[nagdu] Restaurant acknowledges 'mistake' in ejecting guide dog

[Ginger Kutsch]

Restaurant acknowledges 'mistake' in ejecting guide dog

Updated: Jul 07, 2011 10:39 PM EDT 

By David MacAnally - 

http://www.wthr.com/story/15044969/restaurant-acknowledges-mistake-in-ejecti
ng-guide-dog

Indiana - Rick Ellinger is blind and uses a guide dog - a 5-year-old black
Lab named Jarvis.

 

On the 4th of July, he took his family to a south side restaurant for
dinner.  Jarvis led the way.

 

But he says the restaurant manager wouldn't seat the family unless Rick took
Jarvis to the car.  Ellinger says he tried to explain the state and federal
law which guarantees assistance dog access to any place the public is
invited.

 

When the manager told him he might seat the family in the corner, "away from
the food and everything", Ellinger said no.  "I want to sit near the food so
my wife can get my food for me," said Ellinger.

 

The Ellingers left the restaurant.  He says he considered filing a formal
complaint against the business, then decided he just wants to spread the
news about the law.

 

Don and Gerry Koors with the American Council of the Blind are not surprised
what happened to Ellinger.  According to Don Koors, "as long as the dog is
under control they're allowed to be in any public place."

 

Gerry Koors says the assistance animals are not a nuisance.  "The dogs
generally are well under control.  They're well trained."

 

Eyewitness News went back to the restaurant with the Ellingers this week.
Manager Joe Dong says he didn't know what the law required.  Dong said he
assumed state health laws barred all animals from areas where food is
served.

 

He said he now understands the law and welcomed the Ellingers - and Jarvis -
to sit anywhere they wished.