Non-Service dogs should not be brought into public places; Specially where there is a distribution of food products. Service dogs, on the other hand, should and are permitted in public places because of their positive affect on those with visual and hearing impairments, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, mobility impairments and seizure disorders.

Bringing non-service dogs into indoor public places is not practical. Regardless of what you think as the owner of your pet, it’s not sanitary. Dogs carry different bacteria that may be safe for your dog but not safe for you or the people around you. Many dogs shed and make the risk of spreading bacteria even greater. Bacteria like taphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Pasteurella multocida, are commonly found in dogs’ mouths. These bacteria can be extremely harmful to humans.

It’s also a fact that not all Americans are dog people. Just because you’re a dog lover, it doesn’t mean that the person standing next to you is a dog lover. They can be cute from a far, but subjecting the people around you to the discomfort of being around your dog is inconsiderate. Everyone in public places should have the right to feel safe and comfortable, and shouldn’t be taken away just because you felt like taking little Fido into the grocery store.

Non-service dogs are not trained the way service dogs are to behave in public. Service dogs are specially trained to behave in a public environment around many people. A service dog won’t take a crap in the middle of clothing department. Your dog may be house trained, but when you put it in an environment like a shopping mall, who knows how it will behave. Your dog may have a complete barking fit or get sick. Accidents happen, but don’t open the possibility of it happening in the worse possible place. That would just be embarrassing.

Your pet isn’t welcome everywhere you want to go. Unless your dog is a service dog, leave it at home. There are plenty of pet friendly outdoor restaurants, boutiques, and establishments in which you can bring your dog. You can use the website https://www.bringfido.com to find local restaurants, shops, and hotels that are dog-friendly. Enter your city or zip code and the site will provide a number of dog-friendly places near you.  Also consider the needs and comfort of your dog. Not all dogs are people lovers.