Oh Joy Sex Toy – Please Don’t Pet by Quil.and.Ink

Quil.and.Ink draws with a simple, elegant line and a blue-toned manga-ish influence in their character design. He is a young trans-masc guy in a crop top and demon ball cap with a hand permanently holding the leash to Blue, a small cavalier spaniel in service animal vest. Together they walk down the street with his friend, a young femme person in shorts and tank top with their hair up in a ponytail. The sidewalks are full of booths hawking various goods as part of the Pride celebration.

“Thanks for coming with me.” Quil.and.Ink says to their friend as they pass by the lively displays.

“Of course!” She replies. “This is your first pride, right?”

Quil.and.Ink is stopped in their tracks by a gentle tug against Blue’s leash. He turns around to see a friendly person stooping over to pet his dog, exclaiming, “Such a cute puppy!”

With an apologetic smile and gesture to stop, Quil.and.Ink tells the person, “Ah, she’s a service animal! Please don’t pet her.”

“Oh, sorry!” The well-meaning person apologizes.

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They resume their walk as the friend asks Quil.and.Ink, “What was that about?”

“Uh…” Quil.and.Ink responds, looking to the side awkwardly. “Not everyone knows how to interact with service dogs. In spaces lke today– that are dog friendly– it can be even more confusing for folks, y’know.”

“Is that something you deal with often?” She asks.

“Um…” He stammers as he flashes back to previous experiences.

In his memories, Quil.and.Ink recalls a person holding up their hand to stop him from coming any closer as they declare, “I wasn’t told there’d be a service animal here.”

Another memory shows a hand pointing judgmentally at Blue, who sits politely in her service vest and looks confused, while the voice announces, “REAL service dogs aren’t like that.”

Returning to the present, Quil.and.Ink replies to their friend, “Sometimes, but not always!”

A different flashback shows a mother whispering to her small daughter before she can run over to pet Blue, “She’s working right now so we don’t want to distract her!”

Again in the present, Quil.and.Ink continues, “Sometimes all it takes is communicating, but it’s best when people already understand how to interact with a service animal and their handler.”

“How so?” Asks his friend.

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“Well for starters,” Quil.and.Ink answers. “if you see any animal with a best on, you should make sure you read if there’s text. A vest doesn’t always mean a service animal, but the text on an animal’s vest will usually tell ya what you need to know.”

A montage of service animal bests floats across the page. One declares, “Service Dog” while another is emblazoned with Service animal”, and the third has no text at all.

“It’s best that you just leave the dog to their job.” Quil.and.Ink goes on as they pass another dog wearing a “Service animal” best and their owner’s hand on the wire guide connected to it. “Especially if a handler is busy. You should be respectful and not interrupt them.”

“Right, that all makes sense to me.” Agrees the friend.

“Oh-” Continues Quil.and.Ink. “it’s also really good to note that handlers might pet their dogs, but that doesn’t mean a dog is off duty. You should always ask even if you see them being more casual.”

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Stopping down to tie a kerchief around Blue’s neck, Quil.and.Ink explains, “Service animals are considered medical equipment, so even if you’re in a space that is open to animals (like many Pride events) where you may have been petting lots of dogs… remember that they’re still on duty!”

A small, fluffy dog approaches Blue to give her vest a sniff. Even though she is surprised, Blue doesn’t shift from her seated spot.

“Same goes for any dogs.” Quil.and.Ink says. “Owners aren’t always payin’ attention to what their is sniffing.

Sitting down on a bench, the friend asks, “So, should I just act like she isn’t here?”

“Yeah, pretty much!” Says Quil.and.Ink with a big thumbs up. “Thins like whistling at her, speaking playfully– those are things you should avoid. While they are trained to ignore it, it’s still a distraction. If an animal misses an alert or signal to perform their task, it could be really bad.”

“Ah, got it!” She agrees.

“I’ve even had a couple people meow at her to get her attention while on duty.” He admits.

“Jeez!” The friend exclaims.

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Leaning in with a smile, Quil.and.Ink explains, “It’s still complicated, and people don’t always get it right, but I know there’s a community here that accepts me and strives to improve.”

“Yeah!” She enthuses.

He goes on while the two transition to a blanket on the grass under a tree, “I love coming to pride where both my queer side and my disability feel respected.

“Soo,” The friend asks cheekily, crossing her legs on the blanket. “now that we’re sitting down, is it alright if I pet her?”

Blue lays down primly just off the blanket, but still tethered to Quil.and.Ink’s leash.

“Hmm…” He considers. “Once we get home and she’s vest-off.” Quil.and.Ink smiles. “For now though I’d like her to stay focused. Thank you for ask!”

“No worries! I can’t wait to pet her when we get back!” His friend chirps in reply.

Transcribed by Erika Moen on May 4, 2026