I say no, people will understand that it is not just a regular dog, that he is working and he needs to stay focused and that they understand that and will leave him alone after that," said Utter.
When the human companion of a service animal says no to a petting -- remember it’s not about you -- it’s about staying focused on their job.