Posted on 01/19/2018 5:04:42 AM PST by SandRat
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PHOENIX — A Senate panel voted Wednesday to make it illegal for people to bring their pets into restaurants and grocery stores under claims they are "service animals.''
SB 1040 would allow a judge to impose a $250 fine on errant owners.
But even Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who crafted the legislation, acknowledged the measure has no real teeth, given the restrictions of what business owners can ask patrons under federal disability laws. He said those who want to break the law are likely to ignore the signs that business owners might erect informing patrons of the restrictions.
In fact, Kavanagh conceded, business owners — and even police — could not actually force someone with a dog to prove that it is a service animal or require its owner to spell out his or her disability.
"The only way you're going to be found guilty is if you're dumb enough to admit to a cop it's not a service animal,'' he said.
Despite that, the Government Committee approved the measure on a 4-3 party-line vote, with Republicans in the majority, and sent the measure to the Judiciary Committee for another hearing.
Wednesday's hearing brought out several people who complained about what they saw as unhealthy and dangerous situations.
Jane Conway told lawmakers she has seen people putting dogs into shopping carts at grocery stores. She also related seeing a dog hanging its posterior over a box of lettuce at a farmers market. And Gregory Gregston told of his service dog being attacked by untrained animals.
But April Reed, vice president of advocacy for Ability360, said that misses the point that existing law already allows a business owner to remove any animal that is creating a problem, whether it's a service animal or not.
"We believe that the real issue is not service animals but pets behaving badly,'' she said. And Sarah Kader, attorney with the Arizona Center for Disability Law said she believes the law will result in harassment of owners of service dogs who are being called on to prove that their claims are legitimate.
Kavanagh, however, said nothing in his proposal changes underlying federal and state law which limits the ability of business owners and police to asking only two questions: if the animal is a service animal and what tasks the animal has been trained to perform.
Those laws preclude questions about the individual's disability. And there is no requirement for anyone to prove that the animal in question is, in fact, trained to perform certain tasks.
As if our useless government doesn’t have anything BETTER to do.
Should be a state’s issue. The federal government just can’t keep itself from trying to micromanage everything. That’s the real problem....
Oooops. Looks like it is. Guess I read it wrong. Sorry....
My wife and I went to eat at a Chinese buffet a few weeks ago. As we were entering, a woman was arguing with the manager. She wanted to bring her do dog in with her; it was a small dog, but she did not look disabled in any way. After a lot of noise on her part, the manager finally agreed to seat her. My wife found that unacceptable and insisted we leave (which, we of course did).
It’s a shame we have so many selfish entitled people who bring pets into resteraunts that it would come to this. The celebrities started this crap of course.
I know I’m probably going to get flamed for this, but I agree somewhat that ANY animal should be prohibited from entering establishments where food is sold and/or eaten.
I understand the need of the animal’s owner, but there are also concerns with both sanitiation in regards to food, as well as potential allergy issues with the other patrons and customers.
While service animals should continue to be used in other locations, I would think it would be best for everyone if coping techniques were practiced in these locations if possible.
Again, this is my opinion, and no, I’m not a professional.
Funny, ...I saw her go in with it, haggle with the owner, but I never saw her exit the Chinese Food restaurant with her dog.
Young dog, old cat.
Handicap parking stickers are issued through the DMV why can’t dogs for the disabled be issued by the same entity? Provide the paperwork and documentation and your Service Animal is duly licensed, and the owners DI is also coded. Both licensees are carried by the owner and both licenses have the same unique code matching the two up, one to the other.
AZ trying to become CA at its own peril.
I was staying at a Hampton Inn last month, and to my great surprise was awakened at 5 am by a dog in a nearby room’s constant barking
Society is regressing
You should always avoid Chinese restaurants that offer to “wok your dog” as a service to their patrons.
“Funny, ...I saw her go in with it, haggle with the owner, but I never saw her exit the Chinese Food restaurant with her dog.”
Did they turn it in to Young Chow Fried Rice?
The purpose of Hitlery's stop there at Chipotle was a photo op showing her as an "ordinary" person, yet she wears sunglasses as if to conceal her identity.
.
WHY? Are they smoking weed?
You’re not going to be flamed by me. I’m not all that old and it used to be standard that animals weren’t brought into these establishments. It’s a cleanliness issue and no, the fact that a particular persons bathes Fido every day doesn’t make any difference to me. Your dog is not your child.... leave it home
One of the few things about Europe I thought was better than the US is people take their dogs everywhere. The train, grocery, restaurant. Never caused any problem I could see.
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