A man from Trois-Rivières, who needs an assistance dog to help him manage his anxiety, has his access to certain establishments, including businesses, limited.
For Cédrick Gauthier, who receives a dog from Anakim, entering places has become a daily struggle.
“You always have to explain yourself. I’ve been asked before if I really need my dog. It’s like asking someone if they really need their wheelchair,” he says.
However, the law is clear on this subject: merchants must allow people with service dogs to have access to their establishment with their animal.
“The first question we get asked is if the dog is a Mira dog. Stop asking the question. He is an assistance dog, period,” he adds.
It is quite possible that a dog in office jumps on his master since he has detected a source of anxiety in him, which can attract attention.
“If there is the slightest thing, their dog will warn them. It may be that one of our beneficiaries sits in an aisle with his dog because he needs it. He doesn’t do this to annoy. He just needs to refocus with his dog,” explains Sonia Baillargeon, founder of Les Chiens d’Anakim.
