Don’t distract service dogs while they’re working

Dear Cathy: Often when I am shopping or visiting a park, I encounter service dogs and pets on leashes.

I know I should not engage with a service dog unless the owner encourages contact. Often, though, I come upon pets that want contact and interact with me.

My question is, how should I approach pets and service animals in these situations? — Pete

Dear Pete: As you point out, people shouldn’t interact with or distract service animals while they are working, because the distraction could cause them to miss something they need to do.

Take, for example, bombsniffing dogs at the airport. While there are times when the officers in the airport might allow some interaction as part of airport goodwill, airport patrons should not engage the dogs or do anything to distract them from what they are doing, which is keeping us safe.

This goes for any service animal helping people. If you are unsure about an interaction, just ask the dog’s owner or handler for permission to pet the dog.

As for someone’s leashed pet, the same basic protocols apply. Even if a dog is head butting you to pet him, ask the owner or handler for permission to pet their dog first.

Dear Cathy: I have been feeding some feral cats and kittens who have been old enough to run around and eat on their own since late June. Can I stop feeding them without doing them any harm? — Joan, New York

Dear Joan: These cats have relied on you for food, so if you stop feeding them, they will need to find a new food source. They might expand their territory and become more visible in the neighborhood as they search for food or might get sick and weak when there is no fresh water or nutrition to be found.

If you can’t afford to feed them anymore, find a humane society or food pantry for cat food or ask your neighbors to help with the feeding, so this doesn’t all fall on you. If you can’t feed them for any other reason — and your neighbors won’t help — call a local feral cat group to see if they can send out an appeal for a volunteer to take over feeding (and fixing) these cats.