Pets in Ralphs??

Whether it be a lack of knowledge or not, only service dogs are allowed in public. There is a lot of miscommunication and vague information thrown out into the public about this topic. This is a topic we take seriously around here. We want to sum up the truth and reality of what a service dog is and does. A service dog is a dog who is specifically trained to perform tasks for their owner to aid with their disability. Whether the disability is visible or not, service dogs have a job. They are highly trained and are considered medical equipment just as a wheelchair, cane, etc. 

The copious amounts of pets being brought into public spaces is causing issues for disabled individuals. Service dogs go through extensive, expensive training to do their jobs and all this training can be ruined from disruptive pets in public spaces. People love to bring their pets everywhere, and it makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's ok to do so. Pets, specifically disruptive pets, are distractions to a service dog. While service dogs are trained to ignore these incidents, it makes their job harder.

A perfect example is someone who has a service dog for cardiac alert episodes. Meaning if the owner’s heart rate spikes the dog alerts their owner to ensure their owners safety. If there is a barking, lunging dog the service dog can accidentally miss an alert, risking their owners health and safety.

We have seen people that buy service dog registration tags or cards to bring their pets places. To your surprise all registries are FAKE. In California dogs do not need any form of registration. Faking a service dog in California is illegal and punishable by fines and/or jail time. A business is legally allowed to ask what tasks they are trained to perform and if it is for a disability. The business is also allowed to ask you to leave(service dog or not) if your dog is being disruptive and/or using the restroom in the public space. With disruptive pets in public spaces businesses are less receptive to real service dogs entering. This is causing issues for real service dogs and their owners. They are having to fight back against businesses to enter. A disabled individual should always be allowed their aid.

There is even more misinformation about emotional support animals (ESA). An ESA does NOT have public access. They can go to places that are pet-friendly but not places such as Starbucks. An ESA can be trained to perform tasks for their owner but that does not mean they have public access.

We encourage you all to research more about the topics. We want to educate people, feel free to reach out to us with questions or just to have a conversation about the information. 

The source provided below is true and accurate information. We have provided this due to the large amount of misleading information out there.

https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/