[nagdu] issues with Super 8

Sat Jul 11 15:00:54 UTC 2009

Hi everyone,

Thanks to Nick Whitney, the president of our guide dog division here in 
Missouri, the issue has been resolved. Nick and I called the hotel together, 
where he patiently tried to explain the law to the manager. She kept 
shreaking and getting carried away, stating and interrupting him to keep 
saying, "We don't allow pets in our king size bedrooms. We have only certain 
rooms designated for pets." He explained it wasn't a pet, and she continued 
that  the dog still had dog hair and would contaminate her rooms, and even 
if it was just sitting in that room, no one else could rent the room 
afterward until the hotel had a very expensive thorough cleaning done. LOL. 
Nick said apparently you aren't familiar with state and federal laws, and 
she kept insisting she couldn't do it. Then she said she'd talk to her boss 
and to call back. Nick said we'd call back but that we would also pursue 
this and the local authority would be informed. We then called the corporate 
office. I had tried calling the corporate office earlier on my own, but the 
person I spoke with just said it would be a week or so before anything could 
be done while they investigated. This lady we spoke with this time when Nick 
and I called together was very helpful and understood immediately that a 
guide dog was not a pet. She called the local hotel and explained this to 
the manager who had previously said no. She explained that it was not like a 
pet, but like medical equipment, and gave her the scenario that if someone 
in a wheelchair came in, you wouldn't tell them they couldn't have a certain 
room, etc. So the lady returned and said the manager apologized and said 
there would be no problem whatsoever. The lady gave me her extension in the 
event something does arise. I was glad to reach a successful outcome, and 
thanks again to Nick.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 8:51 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] issues with Super 8

> Is the issue that you can't stay at the hotel or that  they won't give you 
> the room with the king size bed?
>
> Either way you should still be able to stay in the room you want, but it 
> might make a difference in how you go about it.  The way I understand 
> things, hotels are required to make a certain number of rooms accessible 
> in each style of room.  I don't remember what the exact number of rooms or 
> percentages are, but there should be at least one room of every type 
> available to people with various disabilities.
>
> I like Marion's advice and the only thing I'd add is to be sure to explain 
> the king size bed issue to the police when you contact them.
>
> HTH
> Julie
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 7:11 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] issues with Super 8
>
>
>> Chasity,
>>    First of all, let me say that Illinois has very good access 
>> legislation protecting the rights of service animal users making it a 
>> misdemeanor to deny access! Secondly, I will say that the police 
>> department should - and I stress "should" - be well informed of the law! 
>> In April of last year I participated in two workshops sponsored by the 
>> Illinois Attorney General's office to educate State's Attorneys and law 
>> enforcement officials. This being said, this is what i suggest: If 
>> someone from the hotel contacts you and you are told you cannot stay even 
>> after you explain the law, tell them you will not bring your guide dog, 
>> but do so anyway. Then, contact the local law enforcement agency and 
>> explain the issue to them and make sure they understand the law and will 
>> have someone available to assist you at the time you arrive. Feel free to 
>> get in touch with me and I will help you out, if you wish. You may call 
>> me at 813-626-2789.
>>
>> Fraternally,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Chasity Jackson" <chasityvanda at charter.net>
>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 6:56 AM
>> Subject: [nagdu] issues with Super 8
>>
>>
>>> Hey everyone,
>>>
>>> I am going to Chicago tomorrow and was intending to stay Sunday night at 
>>> a Super 8. I called this morning and confirmed my reservation. I know 
>>> there are mixed opinions on whether or not to notify someone ahead of 
>>> time that you will be accompanied by a guide dog, but when I am in an 
>>> area that I don't know all that well, I like to notify them ahead of 
>>> time so if there are going to be any problems, I can deal with them 
>>> before I get there, and not have to deal with trying to find another 
>>> hotel if they persist in not letting me stay. So I told the guy that I 
>>> wanted a king size bed and before I hung up, told him that I'd be 
>>> accompanied by a guide dog. He said, "Oh, that will be a problem, 
>>> because we don't allow dogs in the rooms with king sized beds." I said, 
>>> "Well, this is a service animal, a guide dog, not a pet," and he said, 
>>> "I don't care, it's still a dog nonetheless." I persisted and he 
>>> eventually said I'd have to call back and talk to his boss, but that it 
>>> was her who said that dogs
>>> are not allowed in rooms with king sized beds. He said the reason was 
>>> because there were only 3 of them, whatever that means. I am supposed to 
>>> call back at 8 and talk to the manager. Who knows, she may be educated 
>>> and I may not have an issue with it, but I'm concerned what to do if she 
>>> is as uneducated as he was and says that they don't allow dogs in those 
>>> particular rooms. Sure, I can fax her a copy of the law, etc. but as we 
>>> know from a lot of people's past experiences, sometimes that doesn't 
>>> work. Staying at this hotel is my only option because it is the only one 
>>> that is in the vacinity of where I need to go. I am not staying directly 
>>> in Chicago, but in a suburb of Chicago, Tinley Park. The other hotels 
>>> around that area are either sold out or way out of my price range that 
>>> I'm willing to pay. What should be done if she is as uninformed as he 
>>> was?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Chasity
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
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