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If you love golfing and love taking your pet with you then you might be wondering whether you can do that at Topgolf. Afterall, what is better than golfing with your faithful companion by your side?
Topgolf is a pet free venue. This includes every pet from dogs and cats to birds or even small hamsters or rabbits. There are also no exceptions made for either emotional support or comfort animals for those with mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
However, there is one exception, for service animals.
These animals are meant to assist or aid guests who have a physical or mental disability. These guests are unable to otherwise function without the aid of their pets. Hence, their presence is allowed.
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Why Are Service Animals Allowed At Topgolf?
Service animals are defined as animals which help guide or aid people with mainly physical, but also mental disabilities. Hence, they are both protectors and guides for their owners throughout the public world.
There are specific laws regarding the presence of these pets with their owners in different public and private places. Hence, Topgolf allows these pets within their facilities.
If you tell them that you have a service animal with you, they will not ask any follow up questions and let you bring your service dog inside.
Why Are Normal Pets Or Dogs Not Allowed At Topgolf?
Normal pets or dogs are not allowed at Topgolf. They respond to every query with the same answer. Topgolf is a pet free zone and no pets other than service animals are allowed inside for guests.
Topgolf maintains that they love and care for dogs and other pets, but they can be disruptive to the décor. Also, pets can be dangerous in small rooms and cramped areas as well as around strangers.
This means that other guests and associates can get hurt while around them. Pets could also end up walking off the edge of a bay hurting themselves as well which no one wants.
Also, other members can feel anxious or frightened around other people’s pets. That’s why Topgolf prioritizes the “safety and comfort of our Guests and Associates”.
That’s why the entire facility is marked as pet-free.
However, service animals, since they are specifically trained to cater to the needs of their owners, are allowed. Service animals are trained to not be disruptive and instead help their owners overcome their disabilities in public.
Hence, service animals are actually present to improve the comfort level and safety of their owners. That’s why they make the cut.
Types Of Service Dogs Allowed At Topgolf
These are the types of dogs which are allowed at Topgolf.
Allergy Detection Dogs
These dogs are trained to detect specific allergies. They are made sensitive to the odor of allergens like peanuts, eggs, gluten, etc.
Since food allergies are on the rise, and can lead to anaphylactic shock from even touching allergens, dogs can intervene.
These dogs are made to wear special vests with pockets for medical information and medication. In several cases, the vest has a patch directing responders who need to check their pockets when there’s an emergency.
Diabetic Alert Dogs
People with diabetes might have diabetic alert dogs to alert them of dangerously high or low blood sugar levels. When the dog is alerted, the owner knows to inject insulin or ingest more glucose.
This adjusts their owner’s blood glucose levels.
Guide Dogs
Guide dogs are the most well-known type of service dogs in the world. They can help their vision impaired or blind owners to navigate the world around them.
They basically help them avoid obstacles in their path.
For this, they have to be with their owners at all times and hooked to them with a special harness. Unlike other service dogs, they are trained in selective disobedience.
They have to stop their owner more times than not.
Hearing Dogs
Hearing dogs are trained to assist their deaf and hearing-impaired owners. When dogs are given a particular cue, they can alert their owners to noise or lead them away or to it.
These cues can be either fire alarms, doorbells, door knocks, phones, alarms, etc.
Mobility Assistance Dogs
People with debilitating physical injuries like spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, etc. have mobility assistance dogs. They open doors, retrieve objects, and press automatic door buttons for them.
Some mobility assistance dogs are even trained to brace their partners if they have balance issues. The bracing dogs have to be large enough to support their owners otherwise it defeats the purpose.
They often wear specially fitted harnesses to assist their owners.
Psychiatric Service Dogs
You may or may not be allowed to bring in an emotional support or psychiatric service dog. These are mostly companion dogs which are trained to help with symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic-stress-disorder.
They can sense a change in their owner’s temperament when they’re about to experience negative symptoms.
They can sense anxiety or panic attacks, or the onset of depression. Owning a service dog can help people with depression and anxiety to take better care of themselves.
Service dogs can also help veterans who suffer from PTSD as a result of their exposure to horrific incidents at war. This way, they help their owners preserve a semblance of personal space when they go out in public.
Without this comfort, contact with the outside world can be debilitating.
Seizure Alert Dogs
People with neurological disorders can get seizures. That’s why they require seizure alert dogs in many circumstances. Dogs are required to find help for their owners to call 911 with a k-9 alert phone.
They can also help their partner regain consciousness after a seizure. They can also physically move them to a safe place from the public space they were in before.
Seizure alert dogs are also trained to use pressure stimulation so that they can end their partner’s seizure early. Finally, they’re also trained to bring medicine to their owner if they come out of their seizure.
Final Thoughts
If you have a physical or mental disability requiring a service animal to remain with you, it’s allowed at Topgolf.
Topgolf takes the wellbeing and comfort of its customers very seriously, and thus allows these service animals.
However, if you were just wanting to bring your pet with you golfing then that is not allowed.