Dog-Hater Forces Woman Away From Her Service Dog, Doesn't Care When Owner Gets a Seizure

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 16, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

Regular dogs do not belong everywhere. I was riding an incredibly crowded subway this weekend, and a pug was sitting in one of the seats. While the dog's presence amused some subway riders, I was slightly annoyed. Why the owner couldn't put the pug on her lap so somebody else could sit down, I don't know. 

There is a clear exception to this rule, and that is service animals. Service animals are essential to the people they serve and are allowed in any business or public place by law. The importance of service animals far outweighs any individual's discomfort with them. To deny a person access to their service dog in a public or private place is discriminatory and extremely dangerous. One woman with epilepsy dealt with such ignorance firsthand when her "friend" insisted she didn't need to bring her service dog everywhere she went. This "friend" would quickly learn that this is untrue. 

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  • 01
    Font - am Liv r/AmltheAsshole u/throwaway9876402 - 12h AITA for getting my ex friend kicked out of our friend group due to my service dog?
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 02
    Font - I just want to start by saying I'm pretty sure I'm not the A-hole. But my friend and her family are pretty certain that I am. Please bear with me, I'm just wanting some clarity over this situation to make sure I'm not crazy.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 03
    Font - I (24 f) have epilepsy. I have a service dog (fully certified) who is trained to help me with my seizures. I have been diagnosed since a child, and I have had my current dog Bailey for 4 years now and she is the bestest girl around. (Before Bailey I had a previous service dog who we had to retire due to age... but having a service animal is by no means new for me). With her being a service dog she is obviously always with me.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 04
    Font - I have a core friend group who hangs out quite often. My one friend; let's call her Anna) (also 24f) always makes really weird and almost passive aggressive comments about me and Bailey? Ex; dogs shouldn't come to restaurants, I'm inconveniencing people, etc. she doesn't get that I legitimately need her for my own safety. It's not just for show.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 05
    Font - My seizures are really regular; for context I actually get two different kinds. My "small ones" are petit Mal seizures. This essentially just looks like I'm zoning out and staring into space. Quite often people who don't know me wouldn't even connect this. My "big ones" are my main concern; these are focal seizures where I fully lose consciousness. This can happen a couple times a day for me so it's obviously really important that I manage it to the best of my abilities.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 06
    Font - Anyways. Our friend Anna wanted to host a games night/appy night type thing at her house. When we there she lost it on me. She told me it was increadibly disrespectful that I showed up with Bailey without asking for permission first. That I can't just assume people will be happy with a dog always being around. That I should have just stayed home if I couldn't handle being out for a few hours without Bailey. I tried apologizing and pointing out that I assumed she knew I was bringing her si
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 07
    Font - I was an idiot and said fine because I didn't want to inconvenience anyone more or continue stirring the pot. Bailey went out side and I returned inside with my friends. I ended up having a seizure, blacking out and smashing my head on the floor. I had to go to the hospital because of how hard I hit my head.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 08
    Font - I guess my friend group absolutely handed Ana her ass calling her hateful, toxic, and a jealous witch. I guess she was trying to say that I passed out for the attention and I got my way like always. Long story short no one wants her around anymore.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 09
    Font - Since this happened her, her sister and mom have been blowing up my phone, calling me the ass hole and demanding I fix this situation and it's honestly getting to me.. so Reddit. AITA?
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 10
    Rectangle - archaeologistbarbie. 12h Partassipant [1] ΝΤΑ She sounds awful, tbh. Your friend group was right to stick up for you. Her behavior was deplorable. Reply 8.9k
    via u/archaeologistbarbie
  • 11
    Font - throwaway9876402 OP 11h This makes me feel so much better. Like I feel like I knew deep down I was in the right but with all the hate filled messages it just got to me. 43.7K 3.7k
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 12
    Font - Snarky_but_Nice 11h ● If I witnessed her behavior at the party, I'd be questioning my friendship with her whether or not you and I were also friends. She sounds awful, and it's not surprising that her mom and sister are just as awful. 42.4k
    via u/Snarky_but_Nice
  • 13
    Font - robbyrandall. 11h Partassipant [3] NTA. I really hope you are OK after the seizure and also hitting your head. I have to commend your willingness to compromise that you'd risk getting hurt, and then actually getting hurt. I know it's not intentional but it sure got your point across. If your "friend" was a normal person she would have apologized after the incident, but she doubled down and said you did it essentia on purpose. I think this is where she lost everyone. TBH, this is the least
    via u/robbyrandall
  • 14
    Font - throwaway9876402 OP 11h Thank you so much. I'm okay, I'm honestly used to the seizures by this point. I'm recovering from a pretty gnarly concussion. Also a bit of embarrassment having to explain to the doctors on why I didn't have Bailey with me lol. But that's totally my fault. I gave in. But your right. It deffinately got the point across not that I actually intended to have a seizure lol 829
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 15
    Font - Youre_On_Mute. 6h Partassipant [1] Can you imagine the thought process it takes to get to "this person, who needs a service dog 24/7, totally suffered a massive seizure on purpose and made sure they would seriously injur themselves in the process just to spite me!"...??? Seriously, if you were able to control them, I really doubt you would wake up one day and say "today seems like a good day for a seizure. I havent had one in a while and I kind of miss the sensation. I think I'll have one
    via u/Youre_On_Mute
  • 16
    Font - Snarky_but_Nice . 11h She thinks you faked a seizure? One where you injured yourself badly enough to go to the hospital? All so she can keep insisting that your service dog isn't a valid need? Either she really is this shallow and stupid or she knows she screwed up big time and can't/won't admit it.
    via u/Snarky_but_Nice
  • 17
    Font - If Anna has this much hostility towards your dog, she and you are not compatible as friends, even in a group setting. It's up to the rest of your friends to decide who they want to hang out with. And it would be okay if they sometimes hung out with her and sometimes hung out with you (not everyone likes dogs; some people are scared, I get it). However, personally speaking, if one of my friends berated someone for having a service animal, forced the animal outside, and then accused the own
    via u/Snarky_but_Nice
  • 18
    Font - throwaway9876402 OP 11h Yeah, I genuinally think she thinks I can just "stop" if I want to. She has zero understanding. This has been going on for years.. at least the passive aggressive comments about Bailey and me which I don't understand.. I would get it if Bailey wasn't fully trained but she's honestly such a good girl. Like she doesn't react to people or animals, she stays glued to my side unless I release her... idk what more she wants from me.
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 19
    Font - Ana has made comments on how it's embarrassing to watch Bailey alert me because I inmidiately get to the floor and wait to see if it passes or if I go unconscious... but I'm sorry that my seizures are an inconvenience? If your embarrassed walk away?
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 20
    Font - But yes I totally agree. I feel bad because I didn't mean to "take" her friends away, but they are all pretty done with her. I'm not the only one she's treated really badly. If they choose to hang out with her in the future that's totally fine and their decision but I won't be apart of it. I can't have a repeat of this. 663
    via u/throwaway9876402
  • 21
    Font - Hi everyone, Update: from what everyone has said I am clearly NTA. Thank you all for your concern and well wishes. Ana and her family have been blocked and I will no longer be in contact with her.
    via u/throwaway9876402

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