Next week it'll be the Assistance Armadillo....

[Kit-Ginevra]

So today we had to inform a customer that his animals couldn't come in with him even if they were 'assistance animals'.... for some reason he couldn't see why having five parrots in the store might cause a problem...

So how's your day been? ��

[TheWolfEmperor]

Ahhh, I want to see the parrots!

I told my boss I have a therapy animal. But there was confusion with the papers and I couldn't find a vest that would fit an Indominous Rex but I need her when I'm having a meltdown.

That's only partially true. I do kind of wish I had a therapy animal though, became meltdowns are a thing that happens with me. Mostly related to co-workers rather than customers.

Almost had one the other day in fact...

[Pixelated]

Does that mean I can't bring Cuddles, my Komodo dragon, into your place of business ... ?

He's quite friendly. Really.

[Mental_Mouse]

So today we had to inform a customer that his animals couldn't come in with him even if they were 'assistance animals'.... for some reason he couldn't see why having five parrots in the store might cause a problem...

So how's your day been? ��

Someone in my family was telling me about a person with an emotional support peacock!
As if the turkey wasn't bad enough....

[Blue Ginger]

As someone that is terrified of birds, thank you for telling them no. Having birds in enclosed spaces with me sends me into panic mode.

(Travelling around Europe was ssooooo much fun with all the fucking pigeons that aren't scared of people. I still have nightmares about St Marks square in Venice. I'm just glad the others on my tour kept me in the middle of everyone when there were lots of birds around.)

[Mr Hero]

Beautiful plumage

[Chanlin]

I've gotten into the habit of just asking what task the animal is trained to perform for the person. A lot of people will hesitate. Anyone who actually has a trained service animal usually has a quick and concise response.

[Yurimaru]

Chanlin has the good, legal reply. We can only ask two questions when we see a pet in the hospital: In situations where it is not obvious that the pet is a service animal, staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the pet a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the pet been trained to perform? Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the pet, require that the pet demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability.

So, we are permitted to try to head off any untrained, obviously disruptive pets. Certainly it isn't a good idea to have an untrained animal barking, fussing, yowling or biting, anywhere outside it's home. People with a real Service Animal will know the legal questions and have the correct replies. And the real Service Animal will be calm, trained and focused on their person.

A pet runs in and jumps on everyone it sees, carrying on and barking? Not covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act. Real Service Animals are pretty obvious. Someone who Googled "How to get a fake certificate so I can drag my pet into all the restaurants" is also pretty obvious.

Sorry about the mini-rant, pet peeve of mine when we have to actually inform people that sneaking an unwashed, untrained pet into a hospital isn't a good idea...not only for everyone, but for their own patient as well.

And five parrots is overkill. If indeed they are trained to lift things or help in some way, then he'd need to bring only one at a time.

[Chanlin]

Yeah, those are both the legal questions under the ADA. -- The ADA also specifically does not allow any animal other than a dog or certain miniature horses to be federally classified as service animals. States are free to amend this. My state allows for any animal that is trained to perform a specific task.

There are a ton of provisions as what tasks do NOT fall under this which is essentially written to exclude emotional support/therapy animals.

[greek_jester]

There are a ton of provisions as what tasks do NOT fall under this which is essentially written to exclude emotional support/therapy animals.

Which is kind of a pity, as emotional support animals for people with anxiety or autism can make the difference between them being able to function in public or having a melt-down. Obviously it would have to be a properly trained animal, regardless.

I'm still trying to persuade work that getting a therapy dog would fall under their current emotional wellbeing initiative.

[Chanlin]

Which is kind of a pity, as emotional support animals for people with anxiety or autism can make the difference between them being able to function in public or having a melt-down. Obviously it would have to be a properly trained animal, regardless.

The ADA actually makes a distinction between therapy/support animals and animals trained to detect and help stop or mitigate emotional outbursts, seizures etc.

Since being trained to detect and stop such attacks is a "specific task" then the ADA recognizes it as a service animal as opposed to an emotional support animal.

[Nunavut Pants]

And five parrots is overkill. If indeed they are trained to lift things or help in some way, then he'd need to bring only one at a time.

Perhaps two of them could carry a coconut by grabbing it by the husk...

[Ironclad Alibi]

Perhaps two of them could carry a coconut by grabbing it by the husk...

African or European parrots?

[Racket_Man]

African or European parrots?

Blue.....NO Green AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

[nutraxfornerves]

You can bar any service animal, even an obviously trained one, if it is being disruptive, or if there is a special need (say, a hospital operating room where contamination is an issue). So, if that Guide Dog for the Blind* is growling at customers and peeing on the floor, out it goes. I have yet to see a housebroken parrot. [Source: Me, former bar owner]

*Guide Dog for the Blnd and Seeing-eye Dog are trademarks, BTW.

Following a major leg injury, I rode in the disabled section of the local streetcars for several months. A blind woman with a German Shepherd (Alsatian) usually rode at the same time. One day, a woman got on with a hearing dog that as identified by a vest. These are usually shelter rescues, and are trained to alert to noises, like a doorbell, phone, or car horn. Hearing dog was a cheerful mutt. He took one look at the Shepherd, thought “doggie!” and walked over to say hello. The Shepherd was On Duty and made it very clear. I have never seen such a look of utter contempt and disdain. He put his nose in the air and gave the canine equivalent of “tsk!” before poointedly turning his head away from the Hearing Dog. The Dowager Lady Grantham couldn’t have done it better.