[nfbmi-talk] Restaurant ordered service dog to lobby
Larry D. Keeler
lkeeler at comcast.net
Wed Nov 9 17:13:13 UTC 2011
Joe, I posted on Nagdu that the manager should be jailed with a guard named
Bubba with a vicious guide dog who sheds and bites! And when the dog is
tired of harrassing him them Bubba can use his nice and flexible white cane
on him!
----- Original Message -----
From: "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Restaurant ordered service dog to lobby
> This is insane and MPAS has this post being in the public domain and the
> restaurant can and should be sued right back to the dark ages.
>
> Thanks for the post.
>
> Peace with Justice,
>
> Joe
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <trising at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "NFBofMichigan List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 10:11 AM
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Restaurant ordered service dog to lobby
>
>
>> Restaurant ordered service dog to lobby
>> Frank Eckl goes everywhere with Spruce
>> Updated: Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 8:29 PM EST
>> Published : Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 5:33 PM EST
>>
>> By Leon Hendrix
>> CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Frank Eckl and his family -- including
>> his service dog -- went to dinner Saturday night at Don Julio's
>> restaurant in Cascade Township. But the manager said the dog had to stay
>> in the lobby.
>>
>> Eckl told 24 Hour News 8 he takes the dog with him wherever he goes. He
>> uses the dog because of a disability he has that causes occasional
>> seizures. When he's alone, it's his service dog Spruce that calls for
>> help and helps him get up if he's fallen to the ground.
>>
>> He said he's never had a problem bringing Spruce with him since the law
>> allows it.
>>
>> But the manager at Don Julio's wouldn't allow the dog in the dining area.
>>
>> "She [the manager] said we were more than welcome to stay, but patrons in
>> the restaurant and the manager didn't want dog hair in the restaurant,"
>> he said. "I was shocked that we were asked to have the dog leave and we
>> could stay."
>>
>> The manager-on-duty admitted they insisted the dog stay in the entrance
>> way to the restaurant, and that she would make the same request it again.
>> She said patrons at the restaurant complained about the dog and that some
>> opted to leave because of sanitation concerns.
>>
>> "I asked for him to bring the dog out to the main entrance to the lobby,"
>> the manager said. She refused to provide her name to 24 Hour News 8. "I
>> didn't ask for him to take his dog back home, to take his dog to the car
>> or leave him outside in the middle of the parking lot at all."
>>
>> Eckl and his family simply left the restaurant and went to the IHOP
>> restaurant next door, where they were welcomed with Spruce.
>>
>> Others that use service dogs have been asked to comply by the same rules
>> without complaint, the manager at Don Julio's said.
>>
>> "I can't keep every customer happy," she said, adding that she was aware
>> that Spruce was a service dog but didn't realize it was Eckl who used
>> him.
>>
>> "I knew it was not for him. He didn't tell me the service dog was for
>> him... He wasn't clear to me either."
>>
>> Jocelyn Dettloff, a representative for the Disability Advocates of Kent
>> County, said the violation is more serious than unhappy customers.
>>
>> "That's insane!" Dettloff said. "I mean, who would say that you have to
>> leave your cane or your mobility device at the door. People who rely on
>> service animals -- it's the exact same thing."
>>
>> But Dettloff says there is a problem with the laws prohibiting
>> discrimination against the disabled because they are rarely enforced. The
>> most someone like Eckl can do, she said, is file a complaint that could
>> take more than a year to get attention. Even then, she said, there is no
>> punishment for establishments that break the law.
>>
>> Eckl could file a civil lawsuit as well, Dettloff said, but he would not
>> likely be awarded damages.
>>
>> "The law definitely needs some sort of stricter enforcement," she said.
>> "There is no strict enforcement like the health department or the fire
>> department."
>>
>> Eckl says he isn't seeking monetary damages and doesn't really want
>> anything from Don Julio's, other than an apology and training for its
>> staff.
>>
>> "I'm not out for malice here," he said, adding that he wouldn't go back
>> to the establishment again.
>>
>> The manager at Don Julio's said she stands by her actions and would do
>> the same thing again if Eckl returned.
>>
>> "I have to," she said. "I can't have any kind of animal be around food.
>> It's kinda hard having most of my customers leave out on me because of
>> one customer."
>>
>> --
>>
>> Eckl wrote a letter about his experience and sent it to area media and
>> groups that advocate for the disabled:
>>
>> To whom it may concern,
>>
>> This past Saturday, November 4th, 2011, at 6pm, my family and I wanted to
>> eat at you establishment. This included my wife Karen, and my daughter
>> Lydia (who happens to have Special Needs.) My Service Dog, Spruce, was
>> with me. Spruce was wearing her jacket that displays "SERVICE DOG." I
>> have her for medical needs and she regularly assists me in my daily life.
>>
>> We entered your restaurant, were seated in the back where no one else was
>> seated. The gentleman that seated us even turned on lights for us. We
>> were given menus and served water. It was at this time that a waitress
>> addressed us and stated: "You can stay but your dog must wait outside." I
>> explained the public law which states that I can have my Service Dog with
>> me. We were then told that the manager had complaints about "dog hair"
>> and that a dog was disruptive to the other patrons. When I said that
>> Spruce stays and helps me, we were asked to take Spruce out. We then
>> left. Upon calling authorities, the police stated this was a "civil
>> matter" and to seek council.
>>
>> I am an Honorably Discharged (10 yr) USAF veteran, who served his country
>> in both war and peace-time. It's hard to belief that discrimination such
>> as this exists today. My disability is due to of my service. The real
>> issue is no one with a disability should be told they can't have their
>> assistance with them and then have to leave an establishment.
>>
>> I find myself with the opportunity to help educate your organization with
>>
>> the Law and others by making this incident public. I choose not to seek
>> council, but rather inform you and other organizations of this incident
>> in hopes that this type of discrimination will not take place again.
>>
>> From the ADA: Service animals are animals that are individually trained
>> to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who
>> are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting
>> and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing "other"
>> special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.
>>
>> Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and
>> organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities
>> to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where
>> customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all
>> businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and
>> shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices,
>> theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.
>>
>> Michigan Statutes, 1953, Section 750.502c (last amended in 1984 by Public
>> Act 110)
>>
>> Michigan statutory law guarantees a blind person the legal right to be
>> accompanied by a dog guide in harness in all public accommodations and
>> educational institutions and on all public conveyances. The dog guide
>> user can be required to produce identification, such as the I.D. card
>> furnished by the dog guide school from which the dog was obtained.
>>
>> Public accommodations include trains, buses, taxis, elevators, boats, and
>> other common carriers...
>>
>> Violation: Any person who interferes with the above enumerated rights is
>> guilty of a misdemeanor and therefore punishable under Michigan law...
>>
>> In acknowledgement of this letter, I ask only for a formal apology and
>> for you to conduct training with your staff on the Laws concerning
>> customers with Service Dogs. This is the only compensation I wish to ask
>> of you. This incident was embarrassing and offensive. I would hope that
>> anyone with a disability who chooses to dine at Don Julio's would never
>> encounter this intolerance.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Frank J. Eckl
>>
>> the Law and others by making this incident public. I choose not to seek
>> council, but rather inform you and other organizations of this incident
>> in hopes that this type of discrimination will not take place again.
>>
>> From the ADA: Service animals are animals that are individually trained
>> to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who
>> are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting
>> and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing "other"
>> special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.
>>
>> Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and
>> organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities
>> to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where
>> customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all
>> businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and
>> shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices,
>> theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.
>>
>> Michigan Statutes, 1953, Section 750.502c (last amended in 1984 by Public
>> Act 110)
>>
>> Michigan statutory law guarantees a blind person the legal right to be
>> accompanied by a dog guide in harness in all public accommodations and
>> educational institutions and on all public conveyances. The dog guide
>> user can be required to produce identification, such as the I.D. card
>> furnished by the dog guide school from which the dog was obtained.
>>
>> Public accommodations include trains, buses, taxis, elevators, boats, and
>> other common carriers...
>>
>> Violation: Any person who interferes with the above enumerated rights is
>> guilty of a misdemeanor and therefore punishable under Michigan law...
>>
>> In acknowledgement of this letter, I ask only for a formal apology and
>> for you to conduct training with your staff on the Laws concerning
>> customers with Service Dogs. This is the only compensation I wish to ask
>> of you. This incident was embarrassing and offensive. I would hope that
>> anyone with a disability who chooses to dine at Don Julio's would never
>> encounter this intolerance.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Frank J. Eckl
>>
>> --
>> I am using the free version of SPAMfighter.
>> We are a community of 7 million users fighting spam.
>> SPAMfighter has removed 1400 of my spam emails to date.
>> Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len
>>
>> The Professional version does not have this message
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbmi-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfbmi-talk mailing list
> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nfbmi-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/lkeeler%40comcast.net
More information about the NFBMI-Talk
mailing list