I have been told that unless I am actually blind, I am not allowed to bring my "puppy in training" into my local post office (on Moorpark) - even after talking to the manager. I somewhat laugh at this because my drivers license actuallys says "Corrective Lenses Required" - which would indicate some level of blindness. I have also been told the same thing for bringing him with me to the prison to see Dave/Og.
I took Guillermo into my local Safeway (Midtown) where I was stopped by the security officer and asked - where my permit was for my dog. I asked him to talk to the store manager, and eventually once finding a supervisor of Safeway - I was allowed to continue to shop.
I have also walked into Dollar Tree where I was yelled at across the store, stopped and told I could not bring the dog in. I asked if they allow service animals, and they were kinda baffled and not knowing how to answer I continued to walk away. They said "we have food for sale in this store, we can't allow him in here." I said to them, he's allowed in ALL grocery stores, what would make a difference here?
Tonight I was wanting something sweet to eat and stopped at Yum Yum donuts and walked in with Guillermo. The guy behind the counter said the dog could not be in the store. I asked - excuse me? You don't allow service animals? He said no, not in here. I said would a letter from Santa Clara Health and Safety change your mind - you know, the ones who allow you to stay open, or can close you down if the place is not clean. He muttered something, I got the letter and showed it to him. Reluctantly he served me my old fashioned glazed donut I got to go and left.
All these times I have been in these places, Guillermo has had his Halti on and his green Guide Dogs for the Blind, "puppy in training" jacket on. I have been stopped in other grocery stores, but once they see the jacket they say "Hi! - Oh, he's a guide dog?, Is there anything I can help you find?", and then walk away. I don't mind that, or educating people who come up to him and ask questions, but for those who want to argue ADA and not allow access, I want to just scream in their face, smack them up the side of the head, and have them understand. A lot of times I have to take a deep breath and think before I speak.
I am volunteering my time, training this puppy so that it can help a blind person when it completes it training, and actually I have a vested interest in the training. I know I will be blind one day. This is not a surprising thing for me, it's genetics unfortunately. Both maternal and paternal female sides of the family have had macular degeneration for many many years. My g'ma who is 95 now has it, my g'ma who died at 88 had it, my great g'ma had it on both sides and my great great g'ma probably had it and was the reason why they were both blind. My aunt currently has the floaters in her eyes, and my mom has had problems driving at night for about the past 10 or so years.
Thank you for allowing me to bitch, and please - educate those around you about service animals!
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tetralizard- Liz
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Under the ADA Pups in Training are NOT Covered. So what does that mean is that the place of business has every right to deny you access until that pup in training is Individually Trained to perform tasks that benefits a person with a disability(s).
Pups in training are only covered under the FHA and the DOJ, NOT the ADA!!! However you would need to double check with your State and Local Laws and see what they have for (if any) pups in training.
Again it doesn't matter if one is training a pup for a school. Most schools would even state when confronted just leave. That's because these pups in training are not covered and they know it. Again we must get our facts straight by learning the laws!
Penalties for Preventing a Guide Dog User from Exercising Rights to Access -CA PENAL CODE SECTION 365.5 [January 1, 1995]
(2) This section is intended to provide equal accessibility for all owners or trainers of animals that are trained as guide dogs, signal dogs, or service dogs in a manner that is no less than that provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) and the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-435).
[I] Any trainer or individual with a disability may take dogs in any of the places specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) for the purpose of training the dogs as guide dogs, signal dogs, or service dog. The person shall ensure that the dog is on leash and tagged as a guide dog, signal dog, or service dog by an identification tag issued by the county clerk or animal control department as authorized by Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 30850) of Division 14 of the Food and Agricultural Code. In addition, the person shall be liable for any provable damage done to the premises or facilities by his or her dog. Leg.H. 1986 ch. 765, 1992 ch. 913, 1993 ch. 1149, 1994 ch. 1257, 1996 ch. 498. Cross-References "Infraction" defined. Penal Code 19.6
- =the below referring to the previous paragraph =-
[a] Any blind person, deaf person, or disabled person, who is a passenger on any common carrier, airplane, motor vehicle, railway train, motorbus, streetcar, boat, or any other public conveyance or mode of transportation operating within this state, shall be entitled to have with him or her a specially trained guide dog, signal dog or service dog.
[b] No blind person, deaf person, or disabled person and his or her specially trained guide dog, signal dog, or service dog shall be denied admittance to accommodations, advantages, facilities, medical facilities, including hospitals, clinics and physician’s offices, telephone facilities, adoption agencies, private schools, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort and other places to which the general public is invited within this state because of the guide dog, signal dog, or service dog.
owners or trainers of animals that are trained as guide dogs, signal dogs, or service dogs in a manner that is no less than that provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) and the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-435).****
This here just proved my statement that this is not an ADA law but a State Law. That's what I was trying to say that the ADA does not Cover but your State Does. If the ADA would have cover such which it was never intended to by our forefathers it would be in their service animal section on their home page www.ada.gov/ It is not! It is not even covered in the Dept. of Justice in which enforces these laws.
However there are like this one from the States that do cover pups in training as well as emotional support animals too. Case in point Minnisota does not!
I guess if you would have stated that it's a State law that includes pups in training I would have understood it better. But thank you for putting up your State law.
I fail to see how that will help them to become educated, and I certainly hope others in your situation do not speak and react the way you did/do, but rather they will be able to contain their anger and speak their words, seasoned with salt so as to gain people, not to alienate them from ever wanting to hear.
Those of us who are *concerned*, about the education of others, and especially so in a serious area such as this, do everything we can, to be kind and explain things in a proper manner with dignity so as to gain ones ear, rather than turn them away from hearing at all!
You express that they do not know the laws and/or what is acceptable, and yet, rather then to educate them in kind, proper manner, you speak of wanting to smack people on the side of the head and scream in their face???? And in the same breath you desire them to be educated? By whom? Others like yourself, filled with anger simply because people are not as educated as they need to be and therefore caused you some inconvenience?
If you run into this alot, I suspect that perhaps the way you carry yourself, may have something to do with it! You speak in such a way that throws out anger, lots of it. Usually people who speak in anger as you do, also show it in their body language by the way they carry themselves, which says, *I am entitled and ready to fight*.
Not all things righteous are always advantageous. Example: Just because I have the right of passage at an intersection by law, does not mean it is a good idea to just drive though without taking into account the situation and what might be a better course of action to achieve the desired results! Other wise *I* might get smacked in the head, with a car!
Unaware, (the word you used).......means just that! They are unaware. It does not mean they are deliberately denying you or trying to annoy you or cause you distress!
I think you might do much better in these situations to become an advocate, and actually help the situation, if you stopped taking it so personal and took on more of an educational roll.
Perhaps you could tell them that it is sad that they are not aware of the laws in your state, and it is definitely an inconvenience for you, and although you are frustrated and angry, you would still like to bring back some information for them and ask when they will be there next and get their name and their managers name.
Just some thoughts! Hopefully you will accept take them in the spirit they were meant to be accepted.....with an educational purpose to better your communication with others.
Take the example of me going into Safeway. I walked in, walked across the complete store, I was hungry, it was late. No safeway employees stopped me, (because they were aware), so I'm looking for a frozen dinner when I'm approached my the security guard and he asks me for my permit. What what? my who? he asks me for my permit for my dog. My dog obviously has his green jacket on. Share with him that he is a guide dog, but the security officer still insists on a permit. I ask him if he is familiar with ADA laws. He doesn't know what I'm talking about and says I can't have the dog in the grocery store. I said, lets go talk to the manager. He wanted me to leave the store, and I had to come up with the idea to see the manager. So we end up wandering around for 10 minutes (while I'm hurting in my back that much more, hungry, and what was supposed to be a 5 minute trip to get dinner is now a 30 minute trip). My problem, is that someone like that who is questioning me, who is working security, (or a manager or leader) and isn't taught something by their company about ADA is ignorant. I am paitent at first, I do explain things at first, I do show documentation if needed (County Dept of Health and Safety allowance), but if they still don't allow access or understand, that is when I am fustrated and WANT to scream or smack.