An afternoon shopping run turned unexpectedly chaotic today when two dogs began fighting inside a Walmart in Palm Harbor, leaving five people with minor injuries and prompting a response from deputies and Animal Control.
What Deputies Said
Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office were called to the Walmart in the 35000 block of U.S. 19 North just before 1 p.m. Tuesday, and Animal Control also responded, according to Tampa Bay 28. The sheriff's office told the outlet the two dogs involved were a terrier mix and a chihuahua mix and that three employees and two dog owners suffered minor injuries. One person was taken to a hospital for high blood pressure.
Where It Happened
The incident took place inside the Palm Harbor Supercenter on U.S. 19. Walmart's public store listing puts the location at 35404 U.S. Highway 19 N, Palm Harbor. The Walmart listing identifies the store and its hours for that site.
Service Animals and Store Rules
Under federal rules, properly trained service dogs are allowed in public businesses, while emotional-support or companion animals do not have the same legal protections, according to guidance from ADA.gov. Businesses may exclude a service animal only if it is out of control or not housebroken, although stores can still enforce reasonable pet policies within those limits.
Aftermath
Tampa Bay 28 reported that deputies had not announced any arrests or citations as of the initial coverage, and the outlet noted that a statement from Walmart was not included. Officials also had not released further information on whether any animals were seized or whether additional enforcement actions were planned.
