Adding question regarding animals/service animals....

[DiAnaUS]

In accordance to the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section:

Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. For example, in a hospital it would be inappropriate to exclude a service animal from areas such as patient rooms, clinics, cafeterias, or examination rooms. However, it may be appropriate to exclude a service animal from operating rooms or burn units where the animal’s presence may compromise a sterile environment.

(Retrieved from https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm)

The term of "sterile environment" has limited the use of service animals in various places such as food service environments. KEYWORD: LIMITED. So there are a few select places that do allow them. In Winter Park, Florida, USA; along park ave all restaurants and shops allow dogs, not just limited to service animals. Very little offer them in Long Island, N.Y., but a few do in NYC. 

With the easy access to fake that a dog is a service dog by buying a fake vest online, some places will limit the use of service animals with only allowing if you have official ID's stating the dog in fact is a service dog and what for. (Official training places will issue an ID card for the dog, as well as for the human it cares for, stating the speciality of the service)....

So to make my rant short.... I think we should include "are animals allowed?" // "are documented service animals allowed?" 

[davidcox]

@DiAnaUS  I have found this is the hardest part of visiting an area and determining is that location really handicapped access. I bring this up as a preface to how would we determine this? It could take quite some time to validate by us. I know that Yale New Haven Hospital has a policy of allowing service animals including miniature horses.  I am not sure how I would adequately document that to Google.  Would guides take the time?  Would you go into the establishment and just ask and who ever you talked to be considered the answer?

I think it is a great idea hard to do well.

 The opposite situation that is surprising me is the number of business that truly has no accommodation for wheel chair access. 

[Csaba]

Hi @DiAnaUS, here all service animals are allowed to enter any restaurants, shops etc. But also there are some places where they allow other pets (of course, mainly dogs as one rarely walks a cat). We thus call these places "pet friendly " or more often just "dog friendly" places. 

Indeed it could be a useful piece of information for - say - a restaurant. Both for dog owners and those who hate eating in an environment where there are dogs. I for instance do have a dog and when on vacation, I usually seek places that would allow her to enter.

[davidcox]

@DiAnaUS  This post coming up again for me is very timely.  There is a meet up to do more information on hospitals getting started and find them just TOO big.  Regarding animals. My wife is a nurse at a Connecticut hospital and they recently had a meeting to discuss service animals. The animal they were discussing was service ponies and how to handle it. So the whole field is bigger than what google maps would want to tackle in my mind. 

[GenerolHavoc]

@DiAnaUS

I for one would have to agree that this information within Google Maps would be handy.

I have become aware that some hotels / motels allow some types of animals to stay with their owners within special pet friendly rooms.

Furthermore, all service dogs here are allowed into restaurant, malls, rest homes, hotels and motels and most hospitals etc though animals in general are only allowed at some.

FYI = I was at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco airport hotel and saw people with dogs without service badges or capes etc.