Dogs in Cape Coral grocery stores. (2014, buy, restaurants)

[don1945]

I realize the Winn Dixie on Cape Coral parkway is not exactly the classiest place, but I stopped in there tonight to grab something and saw something I have seen there before...…..people shopping with a dog on a leash . These are not seeing eye dogs, they are probably not even one of those stupid "emotional support animals" that people can not function without, just a dog on a leash.

The one I saw tonight was with a somewhat scruffy guy, and the dog was a little scruffy himself. Aren't there Health Dept rules or something about animals where food is being sold ? A while back, I was in that same store, and there was another guy with a dog, and he wasn't paying attention to the dog who had his front paws up on the meat cooler and he was looking down at the meat !

I've never seen that in any other grocery store, ever, and is the reason I only stop in there occasionally, and then I only buy something that is in a can or box. Really disgusting.

[FireStation46]

I have seen them in the outside eating sections of restaurants in upscale malls, RSW is like a doggie convention.

I noticed the age of the owners is way up there. Not sure if this is a snowbird thing or older folks trying to treat their pets like replacements for children grownand moves away or children they never had.

It does get silly, I agree.

[FLKitties]

Originally Posted by don1945

Aren't there Health Dept rules or something about animals where food is being sold ?

Those people are breaking the law. Check out links below. Not even emotional support animals are allowed, only actual service dogs and stores can be cited. While I appreciate that people are not leaving their dogs in hot cars, I don't understand why they can't just leave the dog at home. I bet these same people who find it okay to bring their dog into the grocery store would go absolutely crazy and throw a fit if I were to bring my cat in and start my grocery shopping. I'm also not a fan of people letting their children put their dirty little hands on everything. Use some common sense and decency, people.

https://www.local10.com/news/local-1...grocery-stores

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...rts/857629002/

[don1945]

I am an absolute animal lover, have had numerous dogs and cats over the years, and have 3 cats now that are like family to me. But there is something very upsetting about dogs being in a store with food that we are going to eat. I am not sure why the management at this Winn Dixie store turns a blind eye to it happening, but every time I go in there, someone has a dog on a leash or in a cart (where other people are going to put their groceries ) and nothing is ever said to them by the store employees. It is almost like they are afraid to say anything to the people doing it.

I never see this happening at Publix, or even the Walmart grocery store I go to, just this one Winn Dixie store. Admittedly, it is not in the greatest section of the Cape, and not the cleanest store, but I still can not believe they let it happen. I'm surprised the Health Dept lets them get away with it too.

[Brucifer]

I think I remember something about stores being allowed to asked two questions about an animal, one of which is if the animal was trained to perform a certain task. Other than that, they can get all jacked up with ADA compliance.

Since I can buy a Service Dog vest for any of my monsters, no store is going to risk bad press and a lawsuit about a dog in the store.

[Gypsy3n8]

This is happening everywhere. A couple years ago my husband and I were in our local WalMart and some jackwagon had his ugly, slobbering bulldog wandering through the grocery aisles. People are self-important, entitled brats who honestly believe the rules don't apply to them and their 'babies'.

[Brucifer]

$25 dolla and you're good to go!

https://www.amazon.com/Service-Harne.../dp/B00BOA6ND8




https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...rowing-problem

The ADA regulations seem reasonable, but the devil is in the details. One problem is that the law stipulates a person claiming to have a service dog can only be asked two questions by, for example, the owner of a no-pets restaurant. The first is, “Does the dog provide a service?” The second is “What has the dog been trained to do?” This means that a person with a service dog cannot be asked what their disability is (I inadvertently violated the law when I asked the family in Savanah about their “service” dog). Nor can they be asked to provide any documentation attesting that their dog has been trained and certified as a service animal. Indeed, there is no federally recognized service animal certification program. Further, contrary to conventional wisdom, service animals do not need to have any kind of identification such as a vest.

[FLKitties]

Emotional support animals don't need to be allowed in stores and I believe people trying to pass off just any dog as an "emotional support" animal is doing real harm to people that actually have a real need for a service or emotional support one because these regular dogs are generally not trained properly. What happens when your fake support animal bites someone? They have the right to sue you.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...ls/2569853002/

[don1945]

This "emotional support" animal thing has gotten way out of control. I used to occasionally eat at a Subway and there was a guy who would eat there in a wheelchair. He was filthy, and he had an equally filthy dog on a leash. He used to come into our work and steal stuff, until we had him trespassed.

Subway workers wanted him banned because of the dog, but their corporate office was afraid to do it because of legal ramifications. I don't know what happened to the guy and dog, but I haven't seen them around in a while.

I am not sure if Winn Dixie is similarly afraid to stop these people with dogs, or what, but shopping in there is like being in a 3rd world country.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by don1945

I am not sure if Winn Dixie is similarly afraid to stop these people with dogs, or what, but shopping in there is like being in a 3rd world country.

Yes, retailers are afraid. I was informed by my corporate office to quit asking questions unless the animal had already caused a problem. They don't want the negative media attention, and people will complain to the media even if they are wrong because they are too stupid to realize their pet or ESA doesn't have the same rights as an actual svc animal. The only way it's going to stop is if enough customers notify the corporate offices and complain that the laws and policies are being ignored.