[Blindtlk] Recent DOJ Activity Concerning Service Animals

[Marion Gwizdala]

Dear All,
    I am sending this information I received from Marc Dubin, Former Senior Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning recent activity of the DOJ related to service animal access.
Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users
National Federation of the Blind
813-598-7161
President at NFB-NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://NFB-NAGDU.ORG

>From DOJ:

 

In Texas, an individual who is blind alleged that a chain fast food restaurant refused to serve her because she uses a service animal. The company agreed

to expand the scope of the mediation to cover all of its 120 restaurants in Texas and California. The company developed a service animal policy, included

a copy of the policy in its training manual for distribution to all employees, and installed signs in its stores stating "Service Animals Are Welcome."

 

In Nevada, an individual with a mobility disability alleged that a medical transport organization refused to allow her to travel without providing written

documentation that her dog was a service animal. The organization changed its policy and established procedures to ask only the nature of the service provided

by an animal.

 

In Arkansas, a person who is blind complained that a Mexican restaurant refused to serve him because he uses a service animal. The restaurant agreed to

serve customers who use service animals and posted a "Service Animals Welcome" sign. Additionally, the restaurant owner wrote an article on service animals

and the ADA which was published in a Spanish language newspaper and donated $1,000 to an animal shelter.

 

A husband and wife who are blind and use service animals alleged that a Pennsylvania cab driver refused to provide service to them. The cab company highlighted

its existing nondiscrimination policy, added a statement to its training manual requiring all drivers to transport individuals with service animals, and

distributed the revised manual to its drivers.

 

In Georgia, a person with a disability complained that security personnel forced him to leave a shopping mall because he uses a service animal for mobility

assistance and seizure detection. The mall reaffirmed its policy of allowing service animals, trained its security personnel about service animals and

the ADA, added materials on service animals to its employee manual, and paid the complainant $7,000.

 

In Michigan, an individual who has a seizure disorder complained that she was denied access to a doctor's office because she uses a seizure alert animal.

The practice modified its policy to allow service animals to accompany individuals throughout the medical practice, trained its employees on the new policy,

and wrote a letter of apology to the complainant.

 

An individual with a mobility disability complained that she was denied access to three mental health hospitals because she uses a service animal for balance.

The company that operates these hospitals, located in Missouri, Louisiana, and Texas, changed its policy and developed procedures to allow service animals

to accompany individuals with disabilities throughout its facilities.

 

In North Carolina, an individual with a mobility disability complained that he was denied access to a grocery store because he uses a service animal for

balance. The company agreed to expand the scope of the mediation to cover all stores in the grocery chain nationwide. The company changed its policy, developed

procedures to allow service animals, posted them on the nationwide employee website, and incorporated them into its corporate policy manual. Additionally,

the company posted signage stating "Service animals welcome, no pets please" in more than 1,300 stores in 11 states.