Walmart Needs To Enforce Animal Policy

You don't know what you are talking about. They do not have to have
proper Identification to do so.

s stated before, a service dog requires NO documentation or specific
vest, so that cannot be required. Also, emotional support animals are
NOT service dogs and may not legally accompany their owner anywhere.
Service dogs must be individually trained to help an owner with a
DISABILITY. This means they must perform TASKS that help the person do
something the person cannot do because of a disability. Just providing
emotional support is not considered a task by the ADA. Service dogs
can and do provide emotional support, but they also do other things
such as lead a blind person, alert a dead person to sounds, alert an
epileptic about an impending siesure, lead a person with an anxiety
disorder out of a crowd during a panic attack, etc. These are just
some examples and it can be for any disabling condition. It also can
be any dog, as long as it is not disruptive and does not fundamentally
alter the business such as being in a surgical room (but not a food
store). Also, regarding what a person can and cannot ask: someone can
ask "Do you require a service animal due to a disability?" But they
may not inquire about what the disability is. They may also ask, "What
does this dog due to help your disability?" The person does not have
to say what disability they have, but they must state what tasks their
dog performs. This is just how the law is, I didn't make it up, but
please follow it.

I'm not a dog person, but I would rather see a dog in a store than
locked in a hot car. I saw a dog locked in a car in 80 degree weather
with the window only open a crack. If people MUST take a dog to a
store (which I don't see a purpose for, if someone needs that much
emotional support from a pet, then they have problems)then they
shouldn't get mad when they are asked to leave. It irks me too, but I
just let it go. The dogs I have seen in stores are usually well
behaved.

While shopping yesterday afternoon I saw a dog sitting in the front of
a shopping cart. I don't know about you, but I don't want my produce
or anything else sitting where a dog's butt just sat.

I'll say it again. Dogs don't want to go shopping! They want to go for
a walk (not in a store). The only store I take Chynna to is Pet
Valu.The ligition involved, if someone bit, would be twofold. Walmart
and the dog's owner. Dogs don't belong in a store unless they are a
service animal.

I agree OP. I get irritated with people bringing their pets (
Non-service animals) into stores.

Under the federal ADA (Americians with Disabilities Act) an any
business open to the public is allowed ONLY to ask if an animal is a
service animal. That is it. If the owner replies yes then the animal,
which may or may not be collared, taged, wearing a harness, certified
or licenced is allowed to accompany its owner into any part of the
business which is normally open to the public. The ADA laws take
priority over any state, county or city law or ordinance, to include
the health department.

The business is also not allowed to deny access due to the animal,
increase prices to cover the cost of cleaning up after the animal,
seperate the owner of the animal from other customers due to the
animals presence. Legally that animal is not a pet; hence it cannot be
prevented from entering a business under a "no pet" policy. You cannot
ban or control a service animal any more then you could ban a blind
mans cane because legally there is no difference between them.

The ONLY way a service animal can be removed from a place of business
is if the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of your
other customers (growling or biting), or if the animal is actively

i did like the rebuttal that claims vests aren't mentioned in the ada
laws....


because that just UPHOLDS the fact that vests are not required.

Actually, since you are so convinced of how "unhealthy" it is for a
dog to be in a store, I would assume you know of some study showing
that disease is being spread by this practice, hmmm?

What it's all been watered down to these days is that if you love your
dog (makes you happy) it then supplies your "emotional needs",
therefore it is a "service dog" and allowed to pee and poop and wipe
it's poopy paws on everyone's baskets as well as shed it's fur to all
those that are allergic to dogs. I know someone who loves their dog
(not a service dog) so much they merely bought a service dog vest over
the internet and take it eveywhere now. Sicko's win yet again in a
bleeding heart society.

Funny thing about Servive animals (especially dogs and cats), there is
something called an Emotional Support Animal and they do not have a
special vest or anything AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED SERVICE ANIMALS.
All that is needed is a note from a mental health specialist that is
no less then 1 year old.

In the laws you posted, nowhere do I see the word Vest. I see tags,
and just so we are clear, tags=/= vests. However, that is besides the
point. Service animals generally are very well trained. Even if they
are in a restaurant, they generally do not go into the kitchen. The
only food in risk of 'contamination' is the food of the person they
are with.

As for your arguments about the law (which apparently you do not
understand as you have somehow interpreted tag to = vest) sticking
your fingers in your ears and repeating the same thing over and over
does not make it true.

the funny thing is the OP keeps running on about tags.


tags are only for proof that your dog has been inoculated against
rabies. they have **absolutely nothing** to do with service animal
status.

Sure you can call a health official and report the dog but... no store
employee is going to badger the customer over it once the customer has
stated "service animal"

Why? Because they'd rather enrage one single customer with a grudge
or personal bone to pick vs paying out hefty fines for ADA violations

I am going to have my psychiatrist state that I need my dog with me as
part of my therapy...doctors will write a note/perscription for just
about anything you want as long as you pay them. Them I will go
online and purchase an orange vest, which admittedly is not her
color.

Why don't they allow the vests in different colors? I need to call my
Congressman and suggest that. I imagine they are also a nasty mesh
material, yuck! I mean orange is okay in the fall but even then I'd
prefer a nice burgundy or green to bring out her lovely eyes.

Ah well the things I do to upset people and bombard them with undue
stress:)

I am a retail manager in California. I have been through numerous
health inspections. I have, more than once, asked the health dept
employee how they advise us to handle the dog situation. Every single
time the advice is the same - politely inform the customer with the
dog that we only allow service animals - if they say the animal is a
service animal, leave it alone. Asking even "is that a service
animal" could be perceived as asking "are you disabled" which is
really not my business.

They are not required to provide any sort of identification to prove
the animal is a service one and we do not ask.

If an animal is unruly, even a service animal (and I have never seen
one who is) they can be asked to leave.

I am a dog owner and have a pretty cool dog at that. I don't take him
shopping withme though, and don't really understand the people that
do. I aslo don't really understand or appreciate the customers who
make asumptions about whether or not I, or my team, are doing our job
correctly when they suspect an
"unauthorized" animal is in the building.

Here you go

6-501.115 Prohibiting Animals.
(A) Except as specified in ¶¶ (B) and (C) of this section, live
animals may not be allowed on the premises of a food establishment. Pf

(B) Live animals may be allowed in the following situations if the
contamination of food; clean equipment, utensils, and linens; and
unwrapped single-service and single-use articles can not result:
(1) Edible fish or decorative fish in aquariums, shellfish or
crustacea on ice or under refrigeration, and shellfish and crustacea
in display tank systems;
(2) Patrol dogs accompanying police or security officers in offices
and dining, sales, and storage areas, and sentry dogs running loose in
outside fenced areas;
(3) In areas that are not used for food preparation and that are
usually open for customers, such as dining and sales areas, service
animals that are controlled by the disabled employee or person, if a
health or safety hazard will not result from the presence or
activities of the service animal;
(4) Pets in the common dining areas of institutional care facilities
such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, or
residential care facilities at times other than during meals if:
(a) Effective partitioning and self-closing doors separate the common
dining areas from food storage or food preparation areas,
(b) Condiments, equipment, and utensils are stored in enclosed
cabinets or removed from the common dining areas when pets are
present, and
(c) Dining areas including tables, countertops, and similar surfaces
are effectively cleaned before the next meal service; and
(5) In areas that are not used for food preparation, storage, sales,
display, or dining, in which there are caged animals or animals that
are similarly confined, such as in a variety store that sells pets or
a tourist park that displays animals.
(C) Live or dead fish bait may be stored if contamination of food;
clean equipment, utensils, and linens; and unwrapped single-service
and single-use articles can not result.
- -

Except Walmart. Let them run free there.

Seriously?!? Do you really believe all dogs carry rabies??!?

You could spot a dog carrying rabies a mile away...the crazy eyes and
white foam at the mouth are both pretty big and easy-to-spot
symptoms.

Not to mention that dog owners make sure their animals are up to date
on their shots b/c they can get seriously fined (as well as have their
dogs confiscated AND destroyed by animal welfare) if their dogs are
NOT up to date on their shots.

You are eating at Walmart and someone's dog is distracting from the
sumptuous food and ambience is that it?

Stop trying to police the world.

Would it make you feel better if someone put an orange vest on their
dog?

Service animals do NOT have to wear vests or tags proclaiming
themselves to be animals.

You need to review the laws you're demanding they enforce.



just because you assume a service animal is going to look one certain
way it does not mean they HAVE to fit your preconception.

Service animals can be very small dogs or not even dogs at all. I've
seen monkeys for crying out loud.

Actually, from my own research on this (based on past
letters/discussions at this site), no such documentation is required.
A store employee/manager may ask the customer to remove the animal,
and if the customer says that the dog is for a disability, the
employee is not legally allowed to ask for or push for additional
information or proof of any kind.

The vests are meaningless -- anyone can buy them online.

I would love to see this stop. Nothing I hate more than seeing some
mangy mutt in the food area shaking his fur over everything or worse
yet leaning over to sniff or lick something.

Where is this law? I would love to see it. Trust me, we have people
bringing their mangy stinky dogs in all the time and we were told
there was nothing we could do about it. As long as they claim it's a
service dog, we can't do a thing about it.

And heck, you can get a "service" dog for just about anything these
days....

Vests are not required by law nor must a person show any
documentation. All a business may do is ake is an animal is a service
animal.

http://www.nh.gov/disability/information/community/serviceanimals.htm