[NFBF-Tampa] Trial Begins for Airbnb Host for Service Animal Denial

Fri Jul 19 18:59:51 UTC 2024

The trial is this Monday morning. Hopefully we’ll see/hear you there. I’m set to arrive by 8:00 to grab breakfast with anyone who shows up and I’ll be at the courthouse until my 3:00 ready time to go to school for the evening. My pickup on Monday morning could be as early as 6:00 so I may indeed be the first person there. 

Scott Greenblatt

Talk/Text: 8134601606

Sgreenblatt76 at gmail.com

From: NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ineko Gary via NFBF-Tampa
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2024 2:23 PM
To: NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ineko Gary <rubiigary at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBF-Tampa] Trial Begins for Airbnb Host for Service Animal Denial

Question, what day? if it’s on a Friday, I won’t be able to make it but any other day I could.

>From my note taker

On Jul 19, 2024, at 2:11 PM, Marion Gwizdala via NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Dear All,

                As advocates for the disabled, we realize our civil right to travel freely an unimpeded is essential as we strive to live our lives in full equality alongside our nondisabled peers. As we strive toward full participation in society on terms of equality, it is essential that society uphold these rights and hold those who violate community standards face the consequences of their behavior. It is equally essential that we – as advocates for these civil rights – demonstrate to the public how important these issues are to us. 

                Advocates for Service Animal Partners urges anyone with an interest in supporting the civil rights of the disabled and our right to be accompanied by our trained service dogs demonstrate the importance of this case. You can do this by donning a yellow article of clothing and joining other service animal advocates in the gallery. Hats are not permitted in the courtroom. Several of us will meet for breakfast at Crystal Bay Café, the cafeteria in the courthouse owned by a blind service animal handler, at 8:00 a.m. Everyone entering the courthouse will pass through security. Crystal Bay Café is located on the 2nd floor of the Hillsborough County Courthouse, 800 E. Twigg Street, Tampa, Florida. For more information, you may call 386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411) or send an email to 

Advocacy411 at gmail.com <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com> 

Please circulate the following message as widely as appropriate. If you received this message as a forward stripping the attachments, you can request these documents by sending a message to

Advocacy411 at gmail.com <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com> 

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

FROM: Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc.

RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2024

TRIAL BEGINS FOR AIRBNB HOST FOR SERVICE ANIMAL DENIAL

Tampa, Fla. – At 11:00 at night, shortly after a disabled North Dakota business owner checked into a Tampa Airbnb, the  host ordered her off the property because of her service dog. On Monday, July 22, Juan Gomez will face a jury of his peers determining if he is guilty of violating the civil rights of a disabled person, a second degree misdemeanor in Florida. If convicted, Gomez could face a maximum sentence of sixty days in jail, a fine of $500, and/or thirty hours of community service for an organization providing services to the disabled. The trial begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Hillsborough County Courthouse located at 800 E. Twigg Street, Courtroom 22.

The charges against Gomez stem from a February incident in which Liz Hartranft, a North Dakota business woman who is disabled and uses a service dog that alerts her to the onset of seizures, was ejected by Gomez when he noticed her service dog on video.

“he sent me a text at 11:00 at night ordering me off his property,” Hartranft says. “I told him it was a service dog and he didn’t care. I had a business meeting the next morning and no where to stay!”

According to Florida statute 413.08 (attached), a disabled individual accompanied by a service dog has the right to full and equal access to any place other members of the public are allowed. The dog must be kept on a leash or tether unless the leash or tether interferes with the work the dog is trained to perform. The dog must be kept under direct control of the handler and must not create a threat or be disruptive. Service animal handlers are responsible for the damage their dogs cause. Violation of this law is a second degree misdemeanor punishable by incarceration of up to sixty days, a fine of up to $500, and the performance of up to thirty hours of community service.

“Most people are surprised at how often we are denied service because of our service dogs,” shares Marion Gwizdala, president of Advocates for Service Animal Partners, the organization that assisted Hartranft pursue the case. “We get three to five calls a day to our hotline from people all over the country facing this sort of discrimination!”

For more information about the mutual rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers and the businesses we patronize, you can call 386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411). If you need urgent answers to service animal questions due to an unfolding real-time situation, you can contact the ASAP Service Animal Hotline at 855-ASAP211 (855-272-7211). . A wealth of information is also available at  <https://ServiceAnimals.info> https://ServiceAnimals.info.

# # # 

About ASAP

            Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is the only organization dedicated exclusively to providing direct support, intervention, and mediation for disabled individuals who choose to use a service animal to mitigate their disability. ASAP operates the only 24-hour national hotline to assist service animal handlers and the businesses we patronize understand their mutual rights and responsibilities under state and federal laws. Individuals needing assistance and information can call toll-free 855-ASAP211 (855-272-7211) and speak directly with an advocate trained to resolve access challenges as the result of the choice to use a service dog to mitigate their disability. ASAP211 is provided at no charge as a public service to the disabled community.

Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is a nationwide network of volunteer service animal advocates. Our goal is to encourage, educate, and support service animal handlers through printed and electronic publications, Informational webinars, recorded educational materials, and direct advocacy support, intervention, and mediation. ASAP also provides in-service training to employers, governmental entities, private companies, housing accommodations, and the airline industry about the rights, responsibilities, and limitations of access under state and federal law. For more information about the rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers and the businesses we patronize, please contact 

Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc.

386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411)

 <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com> Advocacy411 at gmail.com

 <http://ServiceAnimals.info> http://ServiceAnimals.info

<Florida.docx>

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