Service Animal Policies and Procedures
POLICY:
Flood’s is committed to ensuring that all customers, including those who are assisted by service animals, are able to fully enjoy our facilities. In order to also ensure the safety and well-being of the animals and customers, the following definitions and procedures pertaining to service animals will be used.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III, businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of a facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all business open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices, theaters, health clubs, parks and zoos.
Service Animals Definition:
On March 15, 2011, new federal guidelines tighten the definition of service animals to just dogs and in some cases miniature horses. The Department of Justice (DOJ) now states that the dog must be "individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability." Service animals may be any breed, size or weight. Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or "certified" and/or have identification papers. Service animals currently in training DO NOT QUALIFY for admission. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. Animals that simply provide "emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship" are not considered service animals under the new regulations.
Example of work or tasks as defined in the new regulations include:
- Assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks.
- Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds.
- Providing non-violent protection or rescue work.
- Pulling a wheelchair.
- Assisting an individual during a seizure.
- Alerting individuals to the presence of allergens.
- Retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone.
- Providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities.
- Helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.
*The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purpose of this definition.
PROCEDURES:
1. Service animals may only be excluded when that animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. Examples are vicious behavior towards other guests, a dog that is out of control and the handler cannot or does not regain control, or if the dog is not housebroken.
Note: If the work or tasks that the animal is trained to perform is not readily apparent, Flood's staff may ask:
- If an animal is a service animal.
- Ask what service the animal has been trained to perform.
- Staff cannot ask for special ID cards for the animal or ask about a person's disability.
2. Any problems encountered because of the presence of a service animal should be reported immediately to the manager on duty. If a service animal is excluded, the individual with the disability who uses the service animal must have the option of continuing to enjoy Flood's without the service animal.
3. While on Flood's property a service animal must always be on a harness or lead of no greater than six feet and under complete control at all times. Service animals are allowed in all public areas.
Effective date: April 9, 2018