[nagdu] Hooter's Policy now: Vest requirement

[Dailyah Patt]

Cindy Lou, you are correct.  The ADA is very clear that no special cape, harness, leash (etc.) is required. 

Personally, I do put a vest, cape or neck kerchief on my dog even if I don't anticipate needing to have the handle to hold for balance or to pull my wheelchair.  I just find it makes public access a teensy bit easier.  I do know people who refuse to put anything identifying on their service dog, though.  Their logic is usually that the law doesn't require the vest/cape/harness and so they don't want to vest their dog and risk perpetuating security/employees thinking that the vest is a requirement for the dog to be "legitimate" or "legal".  How much ID you put on your service dog is a personal choice and how each person wants to handle that should be respected.  I mean, I don't think that someone should have to put a vest on their dog if doing so is physically hard for them and doesn't effect how they work their dog. I use one kind of harness if I need to use my dog for balance or pulling tasks.  I'll use a different vest if I need my dog to carry
 some items for me in their pack...and still a different vest than those if all I'm looking to do is identify my dog as a service dog.  It's a personal choice depending on my abilities and needs that day and I should be allowed to make that choice for myself and my partner of what's going to be best...for some people, that's going to include no vest at all.  (Even if my fingers are being too fumbly to work the buckles, I have big canvas kerchief kind of things that are just velcro closure and I can slip over the dog's head.  It says Service Dog on it, so FOR ME - I like that better than "going naked"!  lol)  I know that really a proper harness is usually needed for guides to be able to do guiding work and that's going to be very identifying, but just FYI to all...IF, for whatever reason, you don't need your dog in harness and just don't feel like putting it on them - you don't have to put it on them to have public access.  Like I mentioned, I find
 access just a tad easier if my dog at least has an official-looking kerchief or a basic, "bikini cape" just for idenfication at a distance that my dog isn't a pet - but it's not required by law for ANY of us.  It's a personal choice.  

Night!

Dailyah