Sainsburys and Cats

[SimonMac]

It’s not an assistance cat, it’s an emotional support pet which in the U.K. is not a recognised thing. You can’t take an emotional support dog into Sainsburys either, you can only take trained service dogs (not just guide dogs but they are the most commonly known type of recognised and accepted service dogs), we were offered a service dog which is trained to detect hypoglycaemia in our Type 1 Diabetic son, an other common type is a Food Allergy Detection Dog. They all go through extensive training where as an emotional support pet does not

[SueEllen]

It’s not an assistance cat, it’s an emotional support pet which in the U.K. is not a recognised thing. You can’t take an emotional support dog into Sainsburys either, you can only take trained service dogs (not just guide dogs but they are the most commonly known type of recognised and accepted service dogs), we were offered a service dog which is trained to detect hypoglycaemia in our Type 1 Diabetic son, an other common type is a Food Allergy Detection Dog. They all go through extensive training where as an emotional support pet does not

The cat prevents sensory overload so he can argue it's an assistance animal. Or don't you believe autism is a disability?

Btw I have met people with hearing dogs. The first one was at the end of the last century. Also know of dogs trained to tell people before they are going to fit.

[SimonMac]

As a parent of two children on the autistic spectrum of course I believe it a disability.

What I don’t believe is that just calling an pet an emotional support animal makes it a reasonable adjustment under the act.

A reasonable adjuster could said to be “we accept assistance animals that have passed a period of training with a recognised provider”

Playing devils advocate if he walked in with an emotional support snake, or horse, or elephant would it be considered unreasonable to ask them to leave?

Where would you draw the line and why there.

[SueEllen]

As a parent of two children on the autistic spectrum of course I believe it a disability.

What I don’t believe is that just calling an pet an emotional support animal makes it a reasonable adjustment under the act.

A reasonable adjuster could said to be “we accept assistance animals that have passed a period of training with a recognised provider”

Playing devils advocate if he walked in with an emotional support snake, or horse, or elephant would it be considered unreasonable to ask them to leave?

Where would you draw the line and why there.

Firstly he is claiming his cat is an assistance animal not an emotional support animal. There is a difference. He claims his cat is trained.

If he gets away with his cat being called it then it would be up to animal behaviourists to argue what animals fall into that category. So horses and elephants probably would, but a snake wouldn't.

[SimonMac]

He can claim what ever he wants, but in the U.K. the only assistance animals are dogs. If he’s successful and gets that changed good for him, but as it stands Sainsburys has done nothing wrong

[Zigenare]

He can claim what ever he wants, but in the U.K. the only assistance animals are dogs. If he’s successful and gets that changed good for him, but as it stands Sainsburys has done nothing wrong

Well that's not going to sell many newspapers, is it?

[northernladuk]

As a parent of two children on the autistic spectrum of course I believe it a disability.

What I don’t believe is that just calling an pet an emotional support animal makes it a reasonable adjustment under the act.

A reasonable adjuster could said to be “we accept assistance animals that have passed a period of training with a recognised provider”

Playing devils advocate if he walked in with an emotional support snake, or horse, or elephant would it be considered unreasonable to ask them to leave?

Where would you draw the line and why there.

Indeed. Where this guy has done what he can with the coat and the like and the pet is genuinely assisting him in life but for every one of him there will be 10 others that just take the piss with various other animals and being horribly offended when they are told to do one. Spoils it for the genuine cases where consideration needs to be given.