[nagdu] Public Issues

[DEBB]

One of the many problems with enforcement of laws regarding Service Animals is each laws interpretation, and who is doing the interpreting, and finally its jurisdiction.  

I had an encounter in a family food establishment, and there just happened to be a policeman eating his lunch at the same time.  I learned that I had to go to the City Police Department, not the Sherriff's Office to make a complaint, but before that I had to find out "who" the main store manager was, contact him, and on and on.  Each situation is very different.  This particular situation was remedies on the spot, but I still called my Guide Dog School and reported it, and I called the business manager the next morning (many times they are not on site and you are dealing with poorly trained assistant manager's and staff).  Again, patience is very, very important, and at times very hard to come by, if it is not worth your time and patience, its not worth going to again.  In the end I go  back and the staff learned a hard an embarrassing public lesson regarding access, and I have not had another problem.  

Most business simply have no clue about service animals, let alone that they could be in serious local/state/ and federal (personal) trouble if they violate a service animal statute.  The only thing they have heard about is Health Code Violations and the ADA, which they do not clearly understand.  

Debbie