Three pet dogs in Trader Joe’s this morning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think dog owners all miss a critical gene that allows them to have common courtesy towards others. I don't see it with any other type of pet owner. We all MUST love your dog, even if they are AH and even if we are allergic.

No, all dog owners are not like that and I am specifically speaking for one I know very well (as well many others) and that would be myself. But you are clearly a dog "hater" and it shows, probably hate kids too, that's a you problem. With respect to the grocery store, etc. dog problem, Europe has arrived on our shores. I know so many people who come back from Europe and bring their disgusting habits with them. I have a neighbor who not only is building a greek goddess statuary in his side yard (last trip was to Greece) he also let's his dog poop everywhere but his own yard. Bonus he does not clean any of it up and when approached by his neighbors he says it's natural and no one should have to clean it up.

HAHAHAHAHAHAA well I am ACTUALLY European and in general, we are a lot less likely to let our dogs run the roost. We know they are animals and don't let them distrub us or others. Sounds like your neighbor is actually American and it proves my point that dog owners have little consideration for others. You just proved my point for me silly.

There is dog poop all over Paris, I know, I've stepped in it. Europeans are disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some folk got up on the wrong side of the bed. I’ll send my dog over to cheer you up!

Aww that’s sweet. I’ll return the favor by spraying you with something like Givenchy Amarige. You know, because we all like the same things!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of narcissist bring their pet dog to a grocery store??!

A service animal must be trained to perform specific tasks to aid someone. “therapy” and “emotional support” dogs are nothing more than pets.

Stop bringing your pet animals to grocery stores. It’s so gross and selfish.

How do you know it was a "pet" or an "emotional support dog" and not a service animal?

Not the OP, NP, but: Just freaking stop your "but but but how do you knooooww" idiocy.

A service animal is trained at great length and expense, behaves a certain way in public (namely, not like a pet), wears a vest (not a faked one bought off the internet) and often is not on a regular leash but has a type of handle-like lead.

A service dog is NOT going to be riding in a shopping cart or in a stroller or in a baby Bjorn pack or walking on a common leash. And certainly a service dog is not going to be cradled in mommy or daddy's arms while they shop.

You know all this but want to pretend that any dog, any place, might be a service animal so, how dare anyone question the dog's presence! No. Anyone with a grain of common sense knows when they're seeing a pet and not a trained service dog.

To the OP and others who understand that pet dogs have no place in grocery stores: Complain every single time, both at the store itself and by email to the store's corporate headquarters.

To the dog nuts: Take your pet to walk around Home Depot. Seriously. Home Depot allows pet dogs. Go there to show off Fido.

I ask because there is so much misinformation about service dogs, and your post is a great example. Here are some true facts.

1) Service dogs are not required by law to wear vests, and any service dog that is wearing a vest got it from the internet. Wearing or not wearing a vest is not an indication that a dog is a working service dog.

2) Service dogs can be trained by organizations, by individual trainers, or by their own handlers. Again this is something well established in the law. The idea that if you didn't use an expensive training program it isn't a service dog is 100% false.

3) Service dogs can be any breed, including small breeds. Small dogs are often chosen for jobs that include alerting to things like seizures, low blood sugar, allergens, and panic attacks. I have a friend whose alert service dog is a Papillon. You can't get much smaller than that.

4) While there are a few tasks, such as guiding or helping someone who is unsteady on their feet, that require specialized harnesses, there are plenty of other service dogs who wear regular leashes. In addition, people who have small alert dogs may choose to carry them in a place like Trader Joe's, because it's hard for a dog to pay attention to cues like facial expression when they are far away, and because a very small dog is at risk in an environment with lots of moving carts that can run over them. Now, I agree they shouldn't be in a cart, but a sling or a backpack, or the handler's hands may be the best place for the dog.

I find it ironic that people complain that big dogs are scary, or they take up too much room, or that people are allergic, and then attack handlers with small service dogs. You'd think that people would be glad when someone who is able to have a small service dog (not everyone can, because only some tasks are appropriate for small dogs) chooses to do so, since a small dog addresses those concerns. But instead, handlers with small service dogs are attacked all the time on this forum.

I also find it bizarre that people say "how dare you question!" You are welcome to question. The law is very clear on how you should question. You may ask "Is that a service dog?" and "What task does the dog perform?" I don't see any indication that OP did that.

[Anonymous]

I like dogs and have no problems with them in most stores, but I draw the line on groceries and restaurants. Pet hair pet dander and pet saliva do not belong in business that serve food.

Personally, if I had been in the Trader Joe's I would have gone to the service counter and told the employees that I had seen the pets, that I believe that it was a violation of MD state law to allow pets into the store and that I was going to be leaving and not purchasing the shopping cart of food that I had because of the issue. The store needs to police pets coming in. At a minimum they need to confront the pet owners and ask them directly if the animal was a service animal (which is allowed by MD law). If the pet owner wants to lie and say it was a service animal, the store can't do anything about it, but they should at least make the patrons respond before allowing those pets into the store.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy finding staff and letting them know. I don’t mind dogs with a purpose, but the people who “just think we should bring dogs everywhere!” annoy me. Not everyone likes dogs.

[Anonymous]

I was in HomeGoods a couple of weeks ago and there was a woman with two very large, very active dogs. She could not get up or down an aisle without the dogs knocking things over and no one could pass by her. It was so weird - I can actually understand a quick trip to a grocery store if you desperately need something, but what kind of weirdo browses a knick knack store with a couple of show ponies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Video tape it and put it on social media.

Unless you hurt a company where it hurts, they will not change.

I complained to the health department about the Westbard Giant, it seemed to work. The manager began stopping people at the doors, apologizing profusely like a baby, but stopped pets from coming into the store.

👏 Yur mah hero!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who cares?! Mind your own business.

No, and I am not Op. Your dog does not belong in food environments. IT IS THE LAW. And I do not care how small Fifi is I will make you as uncomfortable as possible every single time you bring an animal where I food shop. Every single time.

+10000

And I love dogs! I have three, but I do not take him to grocery stores, or movie theaters, or anywhere they’re not supposed to be because they’re not service animals. Dogs do not belong everywhere. And it is everybody’s business.

[Anonymous]

1) Service dogs are not required by law to wear vests, and any service dog that is wearing a vest got it from the internet. Wearing or not wearing a vest is not an indication that a dog is a working service dog.

I've been thinking for years that they need to make service dogs wear something official, or make the owner wear something. There are official disabled placards that people have to display on their cars for parking, so there's no reason why they can't be done for service animals. That would make it easier for people that work at stores....no badge, decal or placard, no entry!

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I can’t with the weirdos bringing their dogs into FOOD stores. Soo gross

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I can’t with the weirdos bringing their dogs into FOOD stores. Soo gross

Yep, it’s going to the dogs, as they say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dogs are cleaner than some people. Bet they didn’t steal anything either. MYOB

Stupid. People > dogs. You need to get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think dog owners all miss a critical gene that allows them to have common courtesy towards others. I don't see it with any other type of pet owner. We all MUST love your dog, even if they are AH and even if we are allergic.

I think a lot of it is attention seeking behavior. So many dog owners love the attention they get when they first get their dog. I understand loving your pet but there is something else going on with these dog nuts who think their pets are as important as humans. Fine if the animal is the center of your world but when you expect others to feel that way, just now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of narcissist bring their pet dog to a grocery store??!

A service animal must be trained to perform specific tasks to aid someone. “therapy” and “emotional support” dogs are nothing more than pets.

Stop bringing your pet animals to grocery stores. It’s so gross and selfish.

How do you know it was a "pet" or an "emotional support dog" and not a service animal?

If you've ever been around a real service animal, the difference is blatantly obvious. How stupid do lying dog owners think the general public is?

The general public, as in the 50th percentile American? Pretty darn stupid 😅 I mean they elected Trump, so….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in HomeGoods a couple of weeks ago and there was a woman with two very large, very active dogs. She could not get up or down an aisle without the dogs knocking things over and no one could pass by her. It was so weird - I can actually understand a quick trip to a grocery store if you desperately need something, but what kind of weirdo browses a knick knack store with a couple of show ponies?

I saw something similar in Virginia at a HomeGoods here. The dogs were big and were not well behaved and knocked things over. It was ridiculous. Lots of people were staring at her and what I assume was her husband. She looked like a bimbo and they were dressed for the beach - at a HomeGoods nowhere near the beach or a pool.