to take dog into supermarket

[amechange]

I can't get supermarket deliveries. I am autistic, I am disabled because of it, and stress/anxiety causes me to do self destructive stims and behaviours, brings on disassociation, paranoia, sleep issues, suicidal ideation etc and I have agoraphobia as well. I have only ever been a few minutes away from home up till today when I pushed myself to go to the supermarket, I didn't go in. If I couldn't take my dog, I wouldn't have left the house. She is a tiny chihuahua. She is well behaved, she understands commands, but she isn't registered as anything, but she pretty much is a service dog. Even though she wasnt specifically trained to do a specific task to calm my anxiety down, having her there with me reduces my anxiety a lot compared to if I didn't have her. And at home when I feel anxious, she comes and sits by me/lets me hold her. I'm now in a position where I have to go in there to do my weekly shopping. She has a dog pram that closes all around, it was expensive and looks like a babies pram but isn't, its the ibiyaya retro luxe pram. She wouldn't be a danger to anyone/bother anyone/contaminate anything/get in the way, no one will notice it's a dog, I wont be showing her off/taking her out to show people if I took her in.

Right, interestingly I have only ever seen one person take a non-service dog into a shop near me, and he was getting quite a few odd looks as he whizzed round in his mobility scooter with the little dog looking out. Please don't suggest people do this, rules around dogs exist for a reason!

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. It's a tiny dog in a carrier - why are people so horrified at the idea?

If a shop states 'no dogs except service dogs' why do people think the rules don't apply to them? Dogs do not need to be in shops, and exceptions are made for service dogs because they are working and have gone through extensive training which the average dog has not.

@Litmus1001
My comment was not around specific rules at particular supermarkets - but as to why so many posters are getting their knickers in a twist at the idea of the tiny dog in the carrier. I honestly cannot see how it could impact on anyone else .

Couple of questions OP (if you come back).

How have you got your shopping up until now?

Who walks your dog for you if you're agoraphobic and could they possibly pick your shopping up if you can't get it delivered?

No, this isn’t okay. Dogs have no place in supermarkets or any other shop unless they are a trained guide dog.

My friend has fibro and she takes her Labrador into the supermarket with a serviced dog harness on she got from the internet. No one has ever challenged her

Nobody is 'getting their knickers in a twist', simply pointing out that if the rule states 'no dogs except guide dogs' then it should be adhered to. It would be chaos if everyone started bringing dogs, even if some were in prams, and even harder for those who are allergic, scared or simply don't like them. Allowing dogs in certain independent cafes/shops might be ok, because people can choose to go there or not, but supermarkets are entirely different. Service dogs go through rigorous training, as do their owners, so that they can enter areas off limits to other non service dogs, aka pets.

Either do what it takes to make your dog a service dog or the dog stays home.id really look at click and pick up

How does a labrador in a fake vest help her fibro exactly? She's making an absolute mockery of other trained service dogs and their owners.

A friend has an emotional support cat that goes everywhere.
Welcome to Emotional Support Animals UK may have more information

This is quite honestly ridiculous.

What happened to resilience?

Your friend is a selfish arsehole.

Yes, yabu.

My autistic DD is terrified of dogs, we don't want to encounter them in supermarkets.

If you can't get a delivery, get a click and collect.

This is what I meant upthread about owner trained “assistance” dogs. There is no register, no formal training requirements and no regulation of anyone claiming to have an assistance animal. People buy vests/lead slips/harnesses online, slap it on the dog and voila no-one is allowed to challenge them. If anyone does challenge them they are often met with being “educated” about the Equality Act 2010 and how dare anyone question why they have an assistance dog. I have a medical alert assistance dog for epilepsy who has been trained through a reputable organisation, I joined a few FB groups thinking they were for support and oh my goodness you get your eyes opened on these groups. People pass 8/9 year old dogs off for assistance dogs with zero training hiding behind the 2010 Equality Act, it’s disgusting.

If it’s against the rules, it’s against the rules. It doesn’t matter if it’s unreasonable.

Your options are to get a home delivery, get your dog registers as a service animal, or go alone.

I empathise with you, but ultimately you need to work with the system not try to get around it.

Getting the dog 'registered as a service animal' is not an option (here or in the US where 'service animal' is the correct term - its Assistance dog here)...

Owner training is an option and a valid one for some - however it requires you to ask permission to train in various stores, which does not have to be granted. It means you have to remain calm and overcome your anxiety to do the training, and it requires your dog to perform a task, more than simple 'being present' and I don't think your dog fulfills that role.

In your case OP, I think you would be better using click and collect, or paying someone to go to the shops for you. It would be a LOT less hassle and result in you getting what you need much more reliably than risking taking your dog in as you're currently suggesting.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/take-the-lead-welcoming-customers-with-assistance-dogs_0.pdf

Here is the guidance for assistance animals in businesses. IMO it needs reviewed, basically anyone can walk into a shop with a dog and claim it’s an assistance animal.

I do not see how a tiny dog, securely ensconced in a pram causes any issues to anyone.

Helpful thread - click and collect seems to answer all of your problems OP!

Ask the store manager, they might not have a problem with it

How do you generally manage to get shopping in?

I don’t think it’s fair to take your dog into the shop- if everyone took that stance and tried to pass their dog off as a service dog it would end up a nightmare.

Could you look into getting some sort of support worker in place to assist with shopping if it’s something you can’t do?

Well your friend, and anyone else on here abusing the right to use their pet as a trained assistance dog should be ashamed.

I’m sorry you are struggling OP, and I can understand how your pet may help reduce your anxiety but you need to find another solution.
Have I missed the reason you cannot get your food delivered or do c & c?

Emotional support animals sadly do not have the same rights as service dogs and are not classed as service dogs so registering your dog as one is quite pointless in the uk other than maybe for hospital stays ect where staff may permit it to visit due to severity of situation ect.

know this as I’m also agoraphobic and have a wonderful dog who working with a trainer is now trained to comfort me, recognise signs of panic ect but I wouldn’t class her as a service dog nor can she legally be one without jumping through a million hoops so looked into ESAs but realised it’s pointless and pretty much a way for them to profit off you having a normal dog! My circumstances don’t allow for taking on another dog or I’d be looking into getting a registered service dog I’m sure there must be some private companies that do so rather than just charities if this is something you have the funds for.

Unsure if it’s possible to apply for funding towards but bringing your dog into service dog only spaces is not the answer as if challenged id imagine it’d have you highly on edge and embarrassed as you will be removed and although they’re not meant to question legitimacy of service dogs if they have reasonable suspicion they’ll simply call the police to come and verify and I’m pretty sure there would be consequences maybe even banned from the store if caught lying which makes life much harder than it already is. Home delivery is definitely the temporary way forward if possible! I know it seems like the answer is to bring her but it’ll only put you 10 steps back if you’re made to feel very uncomfortable for doing so.

I don’t see how a tiny dog in a pram actually mitigates anyone’s disability? Emotional support dogs are not legally recognised in the UK…