I have no problem eating next to the dog but the smoker....No way!

This made me laugh because I too bought the vest and ID for my dog but never used it. I just couldn't bring myself to be comfortable with that "lie".

I've deleted my original comments placed here because they were redundant, but I retained the following link as it supports that the women and their dogs were not protected by the ADA.

Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Therapy Dogs & Rights : Service Dogs of Florida, Inc.

I totally understand!:ohdear:

They might have been the dog's trainers. Somebody takes the puppy for a year or so, providing basic training and experience in public, after which if they pass certain tests, they go on to a trainer for further specific training in their service area.

Service Dogs
 

I don't know about the dogs you saw in City Fire. What I do know is there is a family/couple in the area who work with "service dogs" to train them so the dogs can be placed with a person who needs them. The couple are not handicapped but it's important the dogs learn to be in all public places. I would think the first time they take the dogs out they may not be very well behaved as they wouldn't know what they are supposed to do. I have seen them with as many as three dogs at a time and different dogs over the past year. The dogs also seem to be at different levels of competency. I'm not suggesting that's who you saw, just that I have seen these people and their dogs in the area many times in the past.

These dogs always have a vest on them stating they are in training.

Two years ago hubby & I were flying out of Tampa. We spent the night before & went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner.
There was a man at the bar with a small dog on his lap. I said to the waitress that I didn't know dogs were allowed inside a restaurant. She said the man comes in quite often and that is his therapy dog.

I see therapy dogs riding around in cute little strollers all the time!:evil6:

I love dogs. I totally understand and respect the laws regarding service, therapy, comfort dogs, etc....but to bring three large dogs, at the same time into a restaurant on a busy day, makes no sense to me. What purpose would this serve in the training of a therapy dog? Three dogs? Together?

Just need to know if the dogs pooped and if the owner picked it up. Also, any sharing of deserts with these 3 dogs?

Certainly possible, if the dog is elderly. Being old doesn't mean they have outlived their responsibility to help their master.

I love dogs and I like seeing service dogs helping people. But THREE big dogs, big enough for faces to be table height, is excessive in a restaurant as crowded as CityFire can be at either location.

I'm getting tired of people taking the attitude that rules should not apply to them, or rules are some relic of the past made by old sourpusses.

There are good reasons for having rules like no animals permitted (except for a service one) in a dining establishment.

Now Doug...:MOJE_whot::doggie:

It's Not That Simple
 

Any restaurant that allows dogs, other than true service dogs, in the outside seating area is required to have a local permit and also comply with the minimum requirements outlined on this link or they are in violation of Florida State Laws.

Letting dogs in outside areas requires more than just permission, including posting signs, having hand sanitizer on each table, having a cleaning kit available in the outside area, and the server must remind customers to follow certain procedures such as washing their hands before eating.

These rules are Florida State Law.

http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr...-faq-dogs.html

One item from the link above.

9. Q. What are the minimum health or food safety conditions that must be met to allow pet dogs?

A. Any local ordinances allowing dogs must include the following minimum requirements:
All food service employees must wash their hands promptly after touching, petting, or otherwise handling dogs.
Employees cannot touch, pet, or otherwise handle dogs while serving food or beverages or handling tableware or before entering other parts of the establishment.
Patrons must be advised to wash their hands before eating. The establishment must provide waterless hand sanitizer at each table.
Dogs shall not come into contact with serving dishes, utensils, tableware, linens, paper products or any other items involved in food service operations.
Dogs shall be kept on a leash at all times and under reasonable control.
Dogs shall not be allowed on chairs, tables, or other furnishings.
Table and chair surfaces and any spillage shall be cleaned and sanitized between seating of patrons.
Accidents involving dog waste shall be cleaned immediately and the area sanitized with an approved product. Establishments are required to keep a kit containing cleaning materials in the designated outdoor area.
Signage reminding employees and patrons of adopted rules must be posted as required by local ordinance.
Dogs are not permitted to travel through any indoor or non-designated outdoor portions of the establishment. Ingress and egress to the designated, permitted, area cannot require entrance into or passage through any indoor area of the establishment.
Local governments may adopt additional requirements that must be met to obtain a permit.

That was my first thought, last summer I met some Goldens that were being trained for The Guide Dog Foundation. At the time they told me there something like a dozen being fostered here in TV.