Ottawa Woman: Distracting My Service Dog Can Trigger a Medical Crisis

For Ottawa resident Rachel Lyons, her service dog Geneva isn't a cute companion — she's a lifeline.

Geneva helps Lyons navigate the world by performing tasks tied directly to her medical condition. Whether they're out running errands, taking transit, or simply walking through a busy Ottawa neighbourhood, Geneva is always working. And when strangers interfere with that work, the consequences can be serious.

More Than a Dog

Service dogs are trained for years to respond to their handler's specific needs. For people with conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, PTSD, or mobility impairments, a service dog can detect an oncoming medical episode before the handler even notices it themselves. That split-second alert can mean the difference between a safe response and a dangerous fall, seizure, or medical emergency.

Geneva is no different. She's finely tuned to Lyons's needs — and she's always on duty.

The problem? Geneva is also adorable. And people notice.

The Danger of a Well-Meaning Hello

It might seem harmless to crouch down and call out to a passing service dog, offer a treat, or try to make eye contact. But for handlers like Lyons, those moments of distraction can break a dog's focus at exactly the wrong time.

When Geneva gets distracted — even briefly — she can miss the subtle physical cues she's trained to detect. That missed signal can lead directly to a medical crisis for Lyons.

"My service dog has given me my life back," Lyons has said. Distracting him — or in this case, her — can take that away.

It's a reality that many service dog handlers across Ottawa and Canada face daily. Despite growing public awareness, the urge to pet or engage with a working dog remains one of the most common and frustrating challenges handlers deal with.

What You Should (and Shouldn't) Do

If you see a service dog team in Ottawa — on the OC Transpo bus, in a Rideau Centre shop, or on a Glebe sidewalk — here's how to be a good neighbour:

• Don't call out to the dog, make eye contact, or try to get their attention
• Don't offer food or treats — even healthy ones
• Don't ask to pet the dog while they're working (if the handler invites you, that's a different story)
• Do give the team space to move through their environment
• Do feel free to speak to the handler — just not to the dog

Service dogs wearing a vest or harness are almost always working. Assume they are unless the handler tells you otherwise.

A Personal Story with a City-Wide Lesson

Lyons's story resonates with a broader community of service dog handlers in Ottawa who navigate public spaces daily — on foot, on transit, in grocery stores, at work. The city's disability community has long advocated for better public education around service animal etiquette, and personal accounts like hers go a long way toward making that case.

The message is simple: if you see a service dog team, the kindest thing you can do is let them do their job.

Source: CBC Ottawa. Original story by Rachel Lyons via CBC News.