Posted on 12/05/2009 10:07:38 AM PST by Daffynition
CLEARWATER — If a dog were to accompany a restaurant chef to work, most people would have no problem with a state inspector kicking the dog to the curb.
But when the food vendor happens to be a gas station, and its offerings stop at cans of Coke and bags of Doritos, and the dog is a charismatic chocolate Labrador named Cody, the response evolves into a public outcry — against the state.
"Thumbs down on the Department of Agriculture. Tackle some real problems. Human customers bring more contamination — not to mention danger — than a well-cared-for pooch," said Merrilee Dulaney, one of the many people unhappy with news.
Another St. Petersburg Times reader, Barbara Wise of Palm Harbor, said Cody's story affected her so deeply, she felt personally hurt when she learned of the dog's departure.
"That dog probably created more goodwill than 10 people put together. Our country certainly needs that now, especially with so many people having such a hard time right now," Wise said.
On Thursday, Karim Mansour, the owner of the Clearwater BP gas station and convenience store at U.S. 19 and Nursery Road, was told by an inspector with the Florida Department of Agriculture to stop bringing his dog, Cody, to work. After a November story in the Times introduced thousands to Cody, who greets customers at the store's drive-through window with a tail wag, the dog became a local celebrity.
Now, Mansour has found himself and his 6-year-old, floppy-eared best friend at the center of a debate between what some consider overzealous code enforcement, and rules meant to keep the public healthy.
On Friday, many concerned for Cody stopped by Mansour's store to offer condolences, and in some cases, gifts for the prematurely retired canine store clerk.
"People have been coming by with treats. A woman stopped by with a sweater for Cody," Mansour said.
One woman in Oldsmar, Jane Haines, spoke with a lawyer about putting together a petition to perhaps alter the food codes preventing Cody from going to work.
"It's heavenly to have that dog there to protect the owners from thieves and muggers and all those nasty people out there," Haines said. "We need more smiles in our society. And that dog did it for people."
Terence McElroy, Department of Agriculture spokesman, confirmed that nobody has filed any complaints about Cody, and said the Thursday visit by food inspectors was likely prompted by a supervisor's concerns. McElroy said he did not know of any directive from any official to check up on Mansour's store because of news coverage about the dog.
With the court of public opinion at his back, Mansour said he would pursue all of his options in finding a way for Cody to return. Mansour stayed home Friday morning with Cody, who he said was "mopey" about being stuck on the couch.
More than a dozen Times readers, including this reporter's mother, suggested Mansour seek out special training and certification for Cody to become a service dog. That way, the dog would be exempt from health department regulations, since he would no longer count as a pet, but as a medical aid.
Mansour said that could be a real possibility, since he is currently being treated for a medical condition that could be assuaged with the assistance of a service dog. Mansour said in a way, emotionally, physically and mentally, having his dog with him at work was already plenty therapeutic — not to mention offering peace of mind, considering his store has been robbed more than once.
Paul Bowskill, a representative of Service Dogs America, a company that offers education in certifying dogs as service animals, said according to the Americans With Disabilities Act, if a health inspector is told a dog provides a bona fide service, removing the animal could be considered discrimination against the human in need of the animal's help.
"If he has a physician who certifies he has a need, then he can be okay," Bowskill said.
Our government is populated with idiots at all levels!
You are far more likely to catch a disease from another human than from a dog.
Dog in a BP shirt greets customers at Clearwater store posted by Semper911
Health Department says Cody, the store Labrador, must go
Dog banned from Gulf coast store posted by JoeProBono
Even if you knew where his tongue was just two minutes before? LOL!
You’re a whole lot less likely to get a bacterial infection from being nipped by a dog, than from being bitten by a human. So, dogs lick their behinds to clean themselves. It’s not as if they have opposable thumbs and can grab a washcloth, lol. I’d rather take food from this dog than some fast food “workers” I’ve witnessed. I seriously doubt they have the first clue about hygiene, and don’t clean themselves as assiduously as a dog, by whatever means.
Chocolate Lab my ass!
The guy in charge of the Florida Dept of Agriculture is Charles H. Bronson: commissioner@doacs.state.fl.us
It’s in the occupied territory! For all the flak Southerners catch we could never have screwed things up as bad as the snowbirds have. They plant little NYC seeds everywhere they go. I hope the damned pythons eat them!
People - now is the time to put this in perspective. Find theNAME of the 'inspector' then start paying him face to face visits with work related questions etc. Keep it up until his daily workload is full - maybe some phone calls too. Maybe his manager needs some attention .... the whole department.
Are the local newspapers sympathetic? Is the 'law' local - visit them!
When the government fears the People - result is Liberty. When the People fear the Government ????
Dogs can understand many, many words — and fetch items on command.
Maybe they could use that to their advantage:
Customer: “Where are the chips?”
Employee: “Cody, would you please show this gentleman where he can find the... CHIPS?”
By the way, Bronson’s a good guy. This is not directly his fault.
And you do understand, of course, that the law as it stands puts him in a difficult position.
I’m told that he’s retiring soon. Florida’s loss.
I’d take Cody anyday over a lot of other people...especially in DC.
“By the way, Bronson’s a good guy. This is not directly his fault.”
I suppose that if the officials were to look the other way, then every shady operator out there would want exceptions. Darned shame.
Isn’t that because it’s infested with Scientologists?
Suggested sign for outside the store:
[or maybe even on I-95S entering Florida]
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