Originally published 2018-12-30.
People get into petty arguments all the time. They're usually brief and quickly forgotten about, and everybody gets on with their lives. However nowadays, with pretty much everybody wielding easy access to a camera phone, those minor altercations could suddenly take on a life of their own.
The argument at a mall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a typical example of that. An argument about not being granted the right to pet a service dog escalated a classic misunderstanding into a viral video, which has thousands of people weighing in with their own opinions on the matter.
The video was shared to Facebook by service dog handler Megan Stoff and has been viewed more than two million times, with people shocked by the aggression of the mom. It is (or should be) a well-known fact that service dogs are there to assist people with special circumstances or requirements, and should not be interfered with in the middle of work. People can ask politely, however, if rejected they may be best to accept it simply.
The group was having a meet up at the mall involving dogs, but after the argument escalated mall security let them know enough was enough and sent them home.
Image credits: ML Leigh, Ciarán Williamson
(The Facebook video originally embedded here is no longer available.)
Here’s what people had to say about the situation:
The handler is not withholding a public attraction
A working dog's attention belongs with its handler. A stranger's wish to pet it does not create an obligation to interrupt that work or explain a personal disability. The important point in the dispute is therefore simpler than the arguments around the viral clip: a declined request should be respected.
Teach interest without contact
A child can learn to appreciate a dog by noticing it from a distance and leaving the handler free to continue. Adults can model that response without treating a refusal as unkind. The story is useful when it builds understanding of boundaries, not when it becomes an excuse to identify or harass participants in a filmed argument. Respectful behaviour matters before a camera ever appears.
Where and when it happened
The encounter took place on 19 December 2018 at Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh. The dogs were service dogs in training, wearing vests with about 20 patches saying they should not be petted; the handler who posted about it said she usually answers “no” to requests to pet them because they are working. She said the woman came back with her child to shout at her and asked whether there was a “higher up” she could speak to, before mall security became involved. Ciarán Williamson, who is autistic and uses a service dog, said he does not mind being asked but thought the mother had shown a lack of consideration.
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