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Man With Autism Sues Supermarket Because He is Not Allowed to Enter With His Cat Chloe

A man with autism has sued a supermarket in London for not being allowed in with his cat. To him, it’s like a dog, he says: extremely necessary to keep his condition under control.

Assistant cat Chloe could just make history. Her owner, Ian Fenn, is suing supermarket chain Sainsbury’s for not accepting that he cannot take Chloe into the store in south London. Fenn has autism and has trained the black cat to support him in many ways.

Having Chloe around prevents him from being overstimulated, which is why he feels she should be viewed as a service dog or other resource for someone with a disability. “She brings structure to my life, wakes me up in the morning and tells me when to go to sleep. I really feel like we are a team.”

During that visit to the supermarket in March, Fenn was told to keep his cat outside. An assistance dog should be allowed in, but not a cat. While numerous hospitals, shops and hotels see no problem in Chloe. That is why he is taking the company to court.

“We definitely want to be inclusive,” a Sainsbury’s spokesperson told The Guardian. “But safety is our top priority and we also have hygiene standards that we have to meet. We are working with the local health authorities to see if there is a way to bring Mr Fenn in without compromising our values.”

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