Trending
Man sues Sainsbury’s for banning his assistance cat Chloe from supermarket
Ian claims his cat has been allowed in other supermarkets, shops, hotels and even hospitals
A man is suing Sainsbury’s for banning his assistance cat Chloe, something he says is a form of discrimination.
Ian Fenn is autistic, and has trained his black cat Chloe to be a support to him and prevent him from experiencing sensory overload.
Chloe is kept on a lead when she is taken into shops, wears a fluorescent yellow ‘service cat’ jacket and usually sits on Ian’s shoulders as he walks around.
He says the cat helps him in overwhelming situations, and should be treated like a guide dog or any other aid designed to help someone with a disability.
BBC
However, while visiting a Sainsbury’s store in Clapham back in March, Ian claims that both security and staff in the supermarket told him that he would need to leave Chloe outside.
After he complained, Sainsbury’s went on to tell him that they only allow assistance dogs into their stores.
Ian, who works as a graphic designer, says various shops, hotels and even hospitals have allowed him to bring Chloe in for assistance, and slammed Sainsbury’s decision as a form of discrimination.
In a Twitter post, Ian wrote: “We’ve been to zoos and aquariums where biosecurity needs to be considered. We’ve been to other supermarkets.
“What is so special about Sainsbury’s, who originally said I was welcome in any store?”
Chris Fry, who specialises in disability discrimination actions and is bringing a case for Ian under the Equality Act, said: “There are plenty of cases about guide dogs being refused access to places or services but there hasn’t really been any judicial exploration of what constitutes an assistance animal if it’s not a dog.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We want to be an inclusive retailer where people love to work and shop and understand that some of our colleagues and customers may need support in our stores.
“At the same time, safety is our highest priority and our colleagues are trained to balance maintaining our high food hygiene standards with supporting all our customers who shop with us.”
They added: “We are in contact with the local environmental health team to see if there are ways we can help Mr Fenn to visit our store without compromising this.”