One Florida woman says a stranger’s interest in her service dog crossed a line when she realized the woman appeared to be following them around a shopping center while taking photos and videos from a distance.
The creator, who regularly shares life with her service animals online, said she wouldn’t have minded someone asking for a photo. Following her from a distance was another story.
The story was shared on TikTok by @theserviceflower, an account focused on the creator’s service dogs and the activities they attend together. The video quickly attracted hundreds of thousands of views, along with comments from viewers who were concerned by the encounter and shared their own experiences with strangers approaching service animals.
The creator explained that she only became aware of the situation because she was recording a video at the time. She noticed the other woman appearing to follow them and using her phone to take photos or videos from a distance. The video captures portions of the encounter from the creator’s perspective, but it does not establish the stranger’s intentions or show everything that happened before or after the recording.
The creator said this wasn’t the first time she had felt uncomfortable because of someone’s interest in her service dog. In a separate incident, she claims a man once followed her all the way to her car.
The creator’s main concern appeared to be the behavior rather than someone being interested in her dog. She argued that if the woman wanted a photo, there was no reason to follow them or take pictures from a distance when she could have simply approached and asked.
Service dogs can naturally attract attention in public, but they are working animals. Federal ADA guidance advises people not to pet, feed, or otherwise distract a service animal while it is working.
Viewers Debate Stranger’s Interest in Florida Woman’s Service Dog
Some viewers took the situation further, speculating about whether the stranger could have had other intentions, despite there being no evidence she planned to steal the dog or help anyone else do so. “I’d call security. I’d be worried that she was a spotter for people stealing service animals. They are worth a lot,” one commenter wrote.
Other viewers shared stories about strangers becoming overly interested in their pets. Some described people trying to pet their dogs, questioning them about their animals, or becoming upset when they were told no. Several commenters said they would have confronted the woman directly or contacted security if they believed they were being followed.
At the same time, not everyone agreed that the footage proved the stranger was deliberately following the creator. One commenter said the woman may have simply been interested in the dog and wanted a photo, particularly after noticing the service dog vest. They argued that the footage showed the woman taking a photo but did not clearly establish that she was deliberately following the creator.
For the Florida woman, however, the distinction was simple: admiring her service dog was one thing, but feeling like someone was following them around with a camera was another. The dog may be adorable, but apparently some people forgot the golden rule: look, don’t lurk.
