Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Veteran and Her Service Dog Turned Away from Motel

This is the answer the ADA has on service dogs.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT
SERVICE ANIMALS IN PLACES OF BUSINESS
Q: I have always had a clearly posted "no pets" policy at my establishment. Do I still have to allow service animals in?
A: Yes. A service animal is not a pet. The ADA requires you to modify your "no pets" policy to allow the use of a service animal by a person with a disability. This does not mean you must abandon your "no pets" policy altogether but simply that you must make an exception to your general rule for service animals.
Maybe it would be a good idea to go to the link and print it so that you can educate all these businesses turning away your service dog.
Veteran and her service dog denied lodging
West Central Tribune
By Shelby Lindrud
Jan 25, 2016

Sandy Gessler, of Grand Forks, sits with her service dog, Cozmo. Gessler
said her service dog helps her manage her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
WILLMAR — Cozmo the corgi might not look like your stereotypical service dog, but he is just as essential to his human partner’s well-being as any seeing eye dog. To do the job, for which he is specially trained, Cozmo must be able to go wherever Sandy Gessler goes — restaurants, hospitals and hotels.

“He is not really a family pet, he is a little different,” Gessler said.

Gessler, of Grand Forks, was visiting Willmar Jan. 2 when she ran into a problem trying to find lodging for the night. Though she made reservations with a local motel, when she arrived with Cozmo the manager made her leave, repeatedly saying he had a no-pet policy.

“It was a really ugly feeling I had,” Gessler said.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act state service dogs are not pets and are allowed in most public places, even if the business has a no-pet policy. Businesses that don’t accommodate a service dog are breaking the law.

Gessler left the motel and found a room elsewhere, but even there she didn’t receive a warm welcome. The second motel charged her $10 for Cozmo to stay in the room, again against the ADA. She said the motel staff also asked for proof Cozmo was a service dog, also illegal.
read more here

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