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Service Dog Week IS HERE!!!
This week on Aywas, we're going to celebrate service dogs! Service dogs are extremely important and we feel like they need a little spotlight to show how awesome they are.
Service Dog Information
The first thing we'd like to shine light on is US regulations about service dogs. Since 90% of our community is from the United States, this is great information for the majority of you. Here's a link to the official ADA Frequently Asked Questions about Service Dogs! Some important information to note:
1. Service dogs do not need to be registered, nor do they need identification. Any US database for service dogs that charges handlers to register is a scam!
2. People with disabilities have the right to train their own dog as a service dog. They are not required to get a professionally trained dog.
3. Service dogs are permitted ANYWHERE the public is allowed. Staff are only allowed to ask two questions of a handler: 1) Is this a service dog required because of a disability?, 2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
4. Staff cannot request identification for the dog, ask about the handler's disability, or ask that the dog demonstrate its trained task. The dog does not need an ID card, a special vest, or any special harness, though many service dogs do wear vests.
5. If you see a service dog, do not pet or distract the dog in any way! Many service dogs are required to focus on their handler to ensure their handler remains safe. You can politely ask the handler if you can pet the dog, but respect their answer if it's a "NO."
Service Dogs vs. Emotional Support Dogs and Therapy Dogs
Curious about the difference between service dogs and emotional support and therapy dogs? Check out this resource to learn more Click here!
Want to learn more about service dogs, or where to get your own service dog? Check out the links below!
Please Don't Pet Me
Assistance Dogs International
Canine Companions for Independence
Paws with a Cause
Service Dog Central
One of our administrators speaks very highly of their favorite service dog charity, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD). This is a 501(c)(3) charity that we're excited to donate to during Service Dog Week!
For the duration of Service Dog Week (7/26 - 8/2), we will be donating 10% of our income from the USD Shop and GP Purchases to this suggested charity. We've been told by our admin that they really need the money right now due to surgery on one of their animals, and we definitely want to help.
On August 2nd, the last day of Service Dog Week, we will be running the Mystery Box. Consider this a head's up!
So let's get into what we have available for Service Dog Week!
Golden Retriever Service Dog | Labrador Service Dog
These are Service Dog Vests and what you'll need to collect to make the Service Dog SCCs shown above. If you collect fifteen Service Dog Vests, you can trade them in for one "metal" custom maker for one of the SCCs. These metal custom makers are currently stocking in the Event Shop.
These are used to make metal (coloring only, no edits) Service Dog SCCs.
So how do you get Service Dog Vests? Good question! The Trivia this week (7/26 - 8/2) has ten service dog related questions for you to answer, and for every one you get correct, you get one vest!
You can also write about your experiences with Service Dogs to earn one vest per 100 words you write, or you can color Service Dog SCCs for others to earn additional vests!
If you are interested in edited Service Dog SCCs, then head to the USD Shop to pick up some blue custom makers (50% edited) there for $5.00 each. These makers will be available until August 2nd 11:59 PM. All custom makers will be usable until August 31st, at which point they will be made into special collectibles.
So! As a recap:
- 10% of our income is going to our selected charity from 7/26 - 8/2
- Pick up Metal Service Dog items in the Event shop until 8/2, 11:59 PM
- Pick up Blue Service Dog items in the USD shop until 8/2, 11:59 PM
- The Mystery Box will open on 8/2 (so technically 11:59 PM of 8/1 to 11:59 PM of 8/2)
- All four custom makers will be functioning until 8/31 11:59 PM
- The Trivia will be available to earn vests until 8/2 11:59 PM
- The Coloring Thread and Experiences thread will be open until 8/2 11:59 PM
Enjoy Service Dog Week!
Posted by JAK
(#15) on Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:05pm
- 👽Frosty Nips🎏
(#47422)
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Posted on: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:12am
This above me is my issue, we make these awareness events but don't think of the right way to do it to include those who aren't aware, the trivia was good what about something more like it? like a scavenger hunt on the site for the most popular service dogs breeds? things that involve information but are fun and result in winning service jackets. that way it would have involved more users and seemed a bit more fun.
- Kirby -Treats-
(#23060)
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Posted on: Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:23am
ChaosHarper (#40570) The Psds are not on the news post, click the bold text reading ' color Service Dog SCCs for others'
- Evergreen
(#67148)
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Posted on: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:27pm
Love the idea, but I don't have any experience with a service dog. I mean, I've seen them around, but not enough for 100+ words. I've done the trivia, and I guess I can try coloring but, otherwise there's no real way to participate.
- Katja Thera
(#43520)
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Posted on: Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:35am
I don't really get the purpose of a raising awareness event that most people can't participate in and get frustrated by in the process of trying to find a way. It just backfires, IMO. (Also, is it just me, or has Aywas been very 'real life money' focused lately? Kinda sad for those of us who don't do 'real life money'...)
- DancingInTheMoons
(#67610)
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Posted on: Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:47am
I think this is a great idea, but it's definitely frustrating how impossible it is to get 15 vests. I got 10 vests out of the trivia, which was definitely great and informative, but now I have to somehow get 5 coloring designs in to get one metal SCC maker, since I have never seen a service dog before, so can't write a story on that...
- QueenoftheNight
(#57633)
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Posted on: Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:12am
I have to say I am really disappointed in this event. It's great that Aywas wants to help raise awareness and all that but the way it's set up excludes a lot of people from getting any pet from the event. The only way to get a vest is by, answering the trivia, being able to color a pet, be able to write, or being able to pay real money. If you get all 10 trivia questions right you get 10 vests, that still isn't enough to get an item from the event shop so that leaves the other three options. Color a pet, I can't, write about a service pet, I can't, or donate, I can't. So basically I am SOL when it comes to getting anything from this event. Thank you for preventing me and many others from participating. I will remember this when I do have money to donate.
- kelladria
(#10029)
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Posted on: Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:48pm
uh the article doesnt say where we can find/collect the vests?
- Hikari Elric
(#51009)
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Posted on: Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:40pm
( I apologize in advance for any spelling/grammar issues) I wholeheartedly agree with (#57633). I understand that this event is meant to raise awareness for service dogs and to raise money for Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD), but this event seems to be excluding a very vast majority of the community which is a very polarizing effect of how this event is being done. There are only 3 ways in which to obtain vests for the custom maker, scoring a perfect 10/10 on the trivia earns you 10 vests, which still isn't enough for a metal custom maker. Writing 100 words about your experiences with a service pet nets you another vest per 100 words, which is all well and good, but for what seems to be a majority of the people commenting that's kinda out 'cause we've had no experience with service dogs or haven't had enough to write enough about it in order to get another vest. This leaves the last option we were given to "earn" a metal custom maker, which is to color or color and edit a base and have someone claim it for free, which is a nice thought, except for the fact that seems to have been overlooked which is that with the way things are currently set up not many people are going to have a reason to need a coloration and thus not many colorations for the metal bases will be claimed; not to mention the fact that not everyone has the skill and/or time to make the colorations/edits of the bases and hope that enough people pick them before their chance to buy a metal creator ends. Then there's the blue custom maker, which can only be bought from the USD shop for $5. Basically for those who have no experience with service dogs, no ability to color the bases and don't have the money to spare for the USD shop one, there is no real way for us to participate. The only chance that we would even vaguely have of getting a metal creator is to buy the vests we need from the user shops. But even then, to someone like myself, who has never had a service dog, it would feel weird to use that base since we cannot edit it any to edit the vest out or anything. It is seeming more and more like the events seem to focus only on those people who can afford to spend real money on digital items and not being fair to everyone and making to to where we could all participate, no drawing/coloring/editing skill or ability to spend buckets of cash needed. :/
This is just my two cents though, and I'm sure that it probably won't change anything in the long run. For any Mod or Admin reading this, yes I realize that the site requires an income to keep paying the people that need to be paid to keep the site running and everything, it's just disappointing that the site seems to be becoming more and more heavily based on who can and cannot spend real life money and favoring those players who can above those who cannot.
(sorry for the kinda rant, I'm just... frustrated)
- Queen Chrysalis🍬
(#1507)
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Posted on: Sun Aug 2, 2015 12:26am
- The Mystery Box will open on 8/2 (so technically 11:59 PM of 8/1 to 11:59 PM of 8/2)
Just wondering if I am reading this wrong but... shouldn't this have started tonight?
Posted on: Sun Jul 26, 2015 9:49pm
Well that's a great cause, but I wish I could actually participate an GET a the scc maker. I've no experience whatsoever with a service dog, and I cannot color and trivia won't get me enough of them even if I got them all right. So I guess I won't be participating. Neat idea though.