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I have a severe dog allergy that triggers hives and asthma attacks. I love dogs but I have to avoid them. So I completely understand why the woman was told the dog had to stay away. The "santa" is working at a mall, not in an environment where he is expected to associate with pets, so he did nothing wrong by insisting to not be exposed to an allergy trigger. The woman needs to get over herself and her entitled attitude.
What I don't get (I used to live right over the line in Massachusetts very close to this mall) is this mall used to offer a certain morning when you could get your pet's photo with Santa. I will say it has been at least five years since I noticed it. I don't live in that area now. Wouldn't having pet allergies make you a bad fit for that job? Wouldn't the other children with pets at home and dander on their clothes set off any severe allergies?
Honestly it is disheartening how many of you have reacted. Really a Mall Santa's main job is to preserve and sell the magic. But God forbid any adult, even one hired to entertain children, be expected to cater to a child with disabilities.
So I was curious if they still did pet photos at this location. Well they do. This Sunday you can bring your pet to sit on this Santa's lap and take a picture. They only hire one Santa (Full disclosure a close family member worked for this picture company in High School taking the pictures) for each mall location. So they were too allergic for a service dog to sit and watch for seizures but they can work on pet photo day?
I have a severe dog allergy that triggers hives and asthma attacks. I love dogs but I have to avoid them. So I completely understand why the woman was told the dog had to stay away. The "santa" is working at a mall, not in an environment where he is expected to associate with pets, so he did nothing wrong by insisting to not be exposed to an allergy trigger. The woman needs to get over herself and her entitled attitude.
THIS! ^^^^
In the wake of dog acceptance everywhere, even in restaurants and shopping malls, it seems that we've all lost our rights. The rights of one disabled person overrules the rights of millions.
Santa has a right to protect himself in a place where dogs are not the norm. If any of you have a child that violates that right, make other arrangements. This way everyone's rights are honored, respected and upheld.
I have a severe dog allergy that triggers hives and asthma attacks. I love dogs but I have to avoid them. So I completely understand why the woman was told the dog had to stay away. The "santa" is working at a mall, not in an environment where he is expected to associate with pets, so he did nothing wrong by insisting to not be exposed to an allergy trigger. The woman needs to get over herself and her entitled attitude.
Well according to the ADA, her daughter had the right to have the dog with her because allergy or fear doesn't limit where the dog can go.
So I have a ton of allergies and sensitivities. I could never have a job where I had to come in that close of contact with so many people (we are talking about sitting on laps!) because dander on the kids, strong perfumes, the smell of smoke all cause me to wheeze and need medication. If santa was *that* allergic to dogs you would think this wouldn't be his job.
I think people are wrong about the mom too. People have no idea how much parents of disabled kids have to fight to advocate for their children. From the medical system, to schools...its a freaking nightmare. And people treat disabled people like second class citizens who get things they don't deserve.
It isn't true. A closer parking space with room to pull up a wheelchair, or being the first to board a plane, or being able to bring a service dog with you is not worth being seriously disabled. But people think disabled people act "entitled" when they insist on the few laws that protect them from being excluded be followed.
Its a huge case of people just not living it...or having the empathy to understand.
Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals. When a person who is allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service animal must spend time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom or at a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility.
Quote:
A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.
Wouldn't the girl have the dander on her due to being with him 24/7? If his allergy was bad would that bother him? Heck, all of those kids could have pet dander on them.
“The woman taking the pictures told me I needed to remove the dog off the red carpet. I said no I’m not going to move him. He has to be able to see her. She said that was not acceptable.”
The way I read it, the mom at least wanted to dog to be able to see the girl. That's reasonable given what the dog is for. Standing 20 feet away in line, where they had been standing anyway, while the girl gets a photo shouldn't have been a big deal.
On the other hand, if his allergy is bad enough, he also can't risk his health. Serious allergies can be covered under ADA, but just saying your allergic isn't enough. The employer should ensure that their employees know they will come in contact with service dogs before they accept the job/hire them.
^ The dog was not asked to be removed from the premises, the mother was simply asked if the dog could not be near the dude dressed as Santa for the photo. They were not denied service or kicked out. Mom refused to cooperate even though I highly doubt her child NEEDED that dog at her side in that moment.
I'm pretty sure this is a rerun of an old story from last year. Trot it out again because it is great for drama and outrage.
Helicopter mom was way out of line. This was a medical alert dog and a medical alert dog can and will alert from 10 feet away. The kid could have gone in, had the photo taken, been out in 2 minutes and the dog would have been right close by, working the entire time, and would have let everyone know if there was a problem.
I wonder if the mall tried to keep the Santa area as hypoallergenic as possible. Thousands of kids go through the Santa enclosure every year and it has to be kept as safe as possible for every one of them.
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