wal-mart letting customers bring their pets into the stores etc.

Shelton and almost every walmart in Washington state over looks dogs
in their stores. Pisses me off. Little runny nose runny eyed bastards

It breaks my heart to see how attached to their pets people are these
days and how society FEARS so much they would lose their job. This
nation needs God not more pets. They wont save you, can you pray to a
dog to save you? People bringing their idols into a store and lying to
keep it from being taken away from them is not surprising at all.
Nevertheless those who defend it or are passive about it. There is a
lack of worshipping the One true God. JESUS is the answer and He is
your best friend. This world is not all there is and thank God for
that!

All the Wal Marts I've seen have signs at the entrance indicating
service dogs only. If someone with an obviously non-assistance animal
is not confronted, it's probably because the store is busy and the
employees didn't notice, or the person lied about the animal being a
service animal. I've seen lots of people sneak animals in in those
big purses, or in their shirts. But I agree, leave Fluffy at home;
it's not that they don't know the rules, it's because they believe
that THEIR animal is special somehow.

While service animals are allowed, regular pets should stay home.
Then again I see kids in Walmart running around wild all the time!

first of all the law should be posted at both entrances that its
service animals allowed....little carryable pets such as toy dogs ect.
shouldnt be allowed....its not healthy...

If it's a service dog, you've got no beef. If he's pretending, you'll
have a hard time proving anything, but he'd be really inconsiderate if
he did that anyway. I do agree dogs should not otherwise be allowed
into shopping spaces. I've been to Prime Outlets (now called Premium
Outlets for some unknown reasons since nothing changed to make them
any better)...but they wander all over with their dogs on very long
leashes and I've more than once seen them use the bushes to do their
business. Dogs don't have wallets, and should not be out shopping.

I am staying at a "No Pets" resorts. Someone is here with a dog, a
service animal. I fear that other people with dogs will see this, say,
"why can't I bring MY dog?" and find out that all they have to do is
claim it is a service animal.

What is wrong with a nationally recognized certificate for legitimate
service dogs? We don't just take someone's word for it that they are
allowed to drive, they have to show a driver's license. Ditto with
being allowed to park in a HP zone. You need a plate or a hang tag.

BTW, the security guard here said they require proof that the dog is
a service animal. I printed out something that said they are not
allowed to ask that. Not sure if it will change their procedures.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned
businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail
stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are
prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.
The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to
bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas
customers are generally allowed.

Federal law states that a service animal can go anywhere its owner
goes. The law prohibits anyone from asking about the person's
disability or demanding to see documentation of the dog's training. No
one working at a business can ask a person with a service animal to
use a specific entrance. A person working at a business can ask if the
animal is a service animal and what tasks it performs. Allergies and a
fear of animals are not sufficient reasons to deny entrance to a
service animal.
The law does not require service animals to wear special vests,
harnesses or backpacks, although many owners outfit their animals in
such gear to make it clear to the public that the dogs are service
animals.

Guide Dogs usually serve in a harness with a handle and help the
blind or visually impaired. Hearing Dogs often wear a blaze orange
collar and leash, cape, vest or harness; the dog has been trained to
recognize certain sounds, such as a fire alarm. Service Dogs
frequently wear a harness, vest or a backpack and work with the
physically disabled, performing tasks such as pulling a wheelchair or
fetching dropped items.

Alert/Response Dogs typically wear a harness, vest or a backpack
and are sometimes called "seizure response dogs" or "seizure alert
dogs." As the name suggests, they help someone who is incapacitated
because of epilepsy or other seizure disorders. They also help people
with psychological/psychiatric disabilities.

Therapeutic Companion Dogs typically have no distinguishing vests
or harnesses. They have only a basic skill level. They provide
companionship and affection and sometimes, with children, a parenting
capability.


Read more: About Federal Service Dog Laws | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/list_6801823_federal-service-dog-laws.html#ixzz1pF
iHuuNv

A business can't charge a person with a service animal extra fees,
isolate them or treat them less favorably than others using the
business. However, a business can charge for any damage done by the
service animal. The business can't ask the owner of the service animal
to remove him from the building unless the animal is out of control or
threatens others. A restaurant can't forbid a service animal from any
common area even if state or local health ordinances prohibit animals
in that area.

Civil penalties can require the business or individual to pay actual
and punitive damages if they do not allow a service dog to do its job
and therefore discriminate against the disabled owner of the dog. In
addition, the ADA can asses fines up to $50,000 for the first offense
and up to $100,000 for subsequent violations, as well as paying the
plaintiff's attorney fees.

Read more: About Federal Service Dog Laws | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/list_6801823_federal-service-dog-laws.html#ixzz1pF
hyiYuR


Read more: About Federal Service Dog Laws | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/list_6801823_federal-service-dog-laws.html#ixzz1pF
hh8J4l


Read more: About Federal Service Dog Laws | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/list_6801823_federal-service-dog-laws.html#ixzz1pF
hE1HTu

My wife and I was were in Target the other night and I thought of this
letter.

There was an older couple walking around the store with a guide dog.
The guy was wearing dark glasses and holding onto the bar so I assumed
he was blind, yet the dog was not acting like a guide dog, he was not
stopping for people walking in front of him, and the dog kept veering
off.

I think he was being trained (except the gentleman never corrected him
or anything), because when we were in the clothing section the
gentleman looked at a sale sign and yelled to the wife "these shirts
are $19.99 and they look like they will work for the party".

Training or just using the seeing eye dog harness so they can bring
him everywhere?

You were bitten as a child, weren't you, Norman?

This is the 2nd complaint you've put up about not allowing animals in
a Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart serves food?

You are directing your anger at the wrong entity. According to the
federal government (which trumps local law) all any retailer is
allowed to do is ask if the animal is a service animal. If the owner
says yes, the conversation stops there. The only time a retailer is
allowed to do anything is if the animal, service or otherwise, is
being disruptive or menacing which a fully trained service animal
rarely is.

If animals are so unhealthy, why are they allowed in hospitals and
nursing homes? The hospital where I have my surgeries has a dog on
staff. My mother just moved into assisted living and I can bring my
pets to visit her and she is allowed to have a small pet if she can
take care of it.

Please tell us what channel this news report was on, i be anxious to
view it.

By law, a service animal must be identified. This is usually done by a
coat that states the animal's job (seeing eye, seizure etc). I have
approached many, many people who feel the need to bring their dog into
stores and most encounters are blown off yet polite.All the best.

It's about time the rampant abuse is addressed. There are several
simple solutions to the problem.

I think lying about your dog being a service animal should be treated
like getting busted for parking in the handicapped stall whne you're
not supposed to park there.

Unfortunately, my latest reading on the ADA and EEOC's take on this
has me pretty convinced that the hands of business owners are tied.

I hate the abuse of this otherwise wonderful law that's about
accessibility.

Instead of beating up on the employees why don't you pick up a cell
phone and call the police on the dog owners?



Maybe it's me but .... you're angry at the dog owners. but you're
taking it out on employees. they are not punching bags

animals in retail stores. The issue in question was whether stores had
the right to demand proof that it was a service animal. People clearly
abuse the system, but the ADA ties hands of retailers.
Ignorance must truly be bliss.

I am constantly amazed at people who have to bring their dogs
everywhere. I used to sell at an open air flea market, very crowded,
you bet there were dogs there. The dogs were having fun. People
stepping on their poor feet, yeah, real fun. And don't even get me
started on the ones without leashes. I was selling food items from a
table and had to warn many dog owners about the dogs sniffing and
getting their faces close to the food.
Another excuse I heard was "I am socializing the dog". How about
socializing it with people who WANT to be around your dog?

Dog owners for the most part do not understand why everyone does not
love Mr. Twinkles as much as they do.

I have to agree with the OP - unless it is a service dog, there is no
reason to take them into the store with you. It really bothers me that
people think it is ok. The same for people who bring their dogs and
then leave them in the car. If your dog cannot be left at home while
you run errands, then you have bigger problems. Where does one draw
the line? Well, this one fits in my purse, or in the cart, etc etc -
well then what about the person with a slightly larger dog? It's not
fair if they can't bring their's in too. What about potbellied pigs?
How about cats? my cat could fit in my purse - can she come to the
store too?

If you are going to a pet store, then by all means bring along fido or
fluffy, but Walmart, Home Depot, Forever 21 or Barnes and Noble? No.
Sorry. They don't belong in there.

And before suffering the wrath of the dog lovers here - I have 2 dogs:
a daisy dog and a shepherd/mix. I also have 2 cats and 2 senegal
parrots. I love animals , I just don't believe they belong in stores.

Easy fix stop shopping at Walmart no more issues

Many of us have pets in our home and our homes are healthy

I respect the issue that your home may be healthy but there are many
that are not. In-addition there are many dog owners that do not take
care of their dogs properly. That is why there are laws against
people making the claim their dog is a service dog when it is not.