Definition of ‘Service Animal’ a Hot Issue in Pet-Friendly Portland, Ore.

It may seem like a no-brainer that dogs don't belong in a supermarket. But in pet-friendly Portland, Ore., the question is controversial enough to require state officials to weigh in with a new campaign intended to educate the public about what is and is not a service animal, reports the New York Times.

The legal issue is important, because although pets are not permitted in supermarkets under the federal Food Code, service animals, such as guide dogs for the blind, are exempt from the restriction. The problem is, there is no absolutely clear-cut definition of service animal or registration procedure. That has prompted a number of pet owners to claim that ordinary companion animals qualify to accompany them on their grocery-shopping trips, according to the newspaper.

Reacting to some 600 complaints over the past year about animals in food stores, the Oregon Agriculture Department has mounted an educational campaign about the service dog rules, distributing posters and brochures to 4,500 retail outlets, the Times reports. But enforcement can be difficult, both because of resistance from some pet owners and because stores can can get into legal trouble if they violate the Americans with Disabilities Act by making it difficult for legitimate service animals to accompany their owners.

While it should be easy to identify a guide dog for the blind, legitimate service animals also assist some individuals whose handicaps may not be immediately apparent. A written policy of the Maine Attorney General's office on service animals in the workplace, for instance, includes animals approved by a psychologist to assist individuals with a mental disability.

“Some people are kind of grossed out by it, but it’s a comfort thing for a lot of people, to have their dog with them. Who am I to judge someone else’s needs?” says Carl Anderson, who works at a Whole Foods Market in Portland, Ore.

“Unless they’re jumping up and eating out of the salad bar,” he tells the Times, “we try to roll with it the best we can.”

Related coverage:

ABILITY Magazine: "Service Animals—Barking up the Right Tree"