Dogs in the city

Some people take their dogs everywhere – to the park, to the beach and sometimes even to the grocery store.

When it comes to sharing public spaces, not all animals are necessarily welcome.

Only some are certified service dogs – animals trained for tasks and for behavior that help their owners with some vital aspect of their day-to-day living.

Other dogs are emotional support animals, which have no special training but can provide comfort to a person at home and in public. Then there are regular ol’ pooches – friends and companions that are often loved more than many human friends and family members in our lives.

Only certified service dogs and their owners are guaranteed rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All other dog owners have rules to follow and choices to make when bringing their animals into public places.

Pam Nordby, owner of the GoodDog pet store in Coeur d’Alene, said thoughtful dog owners have much to consider when bringing their animals along for human activities.

“We all would like to take our dogs everywhere, but sometimes it’s difficult to know how their presence will affect others,” Nordby said.

Even bringing well-behaved, leashed dogs can have unintentional consequences to others inside a store or restaurant.

“There are places to take your human friends and places to take your pet. Not always the same,” Nordby said. “It’s always good to check with people around you and businesses you will be visiting.”

Know the rights – service animals vs. emotional support animals Kristina Keating, a food program specialist for the Panhandle Health District, said their office receives many inquiries about service animals, not just from the general public but from regulated food establishments as well.

“It’s really important for food service employees to understand the needs of guests with service animals, and we do our best to help them with training, education and guidance,” Keating said.

Per the Idaho Food Code, service animals are permitted to be inside licensed food establishments, including restaurants and grocery stores, but only in the areas accessible to the public, i.e. the dining or shopping areas. No animals are permitted to be in the kitchen or other food preparation areas.

Keating said many questions come from how to determine if a certain dog is indeed a service animal.

“(Service animals) are not always harnessed, they don’t always have a leash, they may not be clearly marked and (owners) don’t necessarily need to provide documentation,” Keating said.

In such inquiries, Keating refers to what the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has outlined for service animals – the ADA requires privately-owned businesses that serve the public to allow people with disabilities to bring service animals to wherever customers are generally allowed. Those animals can be removed only if the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

“You can ask, ‘Is this a service animal?’ and ‘What service does it provide?” Keating said. “You can’t ask what their disability is. You can’t ask for certification… and they don’t need to provide it.”

Many animals frequent the GoodDog store, including service animals that provide a wide variety of medical assistance. Nordby said it’s best to respect those animals and the jobs they do, and she suggested people should not pet or distract a service dog in any way.

“You’re not being rude if you don’t acknowledge the service dog’s presence,” she said.

Meanwhile, an emotional support animal has no special training and is not considered a service animal. Therefore, they are not afforded the same rights, according to the ADA.

Nordby said that while handlers have certain rights under the Fair Housing Act and Air Carrier Access Act, people with emotional support animals shouldn’t expect the same rights in public places.

“In my opinion, every dog is an emotional support dog, but they don’t need the same rights as a service or therapy dog that is performing a very important job for a human in need,” Nordby said.

Doggy etiquette about town Nordby said most dog owners are good about bringing their animals in public, leashing them, and knowing how their companions will react in many situations. Problems arise, however, when people assume their dogs think like humans.

“A lot of people don’t understand why their dogs act up in public, and it’s usually caused by stress to the dog,” Nordby said. “A dog’s understanding of certain situations can be completely different from what they appear to humans.”

“What is no threat to a human can be a serious threat to a dog,” she said.

Scott Ansel, co-owner of Northwest Pet Resort in Coeur d’Alene, said owners need to give their dogs the tools and skills to be well-behaved in public.

“Even if they are filling a role of companionship for us, we owe it to them to reciprocate that,” Ansel said. “They look to us for guidance.”

He said proper nutrition, leash training, following simple commands like “sit” and “stay,” and working with dogs with tendencies to jump or snap are all important responsibilities for an owner who wants to let their animal interact with the public.

“You want to make sure you have good communication with people approaching your dog too,” Ansel said. “Even if your dog is technically trained, they are dogs, and you want to be able to err on the side of caution.”

“A lot of people are afraid about giving them a rundown of how to touch them,” he continued. “But you do not need to feel bad about them doing it the right way. You can say, ‘Here, let me make him sit for you, so he can give you a proper sniff.”

When and where to socialize There are many events and public places your canine companion is better off not attending. “You want to look at those certain stressful situations they aren’t familiar with, for example dogs can act differently with having kids around,” Ansel said. “The heat is one where they can burn their paws on concrete and asphalt.”

Loud events are stressful for many animals, and though an owner may not initially notice, Nordby said dogs can suffer greatly from noisy situations like thunder and lightning.

While some people take their animals everywhere, some owners miss out on activities because they have a pooch that can’t be left alone. Ansel said good boarding and doggy care facilities can help those with animals that are too stressed to be by themselves.

“It is a beneficial tool that helps them and even extends their lives,” Ansel said. “You can’t keep your dog secluded and expect them to be social. They need that exposure. It’s helping to build their immune systems, and helps them build their confidence and reduce some of that separation anxiety.”

More information: www.GoodDog-us.com www.NWPetResort.com U.S. Department of Justice toll-free ADA Information Line – (800) 514-0301.