When Raelle was a pup, I took her everywhere with me...this one particular day, I was out and about...decided to run into Wal-Mart here in Canada....she was in her Kwiggy Bo...not making a sound, had her head sticking out of the top....the greeter at the door told me dogs are not allowed in the store. No mention was made about service dogs at all, add to the fact that this was a mature woman, she was quite snarky with me...I haven't been in any Wal-Mart since.

For those of you that have service dogs, I was just wondering if you have a vest that states your dog is a service dog or just carry your card? I am guessing the option for your dog to wear a vest is optional? I just have never thought about it before.

Guinness has a card and a vest but umm I got the vest before I knew just how beefy he would get :p

I was wrong.

The latest revised Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) regarding service animals states:

"When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task."

The latest ADA requirement revisions are found here:
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

I was in Sams with DH last Saturday,a couple walked past me with a carrier covered by a baby blanket. Only people that have a dog that they take places would ever of known. I didnt have a problem with it,the furbaby was in a carrier,zipped in and covered. DH and I just smiled at each other and didnt approach. Mina would NEVER stand to be covered like this,I therefore do not take her places that she may not be welcome.

They don't have to wear a vest. I had one but its got misplaced when moving. I also have a card and a tag for her collar.

I saw a lady at the movie theatre with a dog on a leash, I heard some people telling the manager about it and he just said some people have "companion dogs" and he wasn't going to say anything.
Everyones dog is a companion dog. Maybe I could take 170 pound Rosco to the movies with me and tell everyone he's my companion dog, haha

I have taken my dog to stores on vacation and stores like Bomgaars, Dollar Tree, Drug stores, Library, Movie stores, PetSmart, Petco, US Cellular, Scrapbooks stores and a lot of small town, family owned stores. The only place I was asked to leave was a candy store and I asked it I could pay for my purchase first and they allowed her to stay for that!

Well of course they want your money you evil dog carrying lady :p

That may be the ADA requirement, but what about HHS?

Unless the answer is "pick stuff up for me" or "open doors"...both of which might allude to a physical impairment, doesn't question (2) that is "allowed" per the ADA reg. pretty much dispense with doubt about the disability, though? What might happen if the customer felt 'compelled' to reveal 'personal medical information' by being asked the question? I also wonder what store employees would do if the answer was "he keeps me from skitzing out and murdering people in your store" might sound like at volume to other shoppers? :rolleyes::p:D



HHS - Office on Disability - Emergency Preparedness says:

"People with Service Animals Traditionally, the term “service animal” referred to seeing-eye dogs. However, today there are many other types of service animals.
Remember – a service animal is not a pet.
Do not touch or give the animal food or treats without the permission of the owner.
When a dog is wearing its harness, it is on duty. In the event you are asked to take the dog while assisting the individual, hold the leash and not the harness.
Plan to evacuate the animal with the owner. Do not separate them!
Service animals are not registered and there is no proof that the animal is a service animal. If the person tells you it is a service animal, treat it as such. However, if the animal is out of control or presents a threat to the individual or others, remove it from the site.
A person is not required to give you proof of a disability that requires a service animal. You must accept that he/she has a disability. If you have doubts, wait until you arrive at your destination and address the issue with the supervisors in charge.
The animal need not be specially trained as a service animal. People with psychiatric and emotional disabilities may have a companion animal. These are just as important to them as a service animal is to a person with a physical disability – please be understanding and treat the animal as a service animal.
A service animal must be in a harness or on a leash, but need not be muzzled."
What is a disability per the ADA...and...


"Do You Qualify As Having a Disability?
The ADA defines "disability” very broadly and does not limit the type of disability for which a service animal can be used. In addition, there is great flexibility with respect to the nature and severity of a person’s physical, mental, or emotional issue (disability). The essence of the law states that if you have any condition that makes it difficult to perform or limits an important life activity (that other people can perform easily), you are qualified. You are not required to have a doctor’s excuse or formal diagnosis. The life activity might only be a problem during certain times, like dizziness (leading to balance problems), low blood sugar, a seizure, panic attacks, stress, or depression, to name a few examples.
Although we do not encourage exaggerating problems to qualify as disabled, it is clear that you don’t have to be blind or deaf to have a disability. Are you diabetic? Then you probably qualify if your blood sugar level sometimes incapacitates you or makes normal functions difficult. Do you have dizziness or balance problems on occasion? How about difficulty hearing?
Partial List of Qualified Disabilities:
Physical Problem
Asthma (or other breathing problems)
Blindness (& partial blindness)
Deafness (& partial deafness)
Diabetes
Dizziness/Balance problems
Epilepsy
General Hearing Difficulty
Mobility Problems
Neurological Problems
Paralysis
Physical Weakness
Speech Problems
Seizures Emotional/Mental Problem
Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Any Psychiatric Condition (see exclusions below)
Autism
Depression
Dyslexia
Bipolar Disorder
Emotionally Overwhelmed
Panic Attacks
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Separation Anxiety
Social Phobia
Stress Problems ADA Definitions of Qualified Disability
Under the ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who:
Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
Has a record of such an impairment; or
Is regarded as having such an impairment.
A physical impairment is defined by the ADA as:
Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine.
A mental impairment is defined by the ADA as:
Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
NOTE: The ADA does not list all conditions or diseases that make up physical, mental, and emotional impairments, because it would be impossible to provide a comprehensive list given the variety of possible impairments."




I think possibly this is a 'blurred' enough issue that some businesses may just adopt a policy of 'don't ask' so they need fewer legal representation.

...but I could be wrong...;)

:p I mostly use Guinness's card so he can fly in my lap due to he has flips out if he can't see me but if it wasn't an airport setting I would sooo gave that reply :p

Yup! They wanted my money....so it was "ok" to be in the store for that length of time!

Nvillusc, I think you hit the nail on the head. This is such a blurred, confusing and personal issue to some people the businesses have just adopted an attitude of not wanting to offend anyone or risk getting sued.

I've decided....... if I am following a mini horse in an aisle in Walmart and I see it's tail starting to raise.........I hope the person that is on clean up duty is close by.

Walmart.
 

I was not even allowed with my dog in the outside, garden, department of my local Walmart. That seemed unreasonable to me. ( on the other hand he does like to pee on plants if I let him, LOL!)

We take out baby with us to Wal-Mart, but our Wal-Mart does not have grocery section. And we also don't let him run around on the floor, always carry him. Don't take him to grocery stores that is messed up because some people may have allergies, and got forbid your dog touches something and then somebody dies!

I've been in a Walmart with Troy (In a purse) and was asked to leave.

There are places I am careful not to take Troy, grocery stores are particularly one of them as that would be a health hazard. I've taken Troy to restaurants that allow pets, home depot, the mall, etc.

I don't let dogs in my kitchen so it's my own personal preference to remember that Troy is a dog. As for the OP, situation with the person in Walmart, I've never heard the rule about the employee not being able to ask if it was a service animal or not, but if it is a service animal it should have some form of ID.

I don't blame you for not going back to Wal-Mart. Same thing happened to Ruby and I at Ulta. Ruby was in her carrier and the woman had the nerve to put her hand on my arm, turn me around, and walk me towards the door, all while telling me dogs were not allowed. I had a fit, called them all a@@holes and left. Never been back. Sephora is much nicer anyway:animal36

You know, I brought Princess Sophie into our local Wal-mart yesterday and today. Now I know dogs are not allowed so the service desk people just turn around as if to not see her. We live in a really small town. Clinton, IL for the person who lives in Decatur!!

I do have to agree however that only service dogs, providing service, should be allowed anywhere near food stuffs. The only reason I don't feel guilty is that we have the smallest Wal-Mart in the history of Wall-Marts and we don't even have a grocery section. I could never bring my dog into a grocery store or anywhere food was sold. It's just not something anyone should do.

FACT: A Manager or business person may ask . Is this a service animal ? What service is it trained to do ? That is all.
Small service animals are being used more and more. They can be trained as alert dogs for many different things, like seizures, sounds, blood pressure, diabetes and used for their calming ability, for some mental conditions.
My Yorkies are trained as therapy dogs and one would qualify as service dog. He alerts with frantic licking and pawing, if my blood sugar is too high or too low. He was not trained for this he just does it. He naturally alerts.
When my dogs are working they do wear a vest. As well as a tag on their collar. and I carry their ID picture and card. (Hospital, Nursing Home Visits etc.)
I have no problem with dogs that are 100% trained and working for their person. Service dogs are not just pets, when they are working, they really are preforming a service.
There will always be people who twist the rules, so they can do what they want to do. If you just love taking your dog every where, fine do it if you feel it is ok. Please If you get caught just say sorry and leave. Don't make it harder for people who really need their service animal. Please be honest and don't tell a story like this, ' This is a bomb sniffing Chihuahua and we want to check the pet section for hidden explosives !' This last part of the post, is just my opinion.

Update....I took Bentley to CVS on the way home from the grand-human's house. Needed to get some mineral oil for him. (poor baby is bound up) When I got to the register the cashier just look and smiled and said about how cute he was and asked his age. Like I said I figure(within reason)as long as he's in my arms and quiet, what's the big deal?:rolleyes:

I used to carry my 4 pound Chihuahua in his bag everywhere. It was lined with fleece and he just laid there and looked out the mesh sides and no one ever even knew he was in there. The bag looked like a lot of purses. LOL I never took him out of the bag.
He got older and started growling at things sometimes, so I quit taking him but I don't look at it any different than people with dirty little kids and my dog is 9 times out of 10 cleaner than half of those.

Guess I don't see the big deal about dogs being in a grocery store/section. All the food is boxed, bagged, or wrapped...well accept the fruit and veggies, but I wash those before i eat them anyway so...

I can see how the "idea" of it is offputting, but when you think of the logistics (even the one licking the plastic on the chicken)...they aren't touching or harming any food product. And with the licking thing, not only was it the plastic, but I plan on cooking my chicken before I eat it. I'm far more concerned about salmonella than a dog lick (mine kiss me all the time so obviously licking doesn't concern me lol)

I do think 'the idea' can be offputting to some people and I wouldn't want to 'offput' them myself...doesn't seem fair at all to do so...but, I suspect if there was a genuine way to get true numbers, it would be discovered that most of the 'ick' that makes us sick comes from human sources rather than animal sources in stores where pets are allowed. I wouldn't want to take a dripping jar off a low shelf doggie 'urinal' or slip in excrement on 'aisle 3' either. ;)

But, seriously, even back in the day when dogs were allowed everywhere...and in some parts of the country/world (like Italy) still are, I never saw diseased, dirty, disheveled, or unkempt dogs being taken everywhere by their owners. Most of 'those kind' of owners that don't care enough for their pets to keep them clean and brushed don't bother to lug them around, either. Always, it was those of us who truly babied our furries and treated them as our 'children' and 'rolled our eyes' over how spoiled our little ones were (thanks to us...lol) who bothered to tend to them so much of the time, keeping them with us, and fussing over them.

It is so much easier to just leave 'Fido' home alone and on his own...he is 'an animal' after all, isn't he?...and go have a good time ourselves, free and clear of worry and bother, than carry leashes, water, kibble, treats, combs/brushes, toys, wipes and towels, etc. in the 'doggie diaper bag' to keep 'FiFi' clean, dry, detangled, de-burred, safe, happy, hydrated and gorgeous for all that oooo-ing and awww-ing. lol

By contrast...and I have children who were young once, too...lol...and picked up frogs and toads, and insects and mud, etc. in their once clean hands...this was before all the nice 'wet wipes' in 'travel pouches' too...when bulk foods were first put into the supermarket where I shopped in NH back in the '80's, I watched a young boy open the clear acrylic lid on a bulk barrel of candy and take a piece out. No store personnel were in that dept...it was 'self-serve.' That grossed me out...I know about kid hands! lol and what can fall into an open barrel. What happened next still turns my stomach...his Mom saw him take the candy and as she started saying, "put that back," the kid popped the candy into his mouth, and hearing then the 'directive' duly removed the candy from his mouth and returned it to the large barrel from which he'd taken it. :eek::eek::eek:

To this day, I will not buy things from bulk barrels, and only buy things like organic popcorn and coffee beans from pouring type 'hopper' style bulk displays. Kids don't tend to eat those...or "put them back"...and both are going to see some high heat before touching my lips...and I am not even a germ-o-phobe. :p:D

I have to say..I'm guilty...

I take strudel everywhere. I put him in my bag. I mean just look at my avatar :rolleyes:

I agree with this. I actually asked at one of the JoAnn's that I frequent, and the ladies know me. They said they aren't supposed to let dogs in, but if the manager doesn't mind then they don't say anything. This one particular location I always see small dogs in there, so once I needed to grab some thread really quick, and it was a hot summer day, so Uni came with me in my big purse. No one said anything, but the girl checking me out made sure to give me the evil eye. Oh well. I never did bring her in again.

Ewwwww. I'll have to wash my meat packages now when I bring them home from the grocery I can tell. Never even thought of that! I know I have to live with my own and my dog's normal dog germs but he's kept clean and tidy and pest-free, doesn't have sores, ooze stuff from his eyes or other parts, etc., but I sure hate to have the saliva and E coli and hair and oozy whatnot from others' animals on my food products in addition to all the handling they undergo by workers to get to me. Bleh! At least this thread saved me the calories of my bedtime snack tonight!

We ask before taking our Yorkies into a store. We asked at JoAnn's one night and they said no, so we don't shop at JoAnn's. We go to Hobby Lobby and Michael's where everyone loves us to bring them in. :p

I think it is crazy that they can't ask for ID. And I think that it is crazy for any store to not let employees ask if it is a service animal.

I love my dogs to death. I'd like to take Ellie everywhere with me (school for sure!), It would brighten my day to see somebody's pet hanging in the dairy section with their owner. But if it is allowed, it will get out of control. So only small, clean dogs can come in? Discrimination. And I'd have a big problem with a big butt lickin dog sniffing my boxes of food. It is completely unecessary unless they are providing a service. .

We have a best buy 30 minutes away but often drive a hour to the one that allows small & large dogs.

i agree