Service Dogs Cause Issue Inside Walmart
Three service dogs caused a problem inside the Trion Walmart on Friday afternoon, according to Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Robinson.
The deputy was dispatched to Walmart around 1 p.m. when three service dogs created an issue.
“. . .Whitney Culberson advised that she and her daughter . . . have and need service dogs. Ms. Whitney Culberson advised that when they were walking out another person had what appeared to be a bulldog with service dog patches on its harness. Ms. Whitney Culberson advised that the bulldog barked at them and appeared to come after them and their service dogs near the grocery entrance to Walmart,” Deputy Robinson reported. “Ms. Whitney Culberson advised that the male subject then let the bulldog go in the parking lot, then got it put in the truck and left the area.”
Later on, Deputy Robinson was summoned to the sheriff’s office to talk with the bulldog’s owner — Jimmy Warnock. He told the deputy that his dog is registered as a service dog and that the dog barks when someone walks up on him, according to reports.
If you watch the video you will see neither my service dog nor my daughters sd was no where near that aggressive dog. We were plum across the entryway when that dog looked at our sd while we were leaving and went plum crazy. Video evidence does not lie.
This is not the full story. I am the daughter of Whitney. We were on the other side of the entry hall then the dog started pulling and trying to attack my legit service dog and my mom legit service dog in training. It set our dogs back months if not years!!! Cost us money for retraining and it seems this fraud service dog will get away with this. If the dog would have gotten loose he would have hurt if not killed our dogs. Get your facts straight.
People and their service dogs are like everything else, out of hand. Leave the dogs at home. Do you not understand almost a third of people out there can not be around pets. I don,t care how you keep them they are nasty. I was at a food bar facility just this week when a guy with several dogs in a van pulled up and came in and was filthy, and went up to the food bar. I got up left and won.t go back. I will not spend my money at a place that allows dogs.
Larry, you do understand that the ADA requires establishments to accommodate legitimate service animals, right? Which means that *every place you go* technically Allows Dogs. You also understand that some people have legitimate disabilities that require the use of a service animal, right? Are you suggesting they should just stay at home and live their lives on the couch just because you think dogs are nasty?
I will agree the service animals has got out of hand. But let me tell you something, I bet you my dogs are cleaner then you are and I know they are a [heck] of a lot smarter.
This is ignorance. Mean cruel and down right, arrogance.
Larry,
PSA.
Service dogs and Emotional Support Animals are two different categories. They are not interchangeable.
Service dogs are task trained for what they do. Be it a mobility dog; Seeing-Eye dog; Balance dog; Diabetic and Seizure dogs. Because they are task trained they are ADA protected. They can go anywhere within reason (i.e., not in the kitchen of a restaurant; clean rooms and that sort of locations) with their owner. No other dog, like that barking teacup pincher is a SERVICE dog. They are WORKING dogs and usually of that breed — retrievers especially.
Emotional Support Animals are not ADA protected. They can be denied entry to businesses. But the problem is verifying an ADA dog from an ESA. Usually folks can tell just by how they behave, and a teacup pincher would be pretty hard to pull a 300lb man in a wheelchair to qualify as a mobility dog.
ADA dogs will not eat off tables.
ADA dogs won’t plop themselves on chairs in public.
ADA dogs will not bark (they nudge or paw their owners to signal them).
ADA dogs WON’T attack another dog. They don’t growl, either.
ADA dogs will lay down by their owner’s feet and stay there (usually under tables even to not block access).
ADA dogs won’t wander around a store; or be in shopping carts, either. They are always by their owner’s FEET.
Also, PLEASE don’t touch service dogs, either. It’s instinct wanting to, but they are working and must watch their owners and be aware for their commands and duties.
Remember ADA protected dogs are task trained. They don’t need vests and fancy IDs and are not required to have them, either (rare a disabled person can afford such stuff!). They go through very advance obedience training, so are very docile (they even cower, owners protect them, not the other way around). Those who use them usually also have some physical impairment, too. Seeing-Eye, Mobility and Balance dogs clearly people can see they have physical issues, and will be the appropriate size for their task (they are matched to their task and height, especially balance dogs).
If you want to help, report fake service dogs, too. The more people do, and learn the differences between a true service DOG and an ESA, the better for everyone. TRUE service dogs are rare (they are very expensive and owners have to be able to take care of them. Most disabled can’t. Why people don’t see many disabled with them). Even in Atlanta you will only see a handful of them anywhere.
Any dog that barks at a service dog is not or ready to be a service dog. Maybe a bark to alert it’s owner to indicate soneone is too close as a grounding task.
But other than that it is considered a nuisance.
As for his dog being registered I’m really doubtful his dog is legitimate because a real trained dog doesn’t need to be registered.
As a matter of fact, ADA doesn’t require your dog to be registered. The only qualification is the training and hours of training it had had for public acess.
I personally do not believe a service dog should be allowed in walmart. If this was restricted then the situation would not have occurred
Jimmie, the ADA requires *all* establishments to accommodate service dogs. It’s literally The Law.
Saying service dogs shouldn’t be allowed inside Walmart is like saying people in wheelchairs can’t being their chairs inside the store. True service animals are an extension of their owners. They lead Blind people. They can anticipate and prevent diabetic episodes. Not allowing these animals to be with their owners would be like saying someone can’t bring their portable oxygen tank with them in the store because it might blow up!
Wheres the video?
To many people say service dog when they are companions only and most should not be allowed in stores. They shoul have papers on them at all times so management could see them if ask i see way to many dogs in stores around food and the dogs are looking for attention that is not a service dog
Maybe if every person that wants to take their dog with them in public stops doing so for ridiculous reasons like “emotional support,” then we would stop having incidences like this.
If your ‘service dog’ isn’t for a legitimate medical reason like blindness, seizures, etc then you shouldn’t have the animal with you in public places that don’t allow animals.
Not saying this case is necessarily such an instance, but I am willing to place a large wager that it ia.
Screw service dogs! Your service dog make an aggressive move towards my family or myself you will be burying [it].
I worked at a buffet restaurant and people would bring their so called service dogs in an let them sit at the tables in the chairs and feed them. I know some of these dogs are not service dogs. They should have to show proof. There are rules that have to be followed. If they were service dogs they would not be sitting at the table. I own 3 dogs myself that I love dearly. But rules are rules and it has gotten out of hand. What about the people that have allergies.
It is a felony to threaten a service animal in most States . It is also a felony to say that a dog is a service animal which it is not a service animal . He also can face fines or imprisonment in most States for
doing so . Now this is about service animals threatening family members or you . Because I had the same situation that’s the only reason I know this I had a neighbor that had a German Shepherd that attacked me and nephew of mine who is 3 years old at that time. Rich I did put the dog down and I had to pay almost $10,000 for it but didn’t get jail time . The owner knew the dog would attack and we’ll go across the street off of his property to other people property to attack them . They had paperwork stating that dog was certified therapy animal