On the street, Ian usually holds Chloe on his shoulder. A British man with autism has sued the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain for not allowing him to go into the store with his cat. Ian Fenn wants the court to officially recognize his cat, Chloe, as an assistance animal, similar to a guide dog. According to Ian, he carries Chloe with him at all times, as her presence helps him maintain calm and clarity of mind – independence.
Sainsbury’s admits that Chloe is well-behaved and unlikely to cause any inconvenience to other shoppers. At the same time, however, representatives of the supermarket network administration emphasize that they do not want to set a precedent of allowing other cats into the store, as it is unhygienic. The action is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.
Ian Fenn lives in London and makes a living from painting and design projects. He was recently officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but before that he had been experiencing anxiety in crowded places for many years. Chloe has been trained to calmly accompany her owner during transportation and on errands. On my way to meet Ian at the pub, I notice Chloe sitting on her own little mat, wearing a vest that says “Animal Assistant. During our hour-long conversation, she looks around periodically, but never leaves her mat.
Chloe is on the bus. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of offers should remain: episodes. End of story. Advertising Podcasts.
“When there are a lot of people around, I get sensory overload and immediately shut down,” Ian explains. “But when Chloe is with me, I focus my attention on her.” This gives Ian a sense of control over the situation. This year alone, Chloe has taken Ian to thirty restaurants and pubs, explored various city attractions, and visited the hospital – not to mention countless bus and train rides. On the street, Ian usually either carries her on his shoulder or leads her on a leash. “Chloe structures my life, sets the schedule,” Ian explains. “She gets me out of bed in the morning, shows me it’s time to go to sleep at night. I can’t speak for how she feels about our relationship, but personally I think we work great as a team.
In March, Ian and Chloe entered Sainsbury’s supermarket in south London, but were stopped by security and told to leave the cat outside. “As a result, I became quite upset,” Ian recalls. “At one point, I even forgot why I was in the store – what I needed. As a result, I had such a shock that I lost all confidence in myself for a while and couldn’t leave the house for two weeks. It was the first time that Ian was not allowed to take Chloe to the supermarket. In other major retail stores, such as Tesco, they were always allowed in without a problem.
But when Ian complained to Sainsbury’s management, he was told that of all the animals, only a guide dog could be taken into the store. “Safety is a top priority for us, and all our employees are trained to maintain a balance between food hygiene standards and helping each customer,” – stated in a statement by the supermarket management. Representatives of the trading network clarified that they have sought the advice of health inspectors on this matter and hope to work with them to find a compromise solution that will allow Ian to visit the store in Chloe’s company while ensuring that all hygiene standards are met.
Ian disagrees with Sainsbury’s that only dogs are capable of assisting people with disabilities. His cat is trained to behave just as well as a well-trained dog. However, UK law does not provide a clear answer to this question. The Equality Act 2010 requires business owners to make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of disabled people so that they are not disadvantaged compared to other customers. Autism in the UK is one of the diagnoses that is considered to be limiting in terms of ability, as this disorder affects a person’s everyday life. “The most important principle of any business that provides any kind of service to its customers is to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities,” says Chris Fry, one of Ian’s attorneys. “As far as guide dogs are concerned, everything is clear from a legal point of view. But the issue of other assistance animals – other than dogs – has never been raised or considered in this country,” he adds. In the United Kingdom, horses may be granted the official status of an assistance animal, but in general, emotional support animals have gained much broader recognition in the United States.
Four years ago, American Airlines received 751 requests to bring animals on board for emotional support – and the list included not only several miniature horses but even a turkey. The discussion escalated to a national level after a passenger was denied permission to bring her peacock assistant into the cabin. Eventually, the Americans also tightened the rules for transporting animals in the cabin, allowing only guide dogs on board.
Chris Fry believes that it would be good to discuss similar issues in the British court system to give assistance animals a clearer formal definition. He insists that Chloe is not just an ordinary cat but a specially trained animal, and the company should take that into account.
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