[nagdu] legislation & eduction

[Bunny Davidson]

I thank you Ann for putting into words just what  i was thinking as i read all the legislation subject posts .

I live in a very rural area and just yesterday i was reminded of just how ignorant businesses are about the ada and service dogs.
I went out to eat (by myself with my dog, clearly displaying service dog patches on his bright red vest) and was told loudly at the door
by the hostess, sorry the dog isn't welcome...

I explained the dog was not a pet, but was a service dog and that there are federal laws that protect the right of a disabled person to 
enter and utilize any public place  with their service dog.

she rudely turned away without a word and disappeared behind a door.

a few min later she re-appeared with another woman (no one introduced themselves to me, and they both were very loud)
the 2nd woman said dogs were not allowed in restaurants cause of board of health laws...I told i may have a copy of the ada service dog 
statute in my bag if they wanted to read it..they didn't seat me or anything and i was quite flustered and in pain trying to manage my bag's compartments with 
nothing to put the bag down on etc... I then asked to be seated since i couldn't find anything without a table to put bag on.

the hostess stood over me like a hawk- way too close into my personal space- after bringing me to a table as i requested to better be able to look in my bag ...  she talked and acted like she wasnt going to let me stay if i couldn't produce the paper with the law on it & convince her i was within my rights..she also added something like"  even if law says dog can come in he will not be allowed on furniture, or to jump on your lap or to eat or drink anything while here... 

I said , what? you are not permitted to restrict what a service dog does beyond as it is outlined by the law.  I explained that some service animals jobs are to assist people in eating or some other task that would require them "up" on furniture...I also said that she and her co-workers needed to read the law and contact the 800# i had on the paper to learn more... I found the paper handed it to her and told her to please share it with whomever is in charge...

she disappeared, came back with a menu...after my food came the loud mouth (2nd woman) came and sat accross from me (without asking if i minded her sitting with me while she interrupted me eating my hot meal)  and very loudly with lots of emotion began to very rudely ask & interrogate me about things way beyond "is this a service dog & what is your dog trained to do"...

this is why i am so happy for what ann has written...I have encountered this type of bad attitude and interupted meals before (i beleive i wrote a few months ago about the diner who called the chief of police when i came to their diner...and the chief of police interrogated me while my eggs got cold and he  didnt know the law, gave me the board of health speech etc...I got his email and sent him links to the dept of J site on ada stuff..he wrote back thanked me and apologized...)

i believe the ada provides all that is needed but that like many have said here, NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE READ IT AND they act and speak out of ignorance, often violating the rights and  civil liberties of legitimate service or guide dog users.

 <<Perhaps what we need is greater penalties for operators of public accommodations who 
violate the rights of legitimate persons with disabilities under the current 
laws.>> 

 <<If this were the case, then perhaps they would be more careful to 
educate their employees and policy-makers about the provisions of the 
current laws about the rights of people with disabilities and the provisions 
of the law that do permit them to exclude persons and animals which do not 
meet the definitions and which may prove a health or safety risk or 
substantially alter the nature of the service they provide.>>
 
<<As always, the key is EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION!  And the question is 
how do we raise the stakes to the point where it is worth their while to 
educate themselves and their employees?  After all, the reason we have so 
many problems gaining entry to restaurants (and sometimes ice cream stores) 
is that the Health Departments have severe consequences for businesses which 
violate their regulations.  So, if we want to make it worthwhile to 
businesses to educate themselves on the rights of persons with disabilities, 
then we need teeth (pun intended) in the laws that are supposed to protect 
us, too.>>

just my 2cents, 
take what you like and leave the rest..
 
respectfully,
bunny




 		 	   		  
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