‘Fake Dogs Hurt Real Dogs’: boundary work and discrimination in the Service Dog Community

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the use of “fake” Service Dogs and the discrimination of Service Dog handlers using interview data from 25 adult Service Dog handlers in the United States. Most Service Dog handlers interviewed reported the use of “fake” or inadequately trained Service Dogs is the main cause for the discrimination they experience. This research finds many Service Dog handlers engage in boundary work, the ongoing process of creating and maintaining a division between those with a shared sense of identity as a “good” legitimate handler from “bad” or “fake” handlers to reduce discrimination. However, this boundary work ultimately supports internalized ableism with the main aim of keeping disability hidden. Changes in the current civil rights of people with disabilities to use a Service Dog should be based on the everyday lived experiences of Service Dog handlers.