[Benjamin M]

Second time that I have taken a "service animal", some lap dog that clearly has no training or indication at all of performing a service.

Pulled up to the address, they waved me into the driveway. Pax was in a foldable motorized wheelchair.

Hopped out to load it (unsure at first if it would even fit) and all of the sudden two dogs are walking around me. A fluffy lap dog of some sort and a pit mix - whatever, they were chill. Nobody really spoke English. Airport trip.

As I am loading the chair into the trunk, I notice that my front passenger door is open and the small dog is standing on the seat.

"Umm.. Is the dog going with us?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Service dog!" Riiiiiight. I bite my tongue but ask that they please make him stop climbing on the seat back and such. Then "oh sorry, he training". So, which is it?

The dog barely followed simple commands, let alone advanced training to be a service animal, was not on a leash (none visible), and did not have a vest or anything indicating it was a service animal.

Then I ask the pax to sit in the back seat and put the dog on the floor. Had to repeat that several times. Finally, "oh, no. He more comfortable there". Fine, whatever.

The pax managed to keep the dog between his legs on the floor during the trip, I said absolutely nothing apart from asking what airline he was flying.

Dropped him off, pulled out his heavy chair without assistance, assembled it, slid his bag in its compartment as requested, and wished him a great day. Rated 5*.

About an hour later -

And a 1*.

What an *******. Damn if you do, damn if you don't. Probably won't do any good but I'll be going to the hub tomorrow with the footage, surely this won't be the first or last time he's pulled this crap for what, hopefully, is a therapy dog.

 

[Stevie The magic Unicorn]

*sigh*

I guess if you want to keep your job you have to drive them and keep your mouth shut about it.

 

[MiamiUberGuy5]

I may or may not have cancelled the 1 service animal ride I had. They had a giant dog when I rode by. i May or may not have said I “couldn’t find the rider” (Wink wink) how unfortunate. oh well


these medical people In Wheelchairs with service dogs are the worst. They are too cheap to afford real trained medical professionals with ramps and fitted medical transportation vehicles, so they call mr. 52 cents a mile (me) to give them the nearly free ride. Never gotten tipped by someone in a walker or wheelchair whenever I helped them in the car. So I just cancel and move on. They’re cheap

 

[Benjamin M]

*sigh*

I guess if you want to keep your job you have to drive them and keep your mouth shut about it.

And that is PRECISELY what I did. Didn't ask questions, once the dog was under control we left. Totally silent apart from the radio for 30 minutes.

Nothing was done to my account, other than the nice 1*.

 

[SuzeCB]

Second time that I have taken a "service animal", some lap dog that clearly has no training or indication at all of performing a service.

Pulled up to the address, they waved me into the driveway. Pax was in a foldable motorized wheelchair.

Hopped out to load it (unsure at first if it would even fit) and all of the sudden two dogs are walking around me. A fluffy lap dog of some sort and a pit mix - whatever, they were chill. Nobody really spoke English. Airport trip.

As I am loading the chair into the trunk, I notice that my front passenger door is open and the small dog is standing on the seat.

"Umm.. Is the dog going with us?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Service dog!" Riiiiiight. I bite my tongue but ask that they please make him stop climbing on the seat back and such. Then "oh sorry, he training". So, which is it?

The dog barely followed simple commands, let alone advanced training to be a service animal, was not on a leash (none visible), and did not have a vest or anything indicating it was a service animal.

Then I ask the pax to sit in the back seat and put the dog on the floor. Had to repeat that several times. Finally, "oh, no. He more comfortable there". Fine, whatever.

The pax managed to keep the dog between his legs on the floor during the trip, I said absolutely nothing apart from asking what airline he was flying.

Dropped him off, pulled out his heavy chair without assistance, assembled it, slid his bag in its compartment as requested, and wished him a great day. Rated 5*.

About an hour later -

View attachment 427165

And a 1*.

What an @@@@@@@. Damn if you do, damn if you don't. Probably won't do any good but I'll be going to the hub tomorrow with the footage, surely this won't be the first or last time he's pulled this crap for what, hopefully, is a therapy dog.

Therapy dogs are trained for socially acceptable behavior. Emotional Suppirt dogs aren't necessarily.

 

[backstreets-trans]

And that is PRECISELY what I did. Didn't ask questions, once the dog was under control we left. Totally silent apart from the radio for 30 minutes.

Nothing was done to my account, other than the nice 1*.

Dude you already have 1 strike. This is probably number 2. I would start working on an exit strategy before your number is up. Everyone thinks it will never happen until it does.

 

[Benjamin M]

Therapy dogs are trained for socially acceptable behavior. Emotional Suppirt dogs aren't necessarily.

Therapy, or emotional support (often interchangeable) are not covered by ADA. They are not service animals.

I know this well. Our pup, Biscuit, is a documented emotional support animal. My wife's psychiatrist signed the paperwork.

But we do not try to pass him off as a "service animal", ever.

Dude you already have 1 strike. This is probably number 2. I would start working on an exit strategy before your number is up. Everyone thinks it will never happen until it does.

Everything is documented and recorded. I visit the hub the following day. If I am ever deactivated over a false accusation, I will file a civil suit with ample evidence.

But I am not concerned.

 

[SuzeCB]

Therapy, or emotional support (often interchangeable) are not covered by ADA. They are not service animals.

I know this well. Our pup, Biscuit, is a documented emotional support animal. My wife's psychiatrist signed the paperwork.

But we do not try to pass him off as a "service animal", ever.

3 different types of animals here...

1. Service Animal - social training AND trained to do at least one task to specifically aid the handler with his/her disability. May only be a dog (accommodation necessary almost everywhere) or a mini-horse (only if it can fit, and if it can, than anywhere a SA dog would be allowed)

2. Therapy Animal - may be almost any animal, provided it has the necessary temperament and social training as applicable. A rabbit, for example, doesn't get trained to sit, etc. These animals get certified so their handlers (not handicapped, although they might be, same as a driver may be) can make arrangements to bring them into hospitals, shelters, nursing homes, special needs schools, and to visit home hospice patients, WHERE AN ARRANGMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN ADVANCE. These animals do not have to be accommodated in your car, or anywhere else, for that matter. On a side note, there's one if these TA dogs that visits my son's school and "leads" a yoga class for the kids and interacts with them when they're in different positions.

3. Emotional Support Animal - basically a pet, except its owner has had a doctor fill out a form certifying that the person has some form of neurological or psychological disability whereby the person finds extreme comfort from the animal and would (will, since they don't live forever) suffer greatly from losing it. They have to be accommodated by landlords and, decreasingly these days, by airlines. Other than those two areas, they enjoy NO mandatory accommodations.

People often call ESAs TAs, but they're not. Not at all.

Oh, and a TA dog wouldn't go on the seat in your car unless specifically TOLD to. Most others would be in carriers.

 

[Benjamin M]

By the way, this is somewhat amusing.

I came home kind of pissed over this and the fact that the city was absolutely dead today. I made $50 in about six hours. Spring break and people freaking out about this virus.

Wife was in the shower. "You won't believe what this ******* did today.."

"Oh yeah?! Well, I wrote a check to my doctor for $50 and they cashed it out as $550!! Then I get home, check the mail, and there's a notice that I didn't pay rent last month. I logged into the ****ing system, it said that there was an error and to try again later. So I tried the next morning and it said that a payment was processing. Now this bullshit!"

Very loud. Paper thin walls. I pissed and left her alone.

Flash forward to five minutes ago, I'm chilling outside and she took the pup out. My turn. Loudly, " so this ******* today.. " 😂

It's all gravy. Pulling the footage in a bit, hub visit tomorrow. They're really great there, likely I will be stuck with the 1* for absolutely no reason but I am confident that they will document my concerns accordingly.

Honestly, the follow up correspondence from Uber was great. I replied immediately, fully explaining the situation in an articulate and calm manner. The response reflected what I wrote, including underscoring my concern that this was a fraudulent "service animal" and the assistance I provided to the pax at the airport.

3 different types of animals here...

1. Service Animal - social training AND trained to do at least one task to specifically aid the handler with his/her disability. May only be a dog (accommodation necessary almost everywhere) or a mini-horse (only if it can fit, and if it can, than anywhere a SA dog would be allowed)

2. Therapy Animal - may be almost any animal, provided it has the necessary temperament and social training as applicable. A rabbit, for example, doesn't get trained to sit, etc. These animals get certified so their handlers (not handicapped, although they might be, same as a driver may be) can make arrangements to bring them into hospitals, shelters, nursing homes, special needs schools, and to visit home hospice patients, WHERE AN ARRANGMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN ADVANCE. These animals do not have to be accommodated in your car, or anywhere else, for that matter. On a side note, there's one if these TA dogs that visits my son's school and "leads" a yoga class for the kids and interacts with them when they're in different positions.

3. Emotional Support Animal - basically a pet, except its owner has had a doctor fill out a form certifying that the person has some form of neurological or psychological disability whereby the person finds extreme comfort from the animal and would (will, since they don't live forever) suffer greatly from losing it. They have to be accommodated by landlords and, decreasingly these days, by airlines. Other than those two areas, they enjoy NO mandatory accommodations.

People often call ESAs TAs, but they're not. Not at all.

Oh, and a TA dog wouldn't go on the seat in your car unless specifically TOLD to. Most others would be in carriers.

They said, specifically, "service animal". The complaint, specifically, said "service animal". It was most definitely not a "service animal".

 

[SuzeCB]

By the way, this is somewhat amusing.

I came home kind of pissed over this and the fact that the city was absolutely dead today. I made $50 in about six hours. Spring break and people freaking out about this virus.

Wife was in the shower. "You won't believe what this @@@@@@@ did today.."

"Oh yeah?! Well, I wrote a check to my doctor for $50 and they cashed it out as $550!! Then I get home, check the mail, and there's a notice that I didn't pay rent last month. I logged into the @@@@ing system, it said that there was an error and to try again later. So I tried the next morning and it said that a payment was processing. Now this bullshit!"

Very loud. Paper thin walls. I pissed and left her alone.

Flash forward to five minutes ago, I'm chilling outside and she took the pup out. My turn. Loudly, " so this @@@@@@@ today.. " 😂

It's all gravy. Pulling the footage in a bit, hub visit tomorrow. They're really great there, likely I will be stuck with the 1* for absolutely no reason but I am confident that they will document my concerns accordingly.

Honestly, the follow up correspondence from Uber was great. I replied immediately, fully explaining the situation in an articulate and calm manner. The response reflected what I wrote, including underscoring my concern that this was a fraudulent "service animal" and the assistance I provided to the pax at the airport.


They said, specifically, "service animal". The complaint, specifically, said "service animal". It was most definitely not a "service animal".

Yeah, as to the other stuff, I've been beating my head against brick walls, too.

How do you feel about astrology? Mercury is in retrograde (mistakes, misunderstandings, miscommunications, and missed connections common).

 

[Benjamin M]

Yeah, as to the other stuff, I've been beating my head against brick walls, too.

How do you feel about astrology? Mercury is in retrograde (mistakes, misunderstandings, miscommunications, and missed connections common).

Eh this is the story of my life since I was born clinically dead. Honestly.

I just roll with the punches and try to stay the better man.

Oh and I am a Leo

 

[Don'tchasethesurge]

I would claimed a cleaning fee back at them for being ********....

 

[Benjamin M]

I would claimed a cleaning fee back at them for being @@@@@@@@....

I thought about that. But I, unlike some pax recently, am honest.

 

[Pax_Buster]

Uber suspends your account for refusing a service animal until they investigate. Atleast that's how it works here in California. This looks like a different complaint.

 

[Benjamin M]

Uber suspends your account for refusing a service animal until they investigate. Atleast that's how it works here in California. This looks like a different complaint.

I completed the trip without saying anything about the dog apart from asking that they keep him on the floor and stop climbing on my seats.

 

[Don'tchasethesurge]

I thought about that. But I, unlike some pax recently, am honest.

Yea but they weren't.... they clearly don't care about whether you lose your income source. It's not just about you, they may do the same thing again to the next driver.

 

[Benjamin M]

Yea but they weren't.... they clearly don't care about whether you lose your income source. It's not just about you, they may do the same thing again to the next driver.

At least in my market, a receipt is required for a cleaning fee. Why? Because of false fees.

I will be filing a complaint against the passenger tomorrow at the hub and expressing my concern about him doing this to other drivers.

You can solve problems with honesty. Two wrongs do not make it right.

 

[Jo3030]

Cool.

 

[Pax_Buster]

I completed the trip without saying anything about the dog apart from asking that they keep him on the floor and stop climbing on my seats.

I wouldn't worry about this. It looks similar to one of these. On the other hand, Refusal of a service animal guarantees a suspension.

 

[Benjamin M]

I wouldn't worry about this. It looks similar to one of these. On the other hand, Refusal of a service animal guarantees a suspension.

View attachment 427205

I'm not worried