Service Dogs and the ADA

[I Push Buttons]

If throughout the course of the customers stay in the store..you never had cause to question whether or not it was a service dog...then it really doesn't matter if it was or not.

However, if that dog was not under the control of it's owner than you certainly have options. You can inform the customer that they need to remove their animal from the premises immediately and if they do not comply you will call the authorities...and they can determine if that dog is actually a service animal.

That's not what I am saying guy, they can have all the questions in the world and absolutely doubt the guy is disabled or the dog is a service animal... That is IRRELEVANT. It is ILLEGAL for them to ask those questions or express those doubts.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

That's not what I am saying guy, they can have all the questions in the world and absolutely doubt the guy is disabled or the dog is a service animal... That is IRRELEVANT. It is ILLEGAL for them to ask those questions or express those doubts.

Again, all it takes to ask the animal be removed from the store is if it is not under the control of the owner. If the animal i s under the control of its owner the entire time it is in the restaurant...then you don't actually have an issue.

Any lapse of control and you can ask the dog be removed.

[Zeta333]

So for some reason Youtube put a video titled "Pizza Hut Employee Grabs My PHONE!.
I begin watching the video, and it's basically about a guy eating in Pizza Hut with his service dog, and the employees are asking him to leave because they don't think he's allowed to have an animal in the restaurant, or it's against their policies, or whatever. The guy has obviously had this issue before because he can quote what an Americans with Disabilities Act website says.
He provides this website: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html.
Some quotes from the site:




TLDR: According to the ADA, anyone can bring any breed dog with no sort of certification or proof of training, into almost any establishment, and not only are you forbidden from asking them to leave, you're forbidden to ask almost anything about it.
I was really surprised to see this. I'm not one to accuse people of abusing laws, but this seems like it could so easily be abused that it's essentially a "you can now bring your dogs anywhere" law.
Am I just a dick for thinking it's a bit far reaching for the law to tell any business "you must allow dogs"?

all i have to say is i work for a pizza place and if this guy sent this to pizza hut corporate and the franchise owner heads would fucking roll at that store.

[Dextroden]

Then punish the people that are abusing the law. Many States already have laws making it illegal to pass a pet off as a service animal.

- - - Updated - - -



There was a sink in the kitchen at the pizza place I worked at as well...I did the same.

But let me be clear...I wasn't suggesting that most restaurant employees don't wash their hands...merely that it's more of a risk than allowing service dogs in a restaurant

It is indeed. While there are rare, and horribly unfortunate, examples, the fact people in food service probably used it before should make them not want to touch food with shit fingers.

Now minimum wage making them care about appearance and quality. That is more likely to plummet. Thank God cooking shows taught me to prepare something I'd find delicious.

[I Push Buttons]

Again, all it takes to ask the animal be removed from the store is if it is not under the control of the owner. If the animal i s under the control of its owner the entire time it is in the restaurant...then you don't actually have an issue.

Any lapse of control and you can ask the dog be removed.

So in the case of the example used to illustrate my point, you are perfectly fine with someone bringing a disgusting street dog, covered in bugs and fecal matter, giving off a repugnant odor, etc., into the restaurant and having it sit right next to you while you eat...? So long as isn't misbehaving?

[Prokne]

Again, all it takes to ask the animal be removed from the store is if it is not under the control of the owner. If the animal i s under the control of its owner the entire time it is in the restaurant...then you don't actually have an issue.

Any lapse of control and you can ask the dog be removed.

I don't really like dogs, but for some reason people where I live take them around everywhere like everyone else loves their dog and wants to socialize with it. Dogs are not clean animals, they smell, and shouldn't be in places where people eat unless it is absolutely necessary, like if the person has a disability and needs a service animal. Some people are also allergic to animals, so the dog just being there could cause a serious problem.

I don't think it is much to ask that someone with a service animal have a certification for the animal. Either self trained or pro trained, there should be a system where the animals are tested and certified. The way it is now, I see a lot of people with service animals that you know are just regular pets with a "service animal" blanket on.

[Lochton]

So for some reason Youtube put a video titled "Pizza Hut Employee Grabs My PHONE!.
I begin watching the video, and it's basically about a guy eating in Pizza Hut with his service dog, and the employees are asking him to leave because they don't think he's allowed to have an animal in the restaurant, or it's against their policies, or whatever. The guy has obviously had this issue before because he can quote what an Americans with Disabilities Act website says.
He provides this website: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html.
Some quotes from the site:




TLDR: According to the ADA, anyone can bring any breed dog with no sort of certification or proof of training, into almost any establishment, and not only are you forbidden from asking them to leave, you're forbidden to ask almost anything about it.
I was really surprised to see this. I'm not one to accuse people of abusing laws, but this seems like it could so easily be abused that it's essentially a "you can now bring your dogs anywhere" law.
Am I just a dick for thinking it's a bit far reaching for the law to tell any business "you must allow dogs"?

Wait, what? Here your dog must have a service license, and you as the owner must have a certificate about needing a service dog. What i just raid now, seems abit to go in the wrong direction for the system.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

So in the case of the example used to illustrate my point, you are perfectly fine with someone bringing a disgusting street dog, covered in bugs and fecal matter, giving off a repugnant odor, etc., into the restaurant and having it sit right next to you while you eat...? So long as isn't misbehaving?

No, I would inform the restaurant who can then take action. If the animal is causing a disruption to the business...staff can ask that the dog be removed. In that situation, even if you had all the legal documentation in the world to prove the dog was a service animal....you could still be asked to take it outside.

But in general I'm not really worried about people trying to pass off mangy, shit-covered street dogs as service animals. I mean, if you have to use such an extreme example to try and make your point...maybe your point isn't really that strong to begin with.

[jimboa24]

Fun fact: miniature horses can also count as service animals.

One of the jobs I worked in my early college years was at a somewhat upper-scale hotel. We allowed service dogs (as per ADA rules), but not pets. Customers were always bullshitting us about their little yapper poodle dog being a legitimate service animal, and our manager (though he didn't like it) always told us to give guests a pass if they put their foot down and insisted that their little toy dog was a service animal, even if they couldn't prove it. Abuses like that just delegitimize use of real service dogs, but what are you gonna do?

[Machismo]

You are seeing a lot more issues pop up with people using service animals, and it's fucking pathetic. Now, if a business wants to let animals into their doors, good for them. If they do not, they should be able to refuse to serve people, and remove them from their establishment.