I love dogs and have never been without one by my side. But that does not give me the right to impose my love of the canines on other folks. Never take them to the square, for their safety really. Too crowded and just not a place for them to enjoy. As for restaurants.....only outside cafes that allow pooches.
She was pushing the envelope and got away with it....this time!

No, I wasn't talking to anyone in particular..

The dog owner is a scammer, nothing less, tell the manager if he doesn't do his job--the word will go out & he might lose his job--call the gendarmes & see what they say

We, at Delta Society, have been receiving an increase in inquiries from people with psychiatric concerns whose doctors have prescribed they keep a pet with them to calm anxiety or provide needed emotional support. They call when they are denied access to public places and don’t understand why this happens since they have a ‘Psychiatric or Comfort Service Animal’. Based upon how the law is currently written, the vast majority of these animals do not qualify as a service animal.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990, (ADA), defines service animal as: “any animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.” The ADA defines a disability as: “a mental or physical condition which substantially limits a major life activity such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.”

PictureTo be considered a service animal, the animal must be trained to perform tasks directly related to the person’s disability. “Comforting” or “giving love”, although clinically proven to be beneficial for people, is not acknowledged as a trained “task” by the Department of Justice, which enforces the ADA.

Some examples of trained tasks performed by psychiatric service animals include:
* bringing medication to alleviate symptoms,
* bringing a beverage so their person can swallow medication,
* bringing a phone to their person in an emergency,
* answering the door bell, or
* calling 911 or summoning help in an emergency.

Hope this helps.

So if I am understanding this correctly, these people coming into our restaurants with cutesy dogs in or out of the strollers, are a fraud??? And the managers of the restaurants lack the knowledge to interpret the law, thus are intimidated?

Sure looks that way. Restaurants, air planes and so on. They need a "SERVICE DOG".

I think its safe to assume that the person(s) issuing these on-line bogus certificates to dog owners are ingenious to say the least. Wow, what a scam ! It ranks right up there with people passing off the Golden Doodles as an actual dog breed ?! What person in their right mind would pay $ 1000.00 plus for an every day, ordinary M-U-T-T, as millions of beautiful, distinguished dogs die each year in shelters across the country...

I am not really a dog person. I'v had dogs (Irish Setters) and at this time of my life I just don't want the responsibility. But, I do agree with Bitsee, there are many good dogs in shelters.

Wow. I'm saddened that this small white dog with a vest on indicating that he was a Comfort Dog was really masquerading as a TRUE service dog.
Mother-of-Pearl! That means he is a fake!#*%
A sham! A get-over-artist!
But, WAIT!
How does ANYONE know with absolute certainty that he is truly not a service dog and not just opined to be a fake?
Typically, Toojay's is diligent where dog papers are concerned. Unfortunately, some people absolutely have fake papers.
These would be the liars. They are similar to the to the other; oft times lazy liars who have fake Handicapped Parking passe so they don't have to walk.
I just cannot say that a Comfort Dog is not a TRUE service dog.
I have a dear friend who brings Brutus EVERYWHERE she goes. She needs him. He is valid in his vest. Brutus knows he's legit. I KNOW he's legit. That's true.
Isn't it also true that, if you have never met him before, you absolutely do not know if he is a fake? You cannot possibly know. So, who knew?
iHmmmm. Innocent until proven Guilty.
As Barefoot so eloquently said, " A few inconsiderate people give the rest of us a bad name." Who knows??? Not I, and, I STILL don't know.
LOOK WHAT I FOUND**********

"The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 Regulations define a service animal as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition." C.F.R. § 35.104 and § 36.104 (2010).

If they meet this definition, dogs are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government."
IF THEY DON'T KNOW, NO ONE DOES.
NOW, WE ALL KNOW!!!

I was in Walgreens at Colony the other day and a guy was carrying around a small dog getting lots of attention from others wanting to pet the dog. He would then tell them that his dad had puppies of all breeds to sell and how to get to his place of residence by handing out business cards. I thought of the guy advertising on here and wondered if it was him. He did not have a comfort dog vest or anything on it.

More then nerve, dirtbag is more like it.

Less that honest people can and do register their dog as a service dog with no questions asked allowing them to access to lodging establishments without paying a pet fee or restaurants
Simply by sending a check or credit card and purchase vest and other service dog related items..It's dishonest and hurts honest people with a real need to travel with a service dog

Take Your Dog Anywhere - ServiceDogKits.com‎
» Service Dog Vest And ID Card Kits - Service Dog Vests And ID Cards[/url]

Toojay's lost my business then gained it back all in this forum. Good for them to have the fortitude to ask the right question and back up their decision. Like dogs, love women, lived with both all my life but gave up the dogs when moving to Fl. because of the limited space the animal would have to live happily.

Gracie, I am going to get me a cat, make a vest for it that says "Comfort Cat" and take it to a restaurant......lets see if they will allow that......or, even better, how about a hamster, or a white rat, or a gerbil.....or an iguana, one of those huge green ugly ones! I could go on.......

I would have spoken to the manager and asked him to have her removed. I have a friend who can't bare to part with her dog and got paperwork drawn up to make him comfort dog also. Apparently it's easy today and no questions are asked. The person should dine home with her pet. Pets and smoking should not be allowed in restaurants or stores.

you better not visit Germany and eat out because its accepted there and no one thinks anything about it.

What has your friend said when you expressed your feelings about pets in restaurants?

Actually, a comfort pet or emotional support animal has no legal standing. Only Service Animals are allowed in eating establishments. Restaurants should have the ADA rules printed so a server or manager could show them to a customer who thinks their dog is allowed.

Go to the ADA website and read all about the service animals vs emotional support or comfort animals.

I don't say anything to her as not to affect our friendship but I won't dine out with her because of this. I don't want to be around when people may get upset and an argument may ensue

I think I will get a vest or coat for my two cats. My husband can carry one and I can carry the other...I miss them, but would never think of taking them to a restaurant or any store for that matter. Some people will push the button until they can't get away with it.

Hmmmm, how long can it be before we have comfort snakes, comfort pigs, and comfort ponies coming to restaurants too? Ridiculous? Maybe. Maybe not.

Pigs and miniature horses are already here. One airline is already being sued by a woman who was taken off a plane because she tried to bring a pig onboard.

Please go to the ADA website. Read the information regarding Service Animals and Emotional/Comfort Animals. The Emotional Support Animals are not covered under ADA and are not to be brought into restaurants. Nothing to do with having a note from a professional stating there is a need for them. NOT COVERED BY ADA.

There is a sign on the patio at City Fire in Sumter that says something like "no smoking and no pets on the patio." One night at dinner, there were two women sitting directly below that sign. There was a small dog with them and one of the women was having a cigarette. The waiter did say something to them about the dog... they told him it was a service dog. Just goes to show you -- some people are so self-centered they could care less about everyone around them.

Service dog my ass. If I was eating next to them I would have told the manager I'm walking out without paying because of my "asthma". How dare they aggravate my "asthma" Next stop, my attorney. "I'm suing" Service dog, my ass...

Looks like I am taking Too Jays off my dining list!

I am with you!

I'm with you on this, but no one challenges anyone. We all have to be politically correct today. Most of these service dogs are probably a fraud. The managers don't know the law well enough to challenge a customer. I believe the owners of the restaurants need to spell it out clearly to the staff what is legal and what is not.

Bonny you are 100% correct. The ADA specifically states that the staff can only ask the two questions you stated. They can't ask for any documentation for the service animal. Folks may not agree with the ADA regulations for a variety of reasons but these regs are very specific and very clear.

I don't think many would disagree with ADA and legitimate service animals being allowed. But the lame position the business owner is placed in by not being allowed to verify legitimacy of the "service" animal empowers the LIARS all the more.

Thanks...I will NOT visit Germany!

Don't go anywhere else in the EU, either. Oh my... the germs.

If I visit Europe should I bring antibiotics? I always heard it was germy there. And France is supposedly filled with slovenly people who bathe less than twice per day? Oh, the horror!

Oh my achin' brain!!!! Now the dogs are SMOKING too???? Again, who is fair in making an absolute determination that this pad walker is sneaky enough to get the vest and be a trickster? Again, my pal, BRUTUS, has paperwork that is stamped by a local government agency, a laminated, numbered, single,dual-purpose triplicate card indicating that he can get inside of ANYWHERE and get a-half of a double decaffeinated half-caf with a twist of lemon in his dish; at the table. LET BRUTUS SWING.
Thank you for opening up and chatting. I still say that the initial suspect here has sworn documentation that she is human.
Some 2 years ago, Brutus came to Miami with us as I was sworn in at the British Consulate, hence securing my dual citizenship. The U.K. representative asked for Brutus to pose with her for a pic. Done and Done. I was wearing pink and a tiara. Fa-boo.
Let my creatures chill.
Nobody beheaded us. BTW.... I have a HC Parking Permit as I have had 7, now heading for #'s 8 & 9 spine fusions and lammies. I try not to use it but sometimes, YIKES. Bad pain.
I love animals. All animals. Smiling out loud!

How is the color of the dog and the gender of the owner relevant? Would it have been more acceptable to you if it been a man called "Bubba" and his brown mutt?

How totally UnPC are your comments.

Tee-hee. They even shave their armpits now.:clap2::clap2: