[nagdu] service dogs and people's fears or allergies

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Hi Marion and all,
On Friday, I wwent to our local MediCal office to request a new MediCal card to reflect my name change.  Before I went through the metal detector, the security guard there told me that all people with service dogs would have to sit in a seperate room with the dog and not in the large room where people sit while waiting their turn at the window.  They said they had this policy because people may have allergies or be afraid of dogs.  they said that this was a directive from the County.

Another worker said that sinse the room wasn't full, they brought me a chair to sit near the guard and metal detector to wait my turn sinse the window was right there.  I sat there and soon my turn came, I took care of business and left.

The workers there were coureous - even nice folks - and I think they thought the policy rather stupid and they had no problem with dogs.

Has anyone else had a situation like this?  I did tell them that allergies and fears didn't constitute an excuse for segregation of dog users from the general public - the same thing that came up with the cab drivers and the ADA.  Marion, is our County violating the ADA with this policy?

Lyn and Landon