Some clarity about dogs and other pets at the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market

We’d like to apologize to anyone who has visited this website looking for information about bringing your pet to the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market.

We’re not the official site for the market, but we’ve always tried to provide information about the market for our visitors. Some folks, seeing nothing about pets (on this site), have assumed that it’s okay to bring your pet. That turns out not to be the case.

As the city’s website states, “Live animals and pets, other than service animals, are not allowed at the farmers’ market.” That’s the rule, and although we love dogs, it’s a good rule. At another market, your humble reporter has watched as a vendor was compelled to trash a heap of pastries because a dog had made contact with at least one of them.

Regarding the exception for service animals, that is limited to actual service animals, a class that does not include emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals. The U.S. Department of Justice publishes a service animal FAQ that you can download by clicking here. It explains that , “These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a person. Because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.”

So, if your animal companion is not a service animal, please don’t bring him or her to the market. The vendors and market managers appreciate your cooperation.