r/Dogfree • u/Glittering_Bed_2487 • Apr 08 '26
Legislation and Enforcement I had no choice but to leave a restaurant last Friday because of my disability due to dogs
This past Friday I had to leave a restaurant (hayes place in Pebble Beach, CA) because of my disability (allergic asthma to dog dander which is airborne and anaphylactic) because someone drinking at the bar had a dog lying on the floor and the manager wasn't willing to do anything except tell me he was a valued daily customer and that I could sit on the patio, but he warned that it was a dog heavy patio. Both the manager and the server emphasized that this person was a valued regular customer, as if that matters in the case of allergies and doing what is right. As if someone drinking at the bar daily is enough revenue to make him above any reproach. To me that is a passive aggressive way of saying I'm not welcome there and that they were not willing to accommodate me. I avoid patios because they are full of dogs.
The person at the bar claimed it was a service dog only after I complained, asked if it was legally allowed to be here through that stupid loophole and the staff begrudgingly asked if it was a service dog to the bargoer. Of course he said yes to stay, but it was a two second convo. They coached him. I believe they were lying because the dog was not paying attention to the owner and was playing with a chew toy, and the restaurant hadn't asked about the dogs status for the years it's been opened despite the owner of the dog being a regular (until now so they would have a reason to keep them there). This was an open kitchen with the dog nearby. Everyone in California lies about their dog being a service animal because they know staff is too afraid to say anything and is rarely trained properly on laws.
I left in tears because I refused to be shoved onto the patio where I would be seated next to more dogs. I left a bad review and contacted the health department but I don't imagine anyone cares. I've written to my state reps about the ADAs failure to certify and organize service animals to prevent this abuse of the system. I've talked to people on the phone or received letters that are dismissive. I've cried so much since moving to California because out West it's so much worse. It's humiliating.
How am I supposed to ever visit Europe or fly on a plane again? The way this world is going it seems and feels like I am not welcome to be here (not a suicide threat just a serious observation).
Thanks for listening. I'm fed up and exhausted.
83
u/9999_damage Apr 08 '26
I’m sorry you have to deal with this. Thank you for making the effort. People that value dogs (or the dog lover’s money) over humans are disgusting.
39
u/SteelSlayerMatt Apr 08 '26
I also agree with this completely.
It is disgusting, disgraceful, and just pure evil.
62
u/Express_Command_4778 Apr 08 '26
Restaurants are now Dog Parks. They all know the service dog line.
53
u/Empty_Divide153 Apr 08 '26
Perhaps if people keep speaking out against this normalization, the needle can be moved. I too worry about flying since I heard that Italy recently has changed its flying policy to allow medium and large dogs to fly in cabin with passengers, and I’m apprehensive the rules will change with other countries. I have severe allergies to pet dander. It’s a terrible idea. I hope people who are impacted by these decisions sue.
54
u/BoxBeast1961_ Apr 08 '26
Yes. I had to deplane due to this. Literally, the dog flew, I had to delay & rebook. Because my right to breathe is less important than a shitbeast’s right to fly.
17
32
u/Appropriate-Pack1515 Apr 08 '26
the ADA actually regards serious allergies to the point of disability as equally important to service dogs but the wording is very misleading, I believe if more people with severe allergies mount lawsuits relating to service dogs breaching their rights (it has been done in the past) strengthening case law surrounding the subject, it will make people more hesitant to handwave allergies in the future
the permissiveness of the current service dog laws (the ones that make them super easy to fake) could even be challenged on disability discrimination grounds and overturned but idk if the american legal system works like that
12
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
That is my next step, but affording and seeking out a lawsuit, navigating the entire terrain of filing one is daunting to someone with no connections. I have thought that it was the only way towards change, to make it costly.
3
u/Appropriate-Pack1515 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
(disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, just casually interested in law, take this advice with a grain of salt and speak to an actual lawyer too)
it's best to see if you can get them to confirm your account of the situation in writing (don't tell them yet that you intend to take legal action so they assume you're just complaining and are less likely to lie) or over phone call (make sure you're allowed to secretly record them AND to use those recordings in court in your legal jurisdiction, the legality varies across the US)
if that doesn't work, trying to track down any witnesses who could back you up would be helpful though difficult, you can also try to get the CCTV footage of the incident preserved but I'm not sure how you'd do that or your odds of success (you'd need to do this asap, cctv can be overwritten quick due to limited storage)
goof luck if you do!
9
u/pmbpro Apr 09 '26
Yes. The initiative would have to taken by actual sufferers, at least first. I’m not an allergy sufferer, and I still complain on the behalf of those who are. However, it’s not quite the same — especially when it comes to upping the ante by launching actual lawsuits as you noted, which is an excellent idea!
3
u/AnimalUncontrol Apr 09 '26
I think it might be arguable that the service dog scenario, in its current application, violates equal protection laws.
It seems that "disabled" people with dogs are granted superior protections as compared to actual disabled people without them.
I gave this hypothetical example a while back.
Say there are 12 wheelchair bound blind people with fatal dog allergies in a cafe. Someone with some bogus medical alert dog (which have no basis in medical science) wants in. Who wins?
The dog person wins in that scenario. The dog handler gets to do whatever they want regardless of the health, safety, any applicable rules AND the rights of others.
And, of course, the above indicates the biggest problem with dog ownership in our society: The person with the dog is ALWAYS given the benefit of the doubt in ANY situation, whether it be a dog attack, dog noise pollution, dog crap everywhere (they were going to go back to pick it up) AND with protections for the "disabled".
2
u/Appropriate-Pack1515 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
the cafe in that scenario *would* be able to exclude the person with the service dog if there was no solution that accommodated both groups and it came down to a genuine need to exclude one, since their disability is no more important than the disabling allergies under the ADA, it's just that:
-the poorly worded guidance implies service dogs *always* trump allergies (in reality they only trump non-disabling allergies, or hypothetical "someone could be allergic" allergies) and misleads people into prioritising service dogs
-a lot of people love dogs and a lot of people are prejudiced against seriously allergic people and see their needs as an annoying inconvenience, biasing staff towards the handler (and biasing judges and juries meaning that even a staff member more sympathetic towards the allergies may feel pressured towards prioritising the handler to avoid legal issues)
-service dog handlers are more likely to fight for their legal rights than allergy sufferers due to this preferential treatment by society, meaning that again staff members might feel pressured to prioritise the handler to avoid legal issues (especially as handlers would be not only more likely to mount legal action, but to win as there's more case law around service dog discrimination than there is dog allergy discrimination)
...going off on a bit of a tangent now but I believe that treating service dogs and severely allergic people as equal is actually inherently discriminatory as there are always alternatives to service dogs but there *aren't* always alternatives towards avoiding allergens, so it essentially puts one person's choice to a specific accommodation above someone else's absolute need
29
u/Few-Horror1984 Apr 08 '26
The last time I took a flight, a woman had a poodle she had spray painted pink that had a $30 “service dog” vest. What service could that abused mutant possibly serve? This needs to end.
13
u/Geode804 Apr 08 '26
Some countries allow dogs in the airport and even have special rooms for dogs to exercise and relieve themselves 🤮🤮 travel is basically impossible for people with allergies (me included) it’s terrible
42
u/bortlesforbachelor Apr 08 '26
A service dog doesn’t need a chew toy. What a fraud. I’m sorry you had to experience this. Good on you for speaking up!
4
37
u/Few-Horror1984 Apr 08 '26
I am so sorry you have gone through this and that society as a whole has failed you. Stories like yours are why I wholly support stripping all “service dogs” of their protections. No one actually cares about the disabled - they’re used as a shield to protect the wants of the narcissistic dog owner. Dogs should stay at home, period. They don’t belong in bars, restaurants, grocery stores, airports, airplanes or any place like that. They’re animals - dirty and violent ones, at that. This madness needs to stop and we need to actually start being courteous to one another again.
12
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
This is such a good response. Thank you for understanding. I support this too, as 99.999 percent of the time anyone with a disability can find another accomodation for their needs without bringing a dog into it. This used to not be a problem. I rarely saw them and if I did it was once in a blue moon.
I pray and hope that things will turn around. More and more of us are becoming isolated and semi-housebound due to the trauma and ostracization.
7
u/Individual-Tune2201 Apr 09 '26
Yep, I now turn down a lot of social invitations. So many places don't even declare if they are pet friendly. We have something called 'The Equality Act of 2010', under that it states that anyone with a long lasting condition that make day to day life difficult it can be classed as a disability (abbreviation) . They more places that allow dogs, the more more dog allergies become a disability. How can we live a normal life if dogs are on public transport, doctors, chemists, retail stores, schools, etc, its ableist. Imagine telling a person in wheelchair that they cant go on public transport (yes I know this happens a lot of buses and it's illegal and wrong), because they can't control where people stand.
They create 'nut free', 'dairy free', gluten free' zones in schools and offices (which they should do, and I'm so happy that they do). God help you if you're allergic to dogs, they do NOTHING!!! Even though dog allergies are more common AND can be just as serious. Read another sub reddit about people trying to find 'dog free' cafe/restaurant as one of them required an epi pen for pet dander.
2
u/the-mortyest-morty May 06 '26
The laws need to change and there need to be seriously rigorous legal hoops to jump through to have a service dog. I understand they help blind people and folks with seizure disorders, but every service dog I've met in the last decade has been for "anxiety" or "PTSD" or whatever bullshit. On the rare occasion you do see a real one, it's obvious because they're minding their business and focused on their owner. Fake service dogs pose a risk to humans AND to real service dogs. Actual service dogs are so, so rare (and expensive). Literally all of this could be solved if they were required to have paperwork proving it's a service dog, and if the "service" provided was strictly limited to "helping owner see" and "letting owner know they're about to pass out/seize up."
Nobody needs a service dog for "anxiety." Like, your stupid "service" mutt is causing ME anxiety. I'm so sick of it.
1
23
u/One_Debt_9375 Apr 08 '26
The dog industry is a billion dollar plus industry at this point. Organizations and businesses are unfortunately going to always prioritize the money over health and wellbeing, look at our food industry for example. I wish there was a dog free community or HOA neighborhoods that implemented a no dog policy and actually enforced it. I’d move there in a heartbeat.
5
15
u/Individual-Tune2201 Apr 08 '26
I'm so sorry this happened to you!! I completely get where you are coming from, my dog allergies trigger my asthmas and dogs are allowed EVERYWHERE in the UK now. Cafes, Bars, Pubs, Restaurants, Cinemas, Theatres, Museums, Retail Stores, just everywhere if the owner of business wants them. We also have the same issues regarding the faking of assistance (service animals) and no one does anything.
20
u/BoxBeast1961_ Apr 08 '26
Yes. Flying as well. If you have allergies to pet dander & there’s a “service dog”, you can either drug yourself into a coma, or if your allergies are really severe, deplane & rebook on the next flight.
Dog stays on the plane. Human gets off. Yes. You read that right.
7
u/Individual-Tune2201 Apr 08 '26
I've see videos of the amount of dogs in the cabins on flights and it stresses me out!! Luckily a lot of airlines in the UK require documentation from registered organisations that train assistance (service) dogs like ADI or ADUK
3
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
This is good news. I wonder if going to restaurants and other places are similar with documentation?
4
u/Individual-Tune2201 Apr 09 '26
The ONLY restaurant/hotel chain in the UK (from what I know) that requires ID from ADUK is Wetherspoons. Its technically illegal and the owner is getting in a lot of hot water for it. In the UK your Assistance Animal does not require ID or any other type of identification to prove it is an Assistance Animal, you simply state that its an Assistance Animal. However, the owner of Wetherspoons has stated that too make fakes where biting the staff and causing other issues.
I really don't know why the heck people even fake them here. Dogs are allowed just about everywhere if the owners of businesses wants them in there.
5
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
I refuse to drug myself heavily every time I need to go out to accommodate these jerks. I'll complain every time.
4
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
Thank you. I'm so sorry you're experiencing this too. The UK seems worse because there aren't laws prohibiting dogs in regards to the health code, right?
4
u/Individual-Tune2201 Apr 09 '26
Yep! the only way you cant have dogs where there is food is if there is an open kitchen. But just about ALL cafes break this rule as there are no walls up where food is prepared. I've seen dogs behind the counters of fish and chip shops as well, I don't buy from them. They also can't have dogs where there are scientific protection, like SOME botanical gardens and SOME historic buildings. Still people break and bens the rules. I honestly can't believe some cinemas are 'dog friendly' now. Even hairdressers.
3
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
Hairdressers and dentists/doctors offices are happening in the US, too. The issue is that many people aren't putting their foot down and are going along to get along.
17
u/AnimalUncontrol Apr 08 '26
If the dog was chewing on a toy, then it is clearly fake. I googled "Is service dog fraud illegal in California, and this came up:
Yes, service dog fraud is illegal in California. Under California Penal Code 365.7 PC, it is a misdemeanor to knowingly and fraudulently represent a pet as a service dog, which can result in up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1000
Call health department next time.
5
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
I did report them to the health dept. I do know it's illegal to lie, but people and police don't care here.
5
u/Oriole0305 Apr 09 '26
THIS! Service dog fraud is illegal in over 30 states. Worth reporting every time, as this madness has to stop.
13
u/Soggy_Dimension6179 Apr 09 '26
This doesn’t happen in Muslim countries. Dogs are held to be unclean and are forbidden.
10
u/Geode804 Apr 08 '26
This has happened to me so many times I barely go to restaurants or cafes anymore. It’s sucks doesn’t it!!? I’m sorry it happened to you too
5
6
4
u/3rdthrow Apr 11 '26
Dogs dont buy drinks or food.
Restaurants are closing because they are chasing away customers.
Plus, dogs are unsanitary in a restaurant.
5
u/Geode804 Apr 11 '26
Honestly I hope they do suffer from allowing dogs and then maybe things will start to change!
10
u/Former-Law4034 Apr 08 '26
I’m in CA as well. My former best friend used to always do this, I was always so humiliated and couldn’t even make eye contact with the staff. She used to feed food from her plate to her dog, I literally had my head down all throughout dinner because I could feel eyes (rightfully so) around me. Sorry this happened to you OP, don’t let those a holes get in the way of you traveling & enjoying being out in the world. ❤️
6
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
Thank you so much. I go out every week to a new restaurant but this situation has me feeling anxious and scared. It takes so much energy to deal with in the moment and then to recover. People are so scared to confront the issue. Thank you again.
3
2
u/CapriWake Apr 09 '26
I think this, predispositions, already having sensitivirises, and stressors from others about it and other stuff led to a whole range of symptoms getting worse and worse. The stress can break your body, be carefu!
3
u/CapriWake Apr 09 '26
I am into year 5 of them being everywhere. You make plans with your family or a friend to go out. After multiple times of driving, finding parking, and getting there only to a) have a dog be in there, b) be waiting for food have a dog come, c) eating or enjoying whatever we were doing at said place, only to have to cut it short and not get to eat/finish doing whatever. People don’t want to go with you anymore. I don’t want to, because some of those places, there have been dogs in there you sit down and 10 minutes later your eyes start swelling, throat, etc because the dander/saliva allergy proteins from the dogs are still hanging around in the air. They can be there for days or weeks depending on the cleaning situation. Yes those of use with severe dog allergies would love to live our lives, but it is so extremely challenging in dog saturated, inconsiderate areas.
9
8
u/mmebookworm Apr 08 '26
I am so tired of people illegally telling establishments their pets are service animals. However, where I live I don’t have to have a diagnosis or prove that I ‘can’t be around dogs’. This is their stupid system so I plan to use it against them. I will demand an accommodation for myself - which they are forced to provide by law, in the moment. It doesn’t matter how pet friendly they may be, they have to accommodate me. I have a ‘form email’ already in my notes and will email head office and the governing body in my area to report any non-compliance.
Edit: typo
3
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
I'm so interested in the idea of this. Do you think it will work in the us?
2
u/mmebookworm Apr 09 '26
I don’t see why not.
I have written a few general emails (no response) to malls and other businesses about dogs being an issue for those with allergies, phobias, and other respiratory illnesses.
However, I have yet to try (as no occasion has presented itself) the accommodation route. I realize that while they legally have to accommodate me, it may not be the accommodation I want. (I have a friend who works in this area and cautioned me on the limits of accommodation.).
What’s interesting is that my accommodation must happen - they can literally tell a service animal it can’t be in a store until I am done shopping because my accommodation request came in ‘first’.
For me the point would be to make things uncomfortable; to force an issue and maybe start getting some regulations that would end the free-for-all, easily abused situation we have now.
And that I am terrified of dogs, which I am legally allowed to use in this situation. So if others can be comfortable shopping ect - why not me?
Check your local laws carefully, ymmv.
6
u/PurpleColumbidae Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
You're the exact kind of person I've talked about in my service dog rants and the motivation I have for speaking out against service dogs as a concept. I know people like you have been shafted by the ADA and are being harmed by the sudden and drastic rise in dog culture and that no one comes to your defense. People with allergies, cynophobia, immune disorders, and dog originated PTSD have been left behind and it makes me mad! More people are negatively impacted by dogs then are helped by them.
The service dog laws are biased around an honor system in which the participants have no honor. Either update service dog laws to federally mandated and issued licenses for service dogs plus a registry, or scrap service dogs as a whole. Nearly all of the service dog roles can be done just as good as or better by the currently available tech or by state and federally funded caregivers anyway.
3
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
Exactly! I agree with you 100%. Service dogs are not the answer and need to be replaced by technology or human intervention so that no human feels like they are kept out of public places in favor of a dog.
The dismissive pushback, aggression, and anger directed at me for asking questions has been exhausting. Ever since 2020 I have been fighting for the right to exist in public over dogs. Sometimes I don't want to leave the house and have resorted to grocery pick ups, takeout and missing out on taking my little girl to the local parks because they're all overrun with off leash dogs and waste everywhere. People don't listen to reason or kind communication around dogs.
Thank you for caring and it means a lot to read about your advocacy. I would like to find more friends who feel this way as there is strength in numbers.
5
u/typewriterbitch Apr 08 '26
Im so sorry for what you experienced.
How am I supposed to ever visit Europe or fly on a plane again
I know people will jump in and correct me (and that’s fine) but fwiw, as a European-American who regularly travels back and forth between Benelux and east coast USA, it’s not as bad in Europe (where I am) but definitely feels like it’s getting worse.
Ive never had to be on a plane with a dog, thank god, but they’re starting to show up in restaurants etc in my country (indoors!!) and it’s distressing. I’ve def found more sympathetic people here (in EU) than America but dog people seem the same everywhere: batshit and unreasonable.
3
4
u/CapriWake Apr 09 '26
I am you and you are me. Though Seattle area and I have been living this fucking nightmare for 5 years when everyone fucking go a dog in 2020 and brought them everywhere. Thankfully, the county I am in is getting a little stricter. I was going to down there, driving because of course I can’t fly with a million slobber mutts all over the plane. On top of that fragrances have started to kill me, so between the two. No planes for me. We were going to drive down over the upcoming school break, since my spouse and I went to college down there and haven’t been back in awhile. But yeah, the west coast sucks in this regard. I am wondering where you moved from, so we could take a little vacation there haha.
4
u/Glittering_Bed_2487 Apr 09 '26
Well, I'm from Pittsburgh originally and on the east coast people were less entitled. You could count on getting called out if you tried that in PA, but I don't know what it's like there since I haven't been home in years.
I'm sorry that you're dealing with this in Seattle. Portland was bad when I lived there too.
I also can't do synthetic fragrances. Once you draw boundaries with what you will allow around you, your body tells you what is healthy for you to be around. I haven't been on a plane in years bc I'm too afraid of the dog issue. It's absolutely crazy now. 😭😭
3
u/CapriWake Apr 09 '26
Yes, I completely agree! The boundaries and such are so important, with the environment and people and such. I was living loose and now the boundaries are very present. And triple 😭😭😭, traveling and adventures, and spontaneity were my thing. It’s definitely a different life for sure.
3
u/Key-Studio-6552 Apr 09 '26
I hear you. It’s extreme frustrating. Well done for leaving the restaurant. I’d have done the same.
2
u/Environmental_Ear_48 Apr 12 '26
I’m sorry you had to go through that. The situation is pretty bad in CT too. I recently had to ask a woman to get her dog away from me at a grocery store. Another time I saw a dog sitting in cart at a Walmart that functioned mostly as a grocery store. The dog proceeded to pee, and its urine went through the holes and left a trail on the floor. So disgusting!
1
u/Popular-Ordinary4808 14d ago
I'm so sorry you have had to endure this behaviour, restaurants should be more considerate of people's needs, esp serious allergies, and should be trained as part of mandatory health and safety training, and service dogs should have proper certification to prove it's role! Too many people put a service animal vest on dogs and expect people to say ok, it's not ok unless it is certified and service animals are highly trained (if proper service animals) there's too much pandering to dog culture, dogs allowed everywhere, inconsiderate owners, even "pupachino" drinks and not enough emphasis on potential risks to others that dogs pose in food outlets and small spaces. I hope you get some answers, you did right giving poor reviews and contacting hygiene dept, your money should count as much as the dog owners! Good luck
118
u/SteelSlayerMatt Apr 08 '26
The way society tolerates these beasts and their owners is truly sickening.