Live animals are not ordinarily allowed on the premises of a food establishment, according to the Missouri Food Code. Service animals who are controlled by the disabled employee or person are allowed in non-food preparation areas if a health or safety hazard will not result from the presence or activities of the service animal.
It is never appropriate to place your pet in a grocery cart. Service animals are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. Animals who provide comfort without a specific task are considered emotional support animals, not service animals.
Service animals are not required to wear a vest, ID tag or specific harness and handlers are not required to show proof. However, service animals must be under the control of the handler at all times, whether unleashed or leashed. To determine if a dog is a service animal, individuals can ask two questions: Is this a service animal? If so, what tasks is this animal trained to perform?
Placing a dog or other live pet in a cart is considered contamination of surfaces, as these surfaces are not always effectively cleaned or sanitized after animal use and before food or food items are placed in the cart. This could cause a health or safety hazard by contamination of food or food items that is then transferred to the end consumer and would be a violation of Mis souri Food Code.
