They'll do that for guide dogs in training. But it's usually not a good idea to pet service dogs because it distracts them from their owner, which can possibly be fatal with bad timing.
Do you work at walmart? My friend who has a guide dog gets really upset about this too, because it makes legitimate service animals look bad to people who don't know the difference. She says employees at places like walmart are legally allowed to ask some questions related to the dog - I think something along the lines of "Does your dog do something to help you with a disability?" and "What function does your dog perform?" Probably there is more precise wording though - a way to ask about the dog to make sure it's legit, without violating the privacy of people with service dogs everywhere they go.
In California at least, fill out a simple form and pay a small fee and the government will give you a certificate stating your pet is a service animal. It's 100% legal and enforceable and abused like crazy.
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