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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The following release is being recalled. The state attorney will move for a dismissal of the case due to a strict reading of the law. Florida law defines a place of public accommodation as “An inn, hotel, or other lodging place consisting of four or fewer rooms and is not the primary residence of the proprietor”. (<span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>509.013) Since the defendant argues that he lives in the house at least 50% of the time, it is not a place of public accommodation. Though other elements of the crime are not contested, the state attorney does not believe he can prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'> Advocates for Service Animal Partners will continue to pursue this case with the United States Department of Justice and Disability Rights Florida where administrative action is based upon a lower threshold of proof. We will keep you abreast of these an other developments in the service animal movement. If you would like to keep abreast of ASAP’s advocacy initiative, you can sign up for our email distribution list by completing the form at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://serviceanimals.info/BecomeaPartner.html">Become a Partner (serviceanimals.info)</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Marion Gwizdala, President/CEO<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>(He/His/Him)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc. (ASAP)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Office: 386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Hotline: 855-ASAP211 (855-272-7211)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Advocacy411@gmail.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Advocacy411@gmail.com</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>ServiceAnimals.info<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Facebook.com/asap411/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>“Forward together!”<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>FOR IMMEDIATE USE<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>FROM: Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2024<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>TRIAL BEGINS FOR AIRBNB HOST FOR SERVICE ANIMAL DENIAL<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tampa, Fla. – <a name="_Hlk168039526">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.<o:p></o:p></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'>“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!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><a name="_Hlk168039374"><o:p> </o:p></a></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'>“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!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039526'></span><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'>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 </span><a href="https://ServiceAnimals.info"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'>https://ServiceAnimals.info</span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'># # # <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>About ASAP<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is the only <span style='color:black'>organization <a name="_Hlk168040741">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.<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-indent:.5in'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>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 <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-indent:.5in'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:center'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc.</span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:center'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411)</span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:center'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'></span></span><a href="mailto:Advocacy411@gmail.com"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Advocacy411@gmail.com</span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'></span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'></span></span><a href="http://ServiceAnimals.info"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>http://ServiceAnimals.info</span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'></span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168040741'></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk168039374'></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>