So I was just at Safeway picking up burrito stuff. The woman in front of me in line was sporting a pet rat in her arms. Would this bother you?

Animals in shops are a no-no for me. Except for assistance dogs of course.

People have pet skunks and squirrels here, I’m sure rats would be ok.

Rats can be cute. I think it’s the whole living-in-sewers, disease-invested vermin thing people don’t like about rats. But a handsome, clean, well kept rat is no different than any other pet.

Animals in a supermarket piss me off. Seeing eye dog, that I am fine with, I think that is a wonderful thing, but a dog because someone has an anxiety problem—no! Certainly not a rat. Although, it wouldn’t surprise me if rats sometimes are seen in the back storage rooms, but out of sight out of mind.

LOL. 40 years ago in the US, I’m sure somebody would have called the cops.

No, it doesn’t bother me. I go to places where they allow me to bring my dog—cafes, groceries, the bank—and I appreciate that. One clean, well-behaved dog; not both dogs. I also appreciate how JLeslie feels and I don’t want to upset some stranger, so I don’t attempt to bring my dog into places that object or are not posted. If I can bring my dog with me, I suppose a lady should be able to bring her rat, or snake, or whatever. If it gets to be too much for me, I’ll just go somewhere else.

Oy, my last experience with a dog in a supermarket the dog was a little tiny thing, much like a rat, and would not stop yapping. It had a little schmata on that said “service dog” or something like that. No fucking way. Service dogs don’t uncontrollably bark for over 5 minutes in a supermarket. I’m already not happy an animal is in the store, but add on this billshit that it’s a service dog? It’s an insult to the people who truly rely on service dogs for safety. Believe me, I realize dogs don’t only help the blind, sometimes it’s not obvious how they help, like in the case of a service dog for people with epilepsy, but this was total bullshit in my opinion, because of how the dog behaved.

Several restaurants here allow dogs at their outdoor seating. I prefer not to have the dogs there, but it doesn’t stop me from going to the restaurant. I think if someone brought a rat there would be an issue.

Was she getting food for the rat?

This wouldn’t have bothered me in the least. I might not ask or offer to pet the rat; to me that’s too close to wanting to touch someone’s child (the way that some people are about pets), but it’s all cool.

Incidentally, this was one of the things that I most liked about the Netherlands, when I spent some time there: dogs everywhere, and generally not on leashes, either, but exceptionally well trained and friendly. Unlike Paris, where I just saw “evidence of dogs’ presence” all over the sidewalks.

“A true service dog becomes nearly invisible.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/fake-service-dogs-growing-problem-8c11366537

It bothers me to just read about it.

In person ??.......No, thank you…...

@jca I saved that article. I didn’t realize it’s a federal crime. Great to know.

So I’d complain to the manager and leave the store even if it weren’t a federal crime.

In general, I like pet rats; they are far and away the best of the rodent pets. But I wasn’t aware that any pets were allowed in grocery stores.

No, I love pet rats and would have been all over that little critter. Not any different than having a parrot on your shoulder and not a health issue in the least. What I dislike are all the little cringing, yappy, toy breed dogs people insist on taking everywhere with them. In their shopping carts in department stores, etc. I saw a mouse scurrying along the floor in a Safeway awhile back in the cereal isle. Pretty sure there are plenty of rodents in grocery stores that go unseen.

in NYC? That would never fly. Someone always has something to gripe about
Personally, I’d rather see people bring rats than screaming babies/children in public spaces

@johnpowell No thanks. Not in grocery store. Service animals fine.

I love animals, too. As long as they’re well-mannered and well-groomed, which this rat was, I wouldn’t personally have any problems with it. I wish there were a way to somehow get “well-mannered, well-groomed pet” licenses that would make it okay for those pet owners to bring their pets into more places.

However, it’s usually illegal to bring pets into places which prepare and serve food, at least in the US—excepting very specific situational exceptions, and excepting service animals. (For other stores, I believe it’s usually under the discretion of the store owner… Though I understand when store owners want to save themselves from the gamble of “will this pet be rowdy or make a mess?” even as I wish it were different.)

I had been told that the food place can be held liable for a health violation if they allow a pet to remain, and someone were to complain to authorities about it. I had been told it can even lead to them losing licensing… And for that, I have a huge issue with someone bringing a pet into a store. (I couldn’t find any language about that specifically when I quickly searched just now; most of the information I found was focused on what the pet owner could or could not do, and not on the store’s responsibilities. I did see some articles saying the pet owner can charged with a misdemeanor, were someone to pursue it.)

I don’t care what kind of animal is in the store as long as it doesn’t crap in the store.

@JLeslie What is the difference between having a seeing eye dog and someone’s pet in the store?

^^Seeing eye dogs, and other dogs that are specifically service dogs for a person’s safety are trained. Read @jca link. They don’t generally approach other people, they don’t bark for everything, I don’t worry that they are “mean” dogs, even though they are very protective. Plus, if I were blind, or some other problem, that a trained dog would significantly help me, I would want the allowance made for me, so I am empathetic to that situation.

My point is that service dogs are dogs. I realize they’ve been trained differently than most pets, but they’re still dogs. Why can they go into a store but Dakota cant?

In short, it’s a question of priorities.

Dakota can’t go into a store because it’s either law for health code reasons, or the store’s policy, or both. It would be fun to have Dakota in the store, but it’s not necessary for you to have her there.

The service dogs can go in because their owners have a legitimate need to have the dogs with them. Without their service dog, they would be unable to enter those facilities, or at least would be put at a significant and unnecessary disadvantage. Their need overrides the policies.

@Dutchess_III For me personally, I’m not a dog person, I don’t want any dogs in a store where I am, especially not a food store, but I certainly can make an exception for specially trained dogs.

Regarding the law, imagine if anyone can bring their dog in a store? Ten dogs in a small shop? Imagine it. People used to bring their small dogs into Bloomingdale’s sometimes when I worked there. I know of one time one of them shit in a dressing room. The dog took a crap and the owner left it there for the salesperson to find.

It wouldn’t have bothered me, personally, because I love most animals, including pet rats, but I know that a lot of people are very afraid of rats, and most businesses, at least around here, only allow dogs as service animals in places of business. I also know that a lot of people try to pass off their pet dogs as service animals. One of my friends, who works in law enforcement, said that you can easily buy fake cards and harness vests that look like the real service dog equipment.

I know that animals can really help people who have physical disabilities, and emotional problems, but I’m kind of on the fence about how these laws should work. I’ve seen people just walk into stores with obviously untrained animals (their pets) trying to pass them off as service animals. One day, one of these poor animals is going to get scared and bite someone, or tinkle on the floor, and then a lawsuit will ensue. On the other hand, I love seeing animals in stores, like at Pet Smart or outside in cafes and am the first one to go over and ask their names and if I can pet them.

Store owners (and their insurance companies) are wise and using good judgment in prohibiting most dogs (or any animals) from their place of business. Proactively eliminating the possibility of animal fights, customers being attacked and bitten, or these pets ‘relieving themselves’ anywhere (at any given moment) is just using common sense (which really shouldn’t have to be explained to anyone.)

‘Service animals’ are the exception, and rightfully so.

This is not complicated stuff. It really isn’t…...

My dad had a friend who had tons of pet rats and the only thing I ever wanted to do was play with them. Rats are cool!

Oooooooookay….....

Moving on….

My sister had pet rats. Then they got loose in the house. No idea what happened to them.

I will start this comment with a reminder that Fluther doesn’t have a downvote button so don’t bother looking for it.

If rats had fur on their tails the rat would be the cute pet video people always post on youtube. Rats are significantly smarter than cats. And a hell of a lot more fun. But that tail. The tail is what seems to ick people out about rats. Wrap that shit in fur and rats would have been put in the tombs of Pharaohs.

Wrap that shit in fur

Hard to say if a rat would have bothered me because it’s so hard to imagine such a thing. I think I would have kept my distance and enjoyed watching other people pet it .

I was substitute teaching once, in a 4th grade classroom, and in strolled a guy with a cougar on a leash.
Thanks for the heads up, teacher!
That was cool. I pet it.

A…a cougar? Yain’t holding out on that, I want to hear more bout that cougar.

LOL! Well, it had been cleared ahead of time with the school, but no one thought to tell me about it!
There are several animal rescue sites around Kansas who take in cougars and other exotic animals when their owners realized they made a HUGE mistake getting that cute little kitten. That’s where that one came from. (Rick used to have one too. He eventually had to surrender it.)
Another time there was an assembly in the gym and this guy had a HUGE boa constrictor. Must have been 20 feel long.
He stretched him out along the edge of the stage. I encouraged my class to line up to pet him. One kid was so scared, so I had him put his hand on top of mine so that I was the one who was actually petting the snake, then I slowly slid my hand out from under his. When he touched the snake he looked up at me in awe and said, “He’s not slimy! He’s rough and dry!” Had to dang near drag him away from the snake after that!

Damn woman, that was more of a zoo than a school. A fucking boa constrictor?

I wanna go to that school.

Two different schools. It’s cool when they do stuff like that.