Owner requests stranger not to distract her service dog on duty — but her reply was a cruel insult no pet parent wants to hear

Sometimes, the most ordinary moments can reveal just how unaware people can be about important boundaries. A story shared by Emily, a TikTok user who also goes by @cloeandemily, in 2019, struck a chord with many after she posted a reel recounting a frustrating experience involving her service dog, Cloe. What started as a simple visit to Starbucks turned into a reminder about respecting service animals and the people who rely on them. Emily recalled how the incident not only left her feeling disrespected but also shocked after the stranger's rude comment. 

In the video, Emily explained that while she was waiting for her drink, a woman nearby began making strange faces at her service dog. The dog mom said the facial expressions of the lady weren't "negative or aggressive", but proceeded to make faces to imply she was just being weird. Despite asking the woman three times to stop distracting her dog, the woman continued. “Either she didn’t hear me or she ignored me,” she added. Once the woman got her drink and left, the TikTok user assumed the incident was over.

However, it didn’t end there. After stepping outside with her drink to wait for her mother, she realized the same woman had chosen to sit just a few feet away. “Before I went in the car, I told the lady, ‘Hi, can you please not distract service animals next time? They need to do their job, and they are not here for your entertainment.’” What happened next was unexpected. The woman, instead of acknowledging her mistake, responded with, “‘Whatever, your dog’s ugly anyway.’” In her video, Emily didn’t hold back, “I doubt she's ever seen a mirror in her life. She had no place to call my dog ugly.”

The pet owner ended her story with a reminder, “Moral of the story is don’t distract service animals. Also, she’s not ugly. She’s beautiful.” Service animals are trained to focus and assist their owners in crucial ways, and any interference can be dangerous. While the situation might have seemed minor to the woman in question, it clearly showed a lack of understanding and respect. In a report by the National Library of Medicine, a survey of 204 people with service dogs showed strong benefits beyond their main disability needs, including better mental health, more activity, and less need for medication or help. Most felt that service dogs improved their lives and independence overall.

Many internet users seemed to agree with Emily and left their warm messages in the comment section of the viral reel. @quinn_calv wrote, "She treated the dog with disrespect. The service dog is trying to do its job. The dog is so adorable." @servicepuppylove shared her personal experience, "I feel you, I have a service dog, and I run into things like this all the time." @meganndexter shared, "I talked to a service pet in public but didn't realize it was a service dog until they walked away. I felt so bad I didn't realize it."

For more interesting service dog content, follow @cloeandemily on TikTok.