[nagdu] Local business asks service dog to leave

Thu Mar 3 13:55:55 UTC 2011

Local business asks service dog to leave
Reporter - Lauren Adams
Story Created: Mar 2, 2011 at 4:54 PM CST 

PADUCAH - Eric Tabor's small black and tan daschund can fetch and
even give a high-five.   And there's one other thing that might
impress you: Georiga even knows how to save her owner's life.

Eric Tabor said it all started last year. "She laid her head on
my shoulder, directly over my heart."

Tabor ignored it but Georgia kept at it.

Eventually, he caved and went to his doctor.  Turns out Tabor had
an irregular heartbeat and needed a pacemaker.

"She's an amazing little dog," Tabor said.

In the year since, Georgia has not left his side. Tabor also
suffers from seizures and sleep apnea, which means he can stop
breathing during his sleep.

Because of her abilties to detect certain health problems and
alert others when Tabor is in danger, she is now considered a
service dog.

"They're actually put out by the Department of Justice," Tabor
said of the tags she wears on a bright pink harness.

He said that tag was all but ignored Tuesday.

"I just know its not right."

He had come to Comprehensive Premier Medicine for a checkup with
Georgia by his side.

"They told me I could not have her. That it was against their
health regulations, their laws for the clinic."

But Georgia is covered under Federal Law.  Under the Americans
With Disabilites Act, "service dogs must be allowed to go
anywhere their handler goes."

 Also under the law, "It is illegal to ask for any special
identification from Service Dog partners.  Some carry ID cards
and may present them voluntarily."

Tabor said he tried to present the tag. Even still, he was asked
to take Georgia elsewhere.

On Wednesday, the clinic defended their decision, saying the dog
posed a health risk to other patients.

Tabor said the biggest risk is not having Georgia.

"It's a security thing. I need her."

Tabor, as it turns out, is moving to South Carolina next week and
it is likely he will not even be back to the clinic in question.
But he wanted to change things for other people with service
animals.

Clinic owner Dr. Robert Meriwether said he regrets upsetting
Tabor but stands by his decision.  He said he understands the
importance of service animals but added in a setting surrounded
by doctors, they are simply not needed.

So, what do you think? Should Tabor get to keep Georgia with him,
even at the clinic? Or was the clinic right to refuse? Join the
conversation below.

Kelley Wiseman7:17 am
Absolutley Yes!!!! They cannot legally be refused. Can you say
big time lawsuit that a dead ringer win....or at least I would if
I was him
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Martha Stamper5:58 am
Yes Tabor should have been allowed to have the dog with him at
anytime and anywhere. The Clinic was wrong and should be taken to
court over the matter since the dog was legal to have with the
man under Federal Law.Dr. Meriwether should be brought up for
violation of the mans rights under Federal law. This dog did not
cause any health risk to other patients, just the opposite would
have been experienced since patient jitters before seeing the
doctor may have been reduced by the presents of the dog. How mean
of this so-called doctor! The clinic should be shut down if no
more care about patients is shown than this!
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Elaine Lake1:20 am
As others have said, the DOJ does not put out any type of service
animal tags PERIOD!
The doctor cannot make up his own rules for his clinic. I do not
think that Dr. Merriweather is going to help with my wheelchair
movement, pick up items that I drop, help with my transfer from
my wheelchair to the toilet or any of the other tasks that my
service dog does. Also service animals can be medical alert dogs
and alerting to a medical condition is not normally a trained
task. As Mr. Tabor stated, Georgia does alert and respond to his
sleep apnea and his seizures. That makes her a service dog under
the law provided Mr. Tabor is considered disabled by the ADA
definition.
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Steffeny Muller12:42 am
Service Dogs have to be specifically task trained to mitigate a
disability. Alerting to a problem is not considered a task. High
fives are not condiered a task to mitigate a disability. It seems
that she may be a good dog to have around, but there is nothing
she is trained to do to help Mr. Tabor. Therefore she is not a
Service Dog and not covered by he ADA. By the Way, the DOJ does
not put out any sort of tag, patch or other certifications for
Service dogs. Please people do the research!
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Erica RodmanMar 2
"They're actually put out by the Department of Justice," Tabor
said of the tags she wears on a bright pink harness.

I really wish people would fact-check. The DOJ does not issue any
sort of "tag" for service dogs. 
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Bethany McCartyMar 2
That's crazy - the dog should have been allowed regardless!
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Francine JohnsonMar 2
The Justice Department most certainly DOES NOT put out tags for
service dogs, and to report as such is irresponsible journalism.
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Mandy BrianMar 2
Service animals are those for a reason and yes they should
definitely be allowed anywhere and everywhere. If the owner's
didn't have to have them then they wouldn't be considered service
animals.
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Mike SpencerMar 2
"Their Health Regulations"? Their Laws"? Sorry Dr. Meriweather.
You can't make laws concerning service animals. The dog was
probably cleaner than half of your patients. Maybe you could
avoided all this and rushed Mr. Tabor's appointment and got him
out of there and everybody would be happy.
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Dwain H KochMar 2
As a disabled person, I find the clinics actions highly
offensive. Someone coming to the clinic with a cold has a greater
chance of causing an infection than this service dog.
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Pj Horst McconougheyMar 2
I can't choose sides as once again there are two views, neither
one of them totally right or wrong. If she is indeed a service
dog and indeed goes with Mr Tabor everywhere then the doctor
appears to have made a wrong choice. One does have to wonder what
would he have done with a seeing eye dog or a dog for the deaf.
Bud do I think he did it to hurt anyone? No I don't. The doctor
made a decision to protect all of his patients including Mr
Tabor. A question also must be asked is this the first time this
has happened. Has it happened in other clinics? How does a clinic
handle the service dog and their other patients? How can this
problem be remedied? What can the doctor/clinic and the service
dog owner do to alleviate this problem for I really doubt this is
the first time for this and if it is it probably won't be the
last unless something is done.
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Vickie BryanMar 2
I think that it was wrong. If Mr Tabor had been blind and Georgia
had been a seeing eye dog, would the clinic have asked him to
leave?
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Wanda Donson HallMar 2
I think Mr. Tabor should file a complaint with the ACLU. The
doctor's opinion about whether the service dog was needed or not
does not matter. The law is very clear & the doctor clearly broke
the law - he should be held accountable. What if Mr. Tabor had
been blind & his dog was a seeing-eye dog - would Dr. Meriwether
have refused to allow the dog in his clinic? The only difference
between a service dog & a seeing-eye dog is the services they
perform. SHAME ON DR. MERIWETHER!!!
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