[NAGDU] Cleveland Zoo's service animal policy. Please advise.

[Cindy Ray]

I don't understand the purpose of Rule #1. The others are pretty standard I
think. Why though would someone with a service animal that sick even go to
the zoo with it. And how would the accommodate you if they wouldn't kennel
the animal while you were finishing your visit? 

Cindy Lou Ray
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Deanna Lewis via
NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 9:09 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
(nagdu at nfbnet.org) <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Deanna Lewis <DLewis at clovernook.org>
Subject: [NAGDU] Cleveland Zoo's service animal policy. Please advise.

Hi all,
This list has been eerily quiet lately...
I'm going to be in Cleveland, OH this weekend and my friend and I may be
visiting the Cleveland Zoo while there. I looked at their website and pasted
below their "policies" for service animal users. Please read over them. Now,
there is one part that I feel isn't congruent with the ADA, and that is,
number 1. You must agree to be accompanied by a Zoo employee for your entire
visit. I know that Nagdu was once concerned by this policy. So, I'd like
others thoughts on this. Should I try to argue about this policy if I do
visit the Zoo? I know that many guide dog users do not have the desire to
visit zoos, or do not want to take their dogs, and that is perfectly fine.
I, however, have wanted to take my dog to a Zoo for quite some time, but I
don't like the idea of having a Zoo employee follow us around all day.
Please read the rest of the policies and let me know your thoughts. Thanks
so much

Guests with service animals will:

  1.  Agree to be accompanied by a Guest Services Associate for the duration
of visit and agree to remain out of restricted areas. The type of service
animal may determine which areas may be restricted. For example, service
dogs (canines) are restricted from entering the following areas:
     *   Wallaby Walkabout
     *   Contact Yard
     *   Lorikeet Landing
  2.  Under the ADA all service animals must be under the control of it's
owner/handler. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered,
unless these devices interfere with the service animal's work or the
individual's disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the
individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or
other effective means.  The care and supervision of the service animal is
the sole responsibility of his or her owner.
  3.  In the event that a Zoo animal should respond adversely to the
presence of the service animal the owner/handler will move promptly away
from the immediate area to avoid injury to the Zoo animal due to fright or
panic.
  4.  Service animals may not cross over barriers or otherwise come in close
proximity to the Zoo's animal collection.
  5.  Owners will be responsible for all actions of the service animal
including the clean-up of all defecation from the service animal.
  6.  Owners will be held responsible for any damages or injury caused by
their service animal.
Service animals may be excluded from the Zoo grounds or a portion of the Zoo
grounds for the following reasons:

  *   Aggressive behavior by a service animal toward any other person,
including guests.
  *   An animal that is not being controlled by its owner.
  *   An animal that elicits extreme fear or aggression from a Zoo animal,
creating a direct threat to the health or safety to itself or others that
cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation.
  *   An animal that is not housebroken.
  *   An animal whose behavior (e.g., barking) fundamentally alters/disrupts
shows or presentations.
  *   An animal who is showing signs of severe illness creating health
issues or direct threat issues to the health and safety of others that
cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation (e.g., severe diarrhea,
vomiting, bleeding).
If a service animal is excluded from the Zoo grounds or a portion of the Zoo
grounds, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will make reasonable accommodations to
permit the guest to continue their visit. These accommodations will not
include kenneling or stabling the service animal.
For additional information about our Service Animal Policy, please contact
us at 216-661-6500.

Deanna and Mambo

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