BETHEL – Guide or service dogs are not pets, at least not when they are in their harnesses.

Distraction of the dog is the biggest danger, Lynn Courtney-Mason said.

“Don’t try to distract the dog by whistling, bouncing a ball, calling or by beeping a horn. This can be dangerous,” she said. “And don’t touch the dog or the harness, even if trying to help.”

Other tips are:

n Whenever a dog is in harness, he is in service. People should not rush up to him and pet him. “With a harness, he is trained to be working, to keep his human partner safe and to do the job he’s supposed to do,” said Courtney-Mason.

n Always ask the service dog’s owner if he can be petted. Courtney-Mason then tells Bronson that it is OK.

n Service dogs shouldn’t be fed by admiring fans. Such dogs should be fed only dog food and no table scraps. Courtney-Mason said the weight of a service dog must be kept constant. If he gets fat, his heart is overworked and becomes unhealthy.

n Service dogs are allowed anywhere the public is allowed including hotels, restaurants, stores, museums, subway trains and other modes of public transportation.

n Loose dogs can cause dangerous threats to guide dog teams. Courtney-Mason has been lobbying the state Legislature to strengthen laws that would curtail the number of dogs running loose. She is pushing for restitution for injury to guide dogs and their handlers, such as payment of medical and veterinarian bills and the replacement of guide dogs. Training such a dog can cost about $50,000.

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