Dogs with their ears pierced =/

I think if business owners have a NO PETS rule posted, even if permission is asked to bring in your pocket pet, the business owners have a responsibility to stick to their rules.

If I walked into a store and saw someone waltzing through a NO PETS ALLOWED business with their tiny dog, you best believe I'd want the same priveledge.

I think the next time I see someone walk through Wal-Mart with a little tiny dog in a bag, I'll go get Hannah and bring her in just to see what is said to me. "But Mr. Walmart Manager, she's JUST a dog. You let that Chihuahua come in the store. " (Just kidding....Hannah and I follow the rules. Breaking the rules is not only bad to do, but it makes ALL pet owners as a whole look badly...Ever wonder why rental properties have NO PETS policies? Because someone broke the rules and then ALL pet owners have to suffer )

Five pounds or 205 pounds, the same rules should apply. My dog should not be discriminated against just because she can't fit in a bag.

^^^^ Wonderful Post!!^^^^^

Well said. I agree.

TOTALLY AGREE!

And RD.. it may be so. But, my friend has an English Setter and she's been turned away too. I just don't try anymore, it's not worth it to ask at places that you wouldn't "think" theyd allow dogs. And I always ask *before* I bring the dogs - that way, their desision isn't based on breed.

I have no problem with someone with a toy being allowed into a store that doesn't usually welcome dogs. It's a perk of being small enough to fit into a purse. The perk of being too large to get into Le Chic Boutiqueri is not having to worry that you'll be grabbed by a hawk on your next walk. Big dogs get a ton of perks, too. People tend not to swoop down on a Doberman, dog-aggressive dogs have their work cut out for them if they attack a Rottweiler, etc.

As to dogs allowed across the board in American restaurants/store? No way. I'm sorry, I realize the French et al take their pups everywhere and it's all so charming and civilized. The US can't handle it. Different culture, different strengths. If the US changed it's attitude toward dogs in restaurants and stores, we wouldn't have nicely trained Poodles and Dalmations lounging by their master's chairs or tucked quietly beneath the table. We'd have every gangster wannabe with a pit bull or a yuppie jerk with a mastiff he bought online suing everyone in sight after being thrown out because his untrained monster tried to eat someone.

To me, No Pets means No Pets, regardless of whether or not the pet fits in a tote.

I do not ever see America allowing pets everywhere. For one thing, the liability for allergic people is huge. This should never be taken lightly. My brother died of anaphalaxis and it is a HORRIBE way to die--if you don't believe me, imagine your throat completely sealed shut and yourself trying to breathe for the four minutes or so before you turn blue. You know you are dying the entire time as well. Although it was a doctor who administered the allergin right in his office, rather than a dog who caused it, death by allergy is a horrific thing and there are many people who are allergic to dogs and/or cats. The thing with allergic people is you never know when it's going to escalate at the next exposure either. It can be very serious.

I saw on the news where they refused to let a deaf boy take his dog with him to school. At first blush, I was very angry. However, there were students around him who had confirmed allergies. Fakers aside, really allergic people do not become allergic to things on purpose and it should be taken very seriously. In this case, it came down to making things easier for a deaf boy who could still come to school without his dog without being life-threatened, or the others who could indeed suffer anaphalaxis with prolonged exposure.

TM, I'm OT but I'm so so sorry about your brother. ((((((((((hugs))))))))))))