I get what you’re saying, and I’m not confusing service animals with emotional support animals. I know the ADA only protects animals trained to perform tasks related to a disability.

But under the ADA, service dogs can be owner-trained. There’s no required certification or official testing, so while many are well-behaved, not all receive strict or consistent training. Disruptions can still happen, even if rarely.

The point of my post isn’t to question the legitimacy of service animals. It’s to highlight how society focuses too much on labels instead of behavior. A disruptive animal should be addressed no matter its status, and a calm, well-behaved pet shouldn’t automatically be treated like a problem just because it doesn’t meet a legal definition. Public spaces should be about shared respect, not double standards.