Publix Pet Policy

Ever since Publix incorporated their "pet" policy, I have not seen any until now. While waiting for a chicken tender dinner, this customer brought in his cute little dog: Pet? ESA? Service dog? Who the h*ll knows.

Are Service Dogs Allowed in Publix?

Publix recognizes and welcomes all service dogs who are trained to accompany their handler into their stores and will even provide personal shopping assistance for individuals with disabilities. They ask that service dogs are fully trained (service dogs who are still in training may not legally be considered service dogs until training is complete) and able to behave in the store in such a way that doesn’t disturb or put other shoppers at risk.

Are Emotional Support Animals (ESA) Allowed in Publix?

Emotional support animals (ESAs) aren’t allowed in Publix. Unfortunately for individuals who get support from ESAs, emotional support animals aren’t protected by public access laws under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and travel under the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the same way that service dogs are. This is one of the main differences between emotional support dogs and service dogs along with training.

While service dogs and other service animals must be individually trained to perform tasks that provide support to their handlers, emotional support animals provide support with little other than their presence and affection.

Are Dogs on a Leash Allowed in Publix? Dogs on a leash are allowed in Publix only if they are service dogs.

Our Service dogs were left behind to die?

Peta: The brave, loyal dogs stranded in Afghanistan risked their lives to save humans

The State Department has said the dogs were rescued.

Poop Prevention

Comment Up

Now this is a bill that I fully supported--preventing people from using their pets as an excuse to live in a NO PET community as one example or taking it wherever they go. It happens in every condo association around and we have witnessed it inside restaurants even in Lake Worth. In many respects, doctors have been complicit by giving prescriptions to Ms/Mr. Fake allowing them to bring their dog here, there and everywhere thus circumventing the rules...that's what this bill will do--it will prevent Fluffy's owner from dishing out the poop.

A Florida House bill, HB 71, that could land dog owners in jail for passing off their pet as a service dog is now law.

Read more...

CS/HB 71 - Service Animals

 General Bill by Judiciary Committee and Smith (CO-SPONSORS) Harrell; Sprowls; Watson, C

Service Animals: Requires public accommodation to permit use of service animal by individual with disability; provides conditions for public accommodation to exclude or remove service animal; revises penalties for certain persons or entities who interfere with use of service animal; provides penalty for knowing & willful misrepresentation with respect to use or training of service animal.

Effective Date: July 1, 2015

Stopping Fake Fidos as Service dogs

"A final vote is expected on Friday on a bill that would punish owners of fake service dogs and protect those with invisible disabilities who use a service animal.

There was no debate when the Senate considered bill SB 414 this afternoon. The bill now mirrors its companion in the House, HB 71, which received a unanimous vote when it reached the House floor."

Click here... to read about the Fake Service Dog bill.

General Bill by Commerce and Tourism and Altman--
Service Animals:

Requiring a public accommodation to permit use of a service animal by an individual with a disability under certain circumstances; prohibiting a public accommodation from inquiring about the nature or extent of an individual’s disability; providing conditions for a public accommodation to exclude or remove a service animal; revising penalties for certain persons or entities who interfere with use of a service animal in specified circumstances; providing a penalty for knowing and willful misrepresentation with respect to use or training of a service animal, etc.

 Effective Date: 07/01/2015
 Last Event: 04/23/15 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 71 on Thursday, April 23, 2015 4:03 PM