Cheetahlish and the Americans with Disabilities Act
At Cheetahlish we have a unique understanding of the importance of the Americans With Disabilities Act because the husband of our founder, Robert James, has lived for years as a disabled American. Without this important piece of legislation many disabled Americans would not have fair and equal access to services and facilities in our country. Furthermore, at Cheetahlish we seek to employ disabled American Veterans to help them make what is sometimes difficult transitions back to the civilian workforce.
Based on this awareness and commitment to helping in this important cause we work hard to support our disabled clients with their clothing shopping needs. This includes maintaining wide aisles in our store for wheelchair access, fitting rooms with cushioned benches to accommodate guests who may need assistance with trying on clothes, and an open door policy for verified service dogs that our customers require for their every day life. Furthermore, we provide special extended hours for private shopping for those disabled customers who may need special, personalized assistance.
What the US Justice Department allows us to ask
To this end we work very hard to ensure we abide by all sections of the Americans With Disabilities Act under 42 U.S. Code Chapter 126. In the event that is is not apparent that the dog is a service animal, we rely on instructions to ask specific questions that are contained in the publication from the United States Justice Department, Civil Rights Division: ADA Update: A Primer for Small Business.
- Is the animal required because of a disability and
- What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
We ask these two simple questions when the purpose of the service dog is not clear to us. We rely on the disabled person to help us understand the purpose of the dog based solely on the information provided to us by the US Department of Justice.
Liability for Service Dog Owners
Further, in the unlikely event that a service dog damages our store, clothing inventory, or injures an employee or another shopper, the disabled person will be liable for those damages based on provisions of the ADA. As such we are allowed to ask for identification of who is the responsible party for any damages done by the service dog. This is for the protection and safety of all of our guests and employees while maintaining strict adherence to the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Contact Us for Any Issues
We welcome your inquiry, comment or suggestion how we can make your Cheetahlish shopping experience more more enjoyable. We welcome everyone to shop with us and will do anything in our power to fulfill the requirements of both the ADA and each and every one of our customers.
To Learn More
Below are links to the formal Americans with Disabilities Act and the supporting documents from the US Department of Justice.
Americans With Disabilities Act
ADA Primer for Small Business
Complete copies of the above are available by contacting us here at Cheetahlish.
