Woman Harrasses Wheelchair User's Service Dog

What Should You Do When You Witness Harassment Of A Disabled Person With A Service Dog

Ideas? .

Service Dog Handeler Assaulted By McDonalds Manager

Published on Aug 31, 2013 Service dogs provide invaluable assistance for the disabled. Tiffany Denise Allen doesn't agreea it seems. The Mariettaa Ga.a McDonald's manager punched guest Jennifer Schwenkera a mom with two autistic sonsa for bringing their dog into the restaurant. Allen was off duty at the time Schwenkera her sons and their guide dog visited the restaurant. Allen was caught on surveillance cameraa holding a small childa following Schwenker and confronting her. Upon leavinga one of Schwenker boys got separated. The mother dropped her drink on the floor and some spilled on Allen. Allen tossed the baby in someone's armsa dashed out of the restaurant and slugged Schwenker. Allen's behavior is wrong on many levels. First of alla there was obviously no provocation for assault. She endangered Schwenker's children and the child she was holding. It wasn't even Allen's place to address the Schwenker; she was off-duty and at that pointa just another customer. Allen should have been cited for harassment also. Allen was wrong even about the original issue. Regardless of what individual restaurant or business policies statea service dogs are legal in all public places. A guide dog does not fall under the same guidelines as other animals. A service dog is at worka providing a necessary service for his disabled person. Without a guide doga many people can't function in society. Allen may not have realized Schwenker's boys were autistic. Allen may have thought that only visually impaired people use guide dogs. This does not excuse even her heckling Schwenkera let alone assaulting her. As a store managera she ought to have known the law. I'm a trained special needs teachera with certification in autism and emotional impairment. Guide dogs greatly help autistic children. Children generally respond well to animals; often better than they do with humans. Autistic children lack internal safety signalsa communication and social skills. A guide dog helps autistic children navigate safely. In special educationa we talk about providing the least restrictive environment. LRE means that care providers must give children the most flexibility within the limits imposed by the handicap. A guide dog helps reduce environmental restrictions and provides adaptive support for autistic children. Lows don't just allow service dogsa it protects disabled people from harassment. Handicapped persons aren't required to present any special proofs as to why they have a dog escort. Some people identify their dogs with a vesta but this isn't mandatory. Some carry ID cards but are not required to present them. This makes Allen's actions triply heinous. As a managera she didn't even know or understand simple laws. Even by questioning Allen about the doga Allen was stepping outside of her bounds not only as a manager at McDonald's but as a guest. Setting the assault asidea McDonald's better hope that Schwenker doesn't decide to sue them for their manager's ignorance of guide dog owners' rights.

Police Should Give Priority To Attacks On Disabled Relying On Service Dogs.

Attacks on PWDs and or their Service Dogs should be a priority for police responding to an attack on a disabled person accompianied by a service dog. Loss of use of a service dog puts the PWD in danger. Disabled must not be discounted as credible witnesses. They often have clear memory of the sequence of events and phrases they have heard. A crime has been committed even if the service dog or PWD was not injured. It is the responsibility of the responding police officer to use any law or code available to them and cite the offender accordingly. The officer should fill out a police report and follow all proper proceedures. Service dogs are friendly toward all people and other dogs and are never trained to be protective. They are unlikely to defend themselves or their handelier when an attack occurs. Officers should be sensitive, to the emotional trauma PWDs and their service dog suffers after an attack. Both service dog and PWD are 1/2 of a working team. Anxiety relating to fear of recurring incidents can become overwelming, 0preventing some individuals from going about their ordinary travel routine. If the officer is unsure how to eplain something or how to assist, asking is always the best policy.

YOU ARE NOT BLIND

These are actual things that have been said to a service dog handler on an everyday basis. For more information about Service Dogs and etiquette please go to: http://sdog.danawheels.net/ Written by and Starring: Morgan Krug Directed by: Britt Novitch with Special Thanks to Coldon Martin for help with the editing process! Closed-Captioning is, unfortunately, beyond my editing capabilities (I am very new at this) but here is a transcription of the dialogue for those who asked: Are you disabled? What's wrong with you? You can't have dogs in here! You're so lucky, you get to bring your dog everywhere with you... 'woof!' directed at dog Oh, that's a service dog? My cousin's grandfather's great aunt has a service dog. But, they're, you know, actually in a wheelchair. So they really need one. Are you blind? But what if people are scared of dogs? ...Hidden disability? That poor dog having to work like that...how could you do that to her? (whispering aside) Hey, go tell security that girl just brought her dog in here OMG, I like, didn't even recognize you without your service dog next to you. WEIRD. You look like a different person. Are you disabled? You can't have dogs in here unless you're blind. You're not blind...are you? Your dog is so well behaved! Its amazing! Are you like, epileptic? Ma'am, ma'am, you can't have dogs in here. That is so great that you get to train a service dog for some disabled person. That's really noble of you. (clicking sounds at dog) (aside) Hey! There's a dog over there! Dog! Hey dog! (continued clicking sounds) Do you have a bad back or something? But...you don't look disabled. Ahh! What the hell is that dog doing in here? So, why aren't you in a wheelchair? (Petting dog) Oh! You're a service dog...very cool. (continues petting) What about people who are allergic? What about them? Omg she's like, your other half! Oh, a service dog? What branch of the service was she in? My dog at home reminds me so much of your service dog. She's just a little bigger. And she's got different colored eyes. And her fur is totally different. I want to see her shot records before she comes anywhere near me. Can you really bring your dog in here? (Reading patches, petting dog) Please ask to pet...I think she says yes! (continues petting) The nerve of some people, thinking they can just bring their dogs anywhere with them... Oh, is that a seizure alert dog? I really wish my sister had one of those. Maybe she wouldn't be dead now. No, you're not disabled (To dog) Come here doggie! Come here, what a pretty doggie, look at you, you're such a pretty dog! (To handler) Why won't she come to me? Are you disabled? What's wrong with you? What's wrong with you? You can't have dogs in here. No really, what's wrong with you? Girl, don't worry, you don't look disabled. Really? But, you don't look disabled. You don't look disabled. You're so lucky. You're so lucky. Written by and starring Morgan Krug Directed and edited by Britt Novitch

No Dogs Allowed Policy Is Unlawful Discrimination

A No Dogs Allowed Sign, or Policy, is unlawful discrimination. One may adopt a No Pets Allowed policy, but must then modify that policy to accomodate people With Disabilities who are accompianied by Trained Service Animals. Trained Service Animals are not pets. Video Text: The Equal Rights Center (ERC) The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) Hogan and Lovells US LLP More than 25 million individuals in the United States report having vision loss; approximately 2.5 million of those are legally blind. Federal law requires taxicab drivers to allow service dogs in their vehicles, and prohibits them from charging a surcharge, higher fare, or extra fee for transporting a service dog. Despite these protections, people encounter discrimination on a daily basis. (Video of blind woman with a service dog attempting to hail a cab. Two cabs pass her and pick up another woman 100 feet away) The ERC conducted tests in the District; each included two individuals, one with a service dog and one without, who stood on the same side of the block. (Video of blind woman with a service dog attempting to hail a cab. A cab approaches her, slows down to a near stop, and then drives on to pick up another women 100 feet away) In 60% of these tests, the tester with a service dog was subjected to at least one form of discriminatory treatment. (Video of a woman with a service dog attempting to hail a cab. A cab passes her and picks up another women 100 feet away) "These instances are both hurtful and an insult to those of us who must rely upon the loving assistance of our dogs to travel independently." -ERC member, Charles Crawford Video of a man with a service dog attempting to hail a cab. A cab passes him and picks up another man 100 feet away) "Cabbie's go whizzing by and I can't see to know if they have somebody in their cab or if they don't." -ERC member, Stan Berman (Video of a woman with a service dog attempting to hail a cab. A cab passes her and picks up another women 100 feet away) Help advance civil rights and learn more about what can be done to end discrimination against individuals who use service dogs. Learn more and download the report at www.equalrightscenter.org

Woman Arrested Foe Denying Service To Man Accompanied By Service Dog.

Uploaded on Jan 27, 2012 A Kentwood woman is facing charges for violating a man's civil rights, after she refused to allow his service dog to sit in the dining room at the Don Julios on 28th street. What does the Department Of Justice say about this? 1. Q: What are the laws that apply to my business? A: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed. When was this law passed? 1990 What is that they say about ignorance of the law? .