Pets in restaurants?

[Unorthodox]

http://fox13now.com/2016/03/29/health-department-offers-guidance-to-utah-county-restaurants-regarding-pets/

PROVO, Utah -- The Utah County Health Department is in the process of alerting restaurants when they should and shouldn't allow animals inside.

"We're seeing a lot more people who are just wanting to have their pet, which they love, which is OK, but they want to have them in a restaurant, which is against the law," said Todd Berguson of Provo.

Berguson is one of several Utah County residents who has pushed the health department to crack down on pets in restaurants.

"I have pets. I just don't want them where I'm eating," Berguson said.

Utah County agreed pets being taken out to eat is becoming a concern.

"Definitely within the last year or so we've received calls from restaurants wanting guidance and five or 10 years ago we weren't receiving those types of calls," said Tyler Plewe, with Utah County Health Department.

Restaurant owners said they often find themselves trapped in the middle between the ADA and the FDA.

"You want to give people the benefit of the doubt because if they do have a disability and they need that animal you want to accommodate them as well as you can," said Hanna Bergevin of ABG's Bar.

However, Bergevin also said there are times when people obviously lie about a disability just so they can bring their pet inside, which can cause a number of problems.

"We'll turn around and it’s walking around the bar, it's standing on the stage, people are petting it and the guy is playing pool or something not even paying attention to it," Bergevin said of animals brought into the restaurant.

The county is delivering a letter to 1,700 plus restaurants letting them know their rights when it comes to allowing animals.

"They have a right to ask does a person have a disability, not what type," Plewe said. "They also have a right to ask if the dog has been trained, is it a service animal."

The county said even if it is a legitimate service animal, the restaurant has the final say whether they can stay.

"The restaurants can make an exception if they feel that there is a health risk," Plewe said.

hEt and I first ran into this last year when we headed to Park City for our anniversary.  Park City is known to be very much on the hoity toity catering to out of town affluent types, but most/all the restaurants had dog bowls and water on their patios for people's dogs.  It was strange. 

We recently have been dealing with a "service" dog here at work, too.  I don't know if the dog has actually been trained or not, but it doesn't wear a vest, which annoys me somewhat, having once trained a service dog.  That vest tells the DOG, as much as it tells the public, that the dog is working.  Now, the dog in question is very well behaved, but there are those allergic, and those that now want to bring their own pet and call them a service animal (which apparently you can just print off a service animal certificate these days). 

[Buster's Uncle]

The no option isn't very adamantly phrased...

[Rusty Edge]

Maybe a special section or something.

I recall some dogs in Europe. They were so well behaved, you didn't know they were there. They just slept under the tables. Likewise, I don't see a big difference between a sidewalk table with a dog under it, and one with a dog walking by.

I think Uno found a key point. Certification and vests. People cheat, same as they do with handicap parking placards. I know there are a wide array of maladies that qualify for the permits, and you can't judge by looking at the person, same as the service dogs. My wife has a handicap placcard, just like her mother. The trouble is that I have known of my father in law and sister in law using my mother in law's placard on occasion. NOT COOL. Parking in handicapped, I see a lot of dubious users ( long expired , for example ) and a lot of people who really, really need it.  Those things should have photos on the back of them. Likewise, the documentation of service dogs should have a picture of the dog and the disabled on them.

Tightening things up would make sure that service dog exceptions are rare and safe as possible.

[Buster's Uncle]

Look - I have an insane person in my life who would take her dogs EVERYWHERE if she could.  I'm not exaggerating - she's talked wistfully about getting the more badly-behaved one designated a "comfort dog".

There needs to be a [fuddle-duddle] NO! option; I'm serious.

[Unorthodox]

Tightening things up would make sure that service dog exceptions are rare and safe as possible.

When you can just order the vest for $40, there's certainly a problem there. 

Honestly, I see this as an issue that cropped up with the pets for vets program gaining traction.  Now, I think it's a good program, and that these dogs/animals HAVE been trained to a rather good degree.  But, there is a difference between a dog trained for emotional support, and a service dog on the level of a seeing eye dog or similar.  I believe this is most likely where the work dog falls under.  It's very well behaved and obviously well trained, but not as...I guess 'formal' would be the word...as a SERVICE dog in the more traditional sense.  But, a lot of people saw that and have decided well if they can do it so should I. 

[Unorthodox]

There needs to be a [fuddle-duddle] NO! option; I'm serious.

Done. 

(Mostly because I've seen polls break the swear filter before, so wanted to test) 

[Buster's Uncle]

I had to edit to check the change vote option, but vote duly changed.

[Valka]

It's the law here that service animals are allowed everywhere.

I'm otherwise not in favor of pets in restaurants.

[Bertilak]

In other countries, the people in the restaurant might consume the service animal as part of the meal .

[Unorthodox]

It's the law here that service animals are allowed everywhere.

I'm otherwise not in favor of pets in restaurants.

The problem is people are declaring everything a service animal. 

http://fox13now.com/2016/03/30/utah-veteran-says-lying-about-needing-a-service-animal-makes-life-harder-for-those-who-really-do/

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City Army veteran is upset that people are pretending to need service dogs and are making things awkward for those who really depend on these animals.

Ryan Baker and his black lab Junny are inseparable.

"Everywhere I go, she goes, without her I could not function in society and feel comfortable," Baker said.

Baker suffers from PTSD. He said his attachment to Junny is not the same as a loving owner and a pet. Their relationship is out of necessity.

"I can't be a normal person like you without my dog," Baker said.

So Baker is upset that there are people out there who pretend to have a service dog, just so they can bring their pet into various businesses, like restaurants.

"It's so easy to just get a vest online and walk around and tell people you have a service dog," Baker said. "It's just deceitful. It's wrong."

Businesses are having a tough time deciding who is legit and who is fake. Utah County is in the process of sending letters to all 1,700-plus restaurants in the county, informing them of their rights when it comes to allowing animals inside.

"I'm getting more and more inappropriate questions from people, such as: 'What's your disability?' That's rude," Baker said.

Baker said it's gotten to the point where he only goes to restaurants where they know him and Junny, like Shivers, where they won't question him.

Baker said most of the time, fellow customers don't even realize Junny is under the table.

"She watches out for me, I watch out for her," Baker said.

Legally, restaurant employees are only allowed to ask people with pets two questions: Do you have a disability? And, is that a service animal? Baker said it's time to change the rules.

"There needs to be stricter guidelines," he said. "I'd like to see something on my driver's license that proves that I have a service dog, and I need one."

video at link. 

[Valka]

Some kind of official ID for the animal would do the trick. But it can't be only on a driver's license. For one thing, blind people don't drive, and there are other people with disabilities that leave them unable to drive as well.

[Rusty Edge]

An official plastic card with the picture of the person and service animal, much like a smaller handicap placard, except it goes in a clear pocket on the vest.

[Unorthodox]

Just fielded another complaint about the work dog.  (our HR is currently non-existent, which doesn't explain how my department seems to be the new complaint department).

"It growled at me"

Considering the source, I'm with the dog. 

[Rusty Edge]

Just fielded another complaint about the work dog.  (our HR is currently non-existent, which doesn't explain how my department seems to be the new complaint department).

"It growled at me"

Considering the source, I'm with the dog.

Wait? You have a workplace with a non-existent "Useless Resources" department? That must cut down on meetings. I envy you.
So, there's still hope that one of the other execs could get a "lateral transfer" with the position open.

[Unorthodox]

Yeah, ours left to become a hatchet lady (literally, a consulting service that just fires people for you), and they've yet to replace.  Since about Christmas.