Woman claims she is humiliated at McD due to her "service dog" (Miami: 2014, rental)

[bentlebee]

Deputies warning Brooksville gas stations about card skimmers


What is your opinion about Pitt Bull look alike dog being labeled as a service dog. In the picture it is hard to see if the dog was wearing the proper labeled jacket that was the wording showing that he is a service dog or any other type of dog under the disability law....

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

Deputies warning Brooksville gas stations about card skimmers


What is your opinion about Pitt Bull look alike dog being labeled as a service dog. In the picture it is hard to see if the dog was wearing the proper labeled jacket that was the wording showing that he is a service dog or any other type of dog under the disability law....

There isn't a guideline for Service Animal accepted breeds nor size/color of jacket worn. This is obviously more a case of rude/untrained staff at a fast-food restaurant.

[LandsharkJB]

Obiously the staff was in the wrong since you can't legally ask for the dog's papers even though you could buy one of those vests of ebay, but the statement of Jazzalyn Jester is more laughable than her name.


“There’s nothing that can take away the public humiliation, the self-humiliation that you feel after that happens to you,” she said. Jazzalyn said she has filed an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint and that she plans to take legal action.


Yeah.... that's a money grab.

[bentlebee]

When people apply for a rental we need to have an official letter proving the status of the dog.

The other day at Target someone had a Pitt bull at the grocery side...since when is a Pitt bull a dog used as a service dog for a person that doesn't show to have any disability.

I can understand the emotional side of having a dog and feeling more save or as proven that a dog can make you less stressful while petting a dog but than all of us can start bringing our dogs to every restaurant, store, etc.

I wonder if other customers felt scared and could sue McD for having someone bring in a dog that looks vicious and is not properly shown to be a service dog since service dogs wear a jacket...

I also wonder how much this dog could have provided as a service to her owner at McD....

One of my friends has service dogs but he is clearly disabled and is in a wheel chair and the dog is basically his hands when he needs to do a certain thing. That dog is amazing and clearly has no signs of any Pitt Bull.

[spbbound]

Her girlfriend posted about this on Yelp too:

Denied Service Because of Disability | St. Petersburg | Yelp

Looks like one person kind of questioned her on it, well, pointed out she had no problem questioning someone else's service animal yet expected no one to do the same to her. In any case, sounds like a bunch of bs or prelude to a cash grab to me since she's definitely making the rounds in as many places as she possibly can to get this story out. Her Yelp profile pictures show the dog several times with a choke chain on; never seen a service animal that requires a choke collar...

[Snort]

Now the dog is feeling ashamed.

[MiamiRob]

Can someone correct me if I am wrong but I don't know of many "service" dogs that are pit bulls? They are even banned in Miami Dade county.

[BucFan]

I side with the manager. I hate pit bulls and any cross breed of that breed. If I walked in and saw someone w/ one in a restaurant, I'd do an about face.

Playing the blind card in this situation tells me that they were looking for trouble - why in the world would anyone be so callous to deny service to a blind person due to their disability? It's the dog, not the disability that caused the problem. Hope McDonalds supports the manager/employee and avoids any pc pressure from dog lovers. I'd be angry if they fire the manager/employee or discipline them.
School resource officer shoots dog in South Tampa

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

When people apply for a rental we need to have an official letter proving the status of the dog.

Doesn't sound like a legally-required policy, but a preference by you or your company. There's no official municipal, state or federal accreditation for service animals. Any badges/jackets/papers you get are from private companies that are basically selling certificates for a profit, they are not legally-recognized documents.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

The other day at Target someone had a Pitt bull at the grocery side...since when is a Pitt bull a dog used as a service dog for a person that doesn't show to have any disability.

There are no breed restrictions on service animals. Service animals can be legally used to manage not only visible physical disabilities but a range of unseen disabilities both physical and psychological. With regard to this breed specifically and the nature of the conditions recognized by the American Disabilities Act, the only issue here is ignorance.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

I can understand the emotional side of having a dog and feeling more save or as proven that a dog can make you less stressful while petting a dog but than all of us can start bringing our dogs to every restaurant, store, etc.

One common condition that service animals are often trained for is epilepsy. Service animals can recognize epileptic episodes before they happen, and they are trained to both alert the owner and stabilize them before they seize.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

I wonder if other customers felt scared and could sue McD for having someone bring in a dog that looks vicious and is not properly shown to be a service dog since service dogs wear a jacket...

Personal ignorance about the breed is not a stable basis for a lawsuit.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

I also wonder how much this dog could have provided as a service to her owner at McD....

This is a reflection of a lack of education about service animals and the Americans with Disabilities Act. You can quench that wonder on your own with a bit of research.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

One of my friends has service dogs but he is clearly disabled and is in a wheel chair and the dog is basically his hands when he needs to do a certain thing. That dog is amazing and clearly has no signs of any Pitt Bull.

Not all disabilities are physically visible, and those that are not are no less legally justified in owning a service animal. There are no breed restrictions on service animals, and selecting one of the breeds commonly referred to as "pit bulls" is actually a wise choice for their trainability and intellect.

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I don't own a pit bull nor am I disabled, but I've read the laws about service animals, property law and the americans with disabilities act, etc. It's clear there's a lot of ignorance about disabilities, service animals and dog breeds that needs to be properly educated.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

What is your opinion about Pitt Bull look alike dog being labeled as a service dog. In the picture it is hard to see if the dog was wearing the proper labeled jacket that was the wording showing that he is a service dog or any other type of dog under the disability law....

Law should address this. According to one of the posts on yelp link, there's no need for any special labeling showing that a dog is service. Person ought to be able to prove the pet is legit when bringing pet into an area other "no pets allowed".