Why do people bring their dogs into stores? (Santee: housing, horses)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

They are trained to smell when a diabetic's blood sugar goes into imbalance - and they prompt the person to check levels and administer insulin. Dogs are actually VERY good at diabetes work.

Wow, that is actually pretty cool.

[LamarOdomsDealer]

Originally Posted by snpdragr

I don't think anybody has a problem with service dogs. And many of the posters complaining here are actual dog owners (i'm a former owner).

The issue is one of food safety competing with accessibility. Food safety is an obvious concern due to contamination by dog drool, urine, feces, etc. And of course regular safety concerns like allergies, slipping on pee, etc. We make exceptions for service dogs because the increase in risk for everyone is minimal and it has a large impact on quality of life for the disabled. The number of service dogs is small in number and they are usually very well trained.

However if everyone brought their pet dog into a store, the impact wouldn't be minimal anymore.

Also service dog fraud is very troublesome. I think it's very common here in SD but I don't have stats to back it up. In addition to the concerns above, it creates a backlash for people who are not obviously disabled but have a disability where they require a service dog.

I'm undecided about emotional support animals. Currently they don't receive any special protection under the ADA (afaik). I can see how they can be truly helpful but they are a category that's ripe for abuse.

Even well trained service dogs drool and fart too.

One can not only abuse policies for emotional support animals (actually with verification, that's not as easy to abuse as saying you have a service dog), but service dogs/animals as well. If one goes into a store, the animal does not have to wear a vest or anything that states service dog. An employee just has (if they even say anything) to ask "Is that a service dog?" with you saying yes. They cannot ask you for verification or why you have one so in retrospect, service animals are not as hard to enforce as emotional support animals.

[mr bolo]

dogs should not be allowed in any type of food business, dogs have ticks, fleas, mites, shed hair etc and like to shake and sometimes the urine gets on the walls, and they also slobber and their saliva gets on anything they come into contact with

if a big slobbering dog at a cafe randomly shook himself like most dogs do, his saliva & urine, etc could easily get on a person's food sitting at a table.

[NewYorkiforniainHouston]

Originally Posted by mr bolo

dogs should not be allowed in any type of food business, dogs have ticks, fleas, mites, shed hair etc and like to shake and sometimes the urine gets on the walls, and they also slobber and their saliva gets on anything they come into contact with

if a big slobbering dog at a cafe randomly shook himself like most dogs do, his saliva & urine, etc could easily get on a person's food sitting at a table.

i've been behind the scenes in restaurant operations....most of these places are....well...let's just say there are already plenty o' germs, urine, feces etc wayyy before any random dog gets there

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by LamarOdomsDealer

That could also be with any dog not just an emotional support dog.

True. In fact, more likely to be true. But my point was that people who bring dogs into stores claiming they're emotional support dogs, but they haven't properly trained those dogs, are the cause of people's objections to any dogs iin stores.

As a separate issue, I don't think simply being in the same room with a dog is likely to provoke anyone's dog allergies. Typically it's direct contact with the dog. I have to remember to wash my hands after I pet a dog (or cat) right away. Someone who's allergies are provoked simply by being near a dog must be liviing an extremely inconvenient life, because dogs are all over.

[snpdragr]

Originally Posted by LamarOdomsDealer

Even well trained service dogs drool and fart too.

It's a matter of exposure. There are an estimated 400k service dogs in the US (Welcome to Service Dog Central | Service Dog Central) . Compare that to 80 million pet dogs and 90 million pet cats (Pet Statistics | ASPCA).

[RosieSD]

This thread has made me wonder: why do owners of other types of pets not feel the need to bring their pets to stores? I mean, cat owners love their pets just as much as dog owners (maybe more) but I've never heard a cat owner worry about their pets feeling less loved for being left at home all the time. I don't often see people walking around with their pet lizards or rabbits in stores either. I'm not being sarcastic; I really do wonder what it is about dogs that makes some dog owners feel that their pets should go everywhere with them. Any thoughts?

[moved]

My cat doesn't like it when I go to work, and also work a lot. But he gets over it, and I hear about it when I get home. Besides, he can't go to work with me anyway, and a dog wouldn't be able to either.

[Algiz]

Originally Posted by LamarOdomsDealer

People with allergies matter just as much as someone blind.

Well, then, how about this? We'll say allergy-survivors get to shop on MWF and blind people with dogs get to shop on T/Th/S. But the problem arises for the allergy-survivors if their fellow shoppers are wearing perfume. Hmmm... How about we let the allergy-survivors shop on M and T, the perfume wearers W and Th, and the blind folks being led by their service dogs on F and Sat, and Sunday will the the free-for-all shopping day for anyone willing to brave the melee of being in public?

I love the poster who said something about how the person with the doggie in the cart looks at you coyly (so WELL put!) and expects you to smile in consort because don't we all just love her little stinker! I think people do that because they know they are vulnerable, so if they "make friends," you are less likely to call them out on their bad behavior.

[Algiz]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

This thread has made me wonder: why do owners of other types of pets not feel the need to bring their pets to stores? I mean, cat owners love their pets just as much as dog owners (maybe more) but I've never heard a cat owner worry about their pets feeling less loved for being left at home all the time. I don't often see people walking around with their pet lizards or rabbits in stores either. I'm not being sarcastic; I really do wonder what it is about dogs that makes some dog owners feel that their pets should go everywhere with them. Any thoughts?

Dogs can be so loyal and loving, so affectionate, more so than most other pets. Cats can also be cuddly, but they are more independent, and they don't want to be with you as much as dogs want to be with you. The bond you can have with a dog is truly remarkable, on the dog's side utterly unconditional, and that can feel so incredibly good. I'm sure people can develop similar bonds with other animals, but I don't think it's as easy as it is with dogs and humans. You know, some people have pet rats they put in their pockets and bring with them everywhere. I've seen this several times. Apparently, rats are very affectionate and sweet, so there are other animals that people take with them fairly regularly. Rats are much easier to take along since they like to hang out in a person's shirt pocket, though!