[Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com]

Pugmom , your my kind of people

[sdm1222]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

To those talking about seeing eye dogs - they're called Service Animals now, because they're not just for the blind. They're also for people who suffer seizure disorders, anxiety attacks, or have other documented disabilities that can be mitigated with the help of a service animal. These service animals are specially trained to perform specific tasks.

"Comfort animals" are pets - nothing more or less.

The actual federal law, of the ADA, states that establishments must allow the disabled to bring their service animals into the establishment. The law does -not- require any licensing and in fact, there exists no such thing. You can buy "service animal" harnesses from Amazon, so even having an official looking harness is not proof that it's a service animal.

There are only two questions that a proprietor is legally allowed to ask:

1. IS that a service animal?
2. What tasks is your service animal trained to perform?

You're not allowed to ask what that animal does FOR that person. Only what it's trained to do, in general. This is to protect the disabled person from having to divulge what's wrong with them that they need a service animal. Their disability is not the proprietor's business, but the presence of the dog in the building is his business.

Because of this need to separate the protected medical information about the disabled from the status of the animal, a lot of people will bring their pets in, and insist that they are, in fact, "service animals" when they're nothing of the sort. And there's nothing the proprietor can legally do about it.

HOWEVER

The proprietor CAN restrict the animal's behavior:

"4 on the floor" is the standard. They must NOT be in shopping carts or strollers or in the person's arms. Four legs on the floor at all times.

They must be heeled. Meaning - they must not be allowed to wander at all - so no retractable leashes, period. No more than a 6' leash, and the animal must be either at the walker's side in touching distance, or directly in front of them while walking to lead the walker forward.

They must NOT sniff around anything, or bark, or whine, or be available for petting, or even wagging its tail. The animal MUST be "on duty." If it's not on duty, it doesn't belong in the store. Period.

The proprietor has the right to make the walker and their animal leave even if the animal IS on duty, performing specific tasks for the walker, IF that dog misbehaves.

And service animal or otherwise - the proprietor has every right to kick someone out if they put their animal in a shopping cart.

Those behaviors are not protected by the ADA. But proprietors know that this is a litigious society. If Karen brings Fluffy into a store in a shopping cart and is kicked out, Karen will have a lawyer giving the store grief, costing hours in wasted time, money that has to be set aside for a lawsuit (even if the proprietor wins, the money still has to be put aside), and a possible ding in their reputation if Karen's "side" of the story makes the news.

So proprietors will often just look away, unless the dog is causing a significant, active, destructive problem.

It's unfortunate, but such is the way of selfish entitled people who decide that rules are for everyone else but them, and dare anyone to call them out on it.

Long replies bore Readers.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by Djean1981

I LOVE dogs, but don't understand why they are in stores and restaurant areas. I would not expect everyone to love or even tolerate my pet. Often, the animals are very nervous and would be happy at home on the couch or their crate. Additionally, it is not appropriate or nice for the store employees to have to clean up urine.

Djean1981, your comment was very well put. We had a Toy Poodle but when she died we decide not to get another pet because I didn’t feel we were fair to the dog to board her or ask family to watch her, so we didn’t get another pet. You were right about you don’t ask a store employee to clean up after your pet, who cleans up after their pet at home or do they just leave it lie like maybe they do at home. Employees aren’t being paid to clean up after dogs. That terribly unsanitary! Some people don’t love your pet or they would have one. Leave them at home, they’ll be alright until you get home.

[donfey]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Don't know if this was discussed here before, and yes, I love dogs.

What's your take on the public bringing your pets into restaurants, grocery stores, churches?
You can't tell me their all-service dogs and that stuff can be bought on Amazon.

Tell story:
My wife and I were standing in line at Lowes and a young man had his dog in his cart.
As he moved ahead to check out my wife notice a paddle of urine on the floor from his dog in the cart and people behind us were walking there it..

How can Florida's Sanitation Dept. allow this around all things public?

IMO, people who take their dogs into restaurants or grocery stores are, at best, rude. Anyone who would allow their pet to urinate in a store is rude and crude.

We, who see it and say nothing, are stupid. These buffoons need to be confronted, loudly. Stores and store managers who allow it should be boycotted.

[donfey]

Originally Posted by CFrance

There is no freaking way you "Don't know if this was discussed here before." All you had to do was a search on TOTV. You're just trying to stir up trouble. And yes, Lowes and Home Depot have allowed dogs in stores for at least 14 years. And I know this because I took my (this past Monday) departed Golden there as a puppy.


I hope you find some other story to tell.

This issue SHOULD be stirred up. Leave your damn dog in the car, or stay home with it.

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by donfey

This issue SHOULD be stirred up. Leave your damn dog in the car, or stay home with it.

Short and to the point. Well said!

[Djean1981]

I had a Winnie-Poo that lived for 18 years. She looked like a stuffed animal. Very loveable, but very easily stressed out, emotionally. I feel bad for the dogs at the squares with the crowds, music, kids running ...

[shortstack]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

I would have asked for manager…..to clean up the urine.

Why should a store employee have to clean that mess up. The dog owner should have asked for some paper towels, then clean it up. Better yet, leave the dog at home.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by donfey

This issue SHOULD be stirred up. Leave your damn dog in the car, or stay home with it.

I agree that this subject needs to be brought up regularly so people don't forget that many are, at best, not pleased to be around dogs in certain situations. However, I believe that the word "damn" in your second sentence is misplaced. It should be used in reference, not to the dog, but to certain owners.

[airstreamingypsy]

Originally Posted by Larchap49

I hope your just having a bad day and aren't living your life as the miserable person you came off as in your post. Lighten up. Also dogs should not be allowed in shopping g carts where others are going to put items especially food.

But you are okay with kids with dirty diapers in shopping carts?

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by michael g.

don't know if this was discussed here before, and yes, i love dogs.

What's your take on the public bringing your pets into restaurants, grocery stores, churches?
You can't tell me their all-service dogs and that stuff can be bought on amazon.

Tell story:
My wife and i were standing in line at lowes and a young man had his dog in his cart.
As he moved ahead to check out my wife notice a paddle of urine on the floor from his dog in the cart and people behind us were walking there it..

How can florida's sanitation dept. Allow this around all things public?

i'm all for dog lovers having the right to bring their animals into stores so long as all their personal doctors and staff can bring theirs into all of their medical treatment rooms
eg
heart surgery
liver & kindney surgery
dental treatments
etc

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by willie aguiar

i hold my yorkie when im in the store

As long as you're not going into a store that has a sign on the window that says "no pets" or "service animals only" then you're fine.

If you bring your yorkie into a store that does have those signs, then you are making a conscious decision to show disrespect for the store, and all of its customers.

On-duty service animals are not held in the arms of their humans. They are leashed, on the floor, heeled at all times.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by donfey

IMO, people who take their dogs into restaurants or grocery stores are, at best, rude. Anyone who would allow their pet to urinate in a store is rude and crude.

We, who see it and say nothing, are stupid. These buffoons need to be confronted, loudly. Stores and store managers who allow it should be boycotted.

Many store managers are ordered to NOT do anything about it, unless the animal is behaving badly. They CAN do something about it if the dog is barking, or if it's off-leash, or if it's in a shopping cart. That is unacceptable behavior.

If the dog is heeling, and leashed, with "4 on the floor" and not snorting around the cereal boxes in aisle 7, then the store manager *cannot* do anything about it, because they are NOT allowed to demand proof that the animal is a service animal. That is the law.

An unfortunate law, but the law nonetheless.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Djean1981

I had a Winnie-Poo that lived for 18 years. She looked like a stuffed animal. Very loveable, but very easily stressed out, emotionally. I feel bad for the dogs at the squares with the crowds, music, kids running ...

Many dogs, especially small dogs, have anxiety issues. They live in a world of giants that take them places and expose them to loud noises, bright lights, confusing activity, strange sights, sounds, smells, etc. They would be happier at home in their safe zone.
Sadly, people use these same poor dogs for "emotional support", heaping their own anxiety onto the already overwhelmed helpless little dog.
Have anxiety? There is medicine for that. Take a "chill pill" or carry a teddy bear. Don't lose your emotional problems on a helpless little dog. That is like telling your 5 year old not only to worry about tying his shoes, but to worry about paying the mortgage while he is at it.

[Michael G.]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

they are NOT allowed to demand proof that the animal is a service animal. That is the law.

An unfortunate law, but the law nonetheless.

Who would even attempt to put this into a law not to demand proof??
Stupid