Sainsbury’s sued after banning autistic man’s help cat from retailer

An autistic man is taking Sainsbury’s to court docket after the grocery store big refused entry to his help cat.

Net designer Ian Fenn, who was identified with autism two years in the past, says Chloe the rescue cat sits on his shoulders and stops him from feeling “overwhelmed” and “anxious”.

However the 51-year-old says his confidence was knocked after he was requested to go away a department of the grocery store in south London in March due to his feline pal.

Mr Fenn, who says Chloe is allowed into different supermarkets reminiscent of Tesco, has subsequently tried to persuade Sainsbury’s to let him take Chloe into shops.

Sainsbury’s, which welcomes help canines, argues that cats pose a meals hygiene danger however has requested its environmental well being workforce to attempt to discover a answer.

Mr Fenn appears set for a court docket showdown with the grocery store big which might set a brand new authorized precedent.

The Equality Act 2010 places an obligation on employers to make cheap changes to the office or its practices to make sure disabled individuals are not at a considerable drawback.

Mr Fenn, of Tooting, south London, says he has been taking Chloe out with him for a few 12 months.

He has owned her for 5 years after he adopted her from a cat rescue centre in Canning City and estimates she is 12 or 13.

However when he visited the shop in Clapham Frequent in March he claims he was approached by employees and thrown out mid-shop.

He added: “Ultimately I used to be so upset I left the shop and went dwelling.

“Basically, I shut down. I turned overwhelmed. I used to be very upset as properly and that might have occurred a lot sooner had Chloe not been there.

“I did lose confidence as a result of… these form of issues occur so usually to disabled folks they’ve a reputation, which is entry refusals.

“Chloe doesn’t have an effect on anybody else.

“I simply wish to go to a grocery store, get my stuff and go.

“I had plans for the next day and I cancelled them as a result of I didn’t have the boldness to go away the home.

“As a result of having a cat like that is uncommon I’m pragmatic about it so I e-mail or contact each enterprise I go to upfront, if I presumably can. I’ve finished that with over 200 locations.”

Mr Fenn mentioned he contacted Sainsbury’s forward of his go to in March, and was instructed it ought to be advantageous.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson mentioned: “We wish to be an inclusive retailer the place folks like to work and store, and perceive that a few of our colleagues and clients might have assist in our shops.

“On the similar time, security is our highest precedence and our colleagues are educated to stability sustaining our excessive meals hygiene requirements with supporting all our clients who store with us.

“We’re in touch with the native environmental well being workforce to see if there are methods we will help Mr Fenn to go to our retailer with out compromising this.”

Chris Fry, a number one incapacity rights lawyer representing Mr Fenn, mentioned he has issued proceedings towards Sainsbury’s after going by the “pre-action protocol stage”.

Pre-action protocol is when the case is about out and the events clarify their positions earlier than proceedings are issued

He mentioned: “Basically we have now not been capable of finding a compromise so we needed to problem proceedings within the county courts.”

He added that they “hope a trial will occur inside the subsequent 12 months”.