[From a group on FaceBook]
Thaiverse Restaurant In our visit to Middleburg, VA on May 30, 2023 and Thaiverse restaurant
We asked to be seated inside due to the sun and warm weather. The gentleman said we can't seat you inside with a dog. I have explained to him that my dog is a medical service dog and his answer was " we do not recognized service dogs". We left a restaurant and was able to go to another restaurant one block away. This experience was extremely hurtful for someone with invisible disabilities and PTSD history. My dog is a trained, registered 7 pounds chihuahua and very well behaved and my only help during a sever panic attack and PTSD.
Service dogs are dogs trained to perform tasks for someone with a disability. They are highly behaved, quiet, and can act in the blink of an eye to save their handler's life.
under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is illegal to discriminate against someone with a disability who needs their service dog by refusing entrance to a legitimate service dog team.
When Can a Restaurant Kick Out a Service Dog?
Even though it is illegal to deny access to a service dog without reason entirely, you still have rights as a business. First, the restaurant should ask every service dog team the two legally acceptable questions outlined by the ADA:
1. Is this dog a service dog that is task-trained to aid in your disability?
2. What tasks does this dog perform?
Any business that operates as a public service, such as hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, stores, malls, and parks, must allow entry to service dogs and their handlers. It may seem unfair at times, but it's actually more just.
If a person who can't walk isn't allowed to have their wheelchair, they won't be able to enter your restaurant and eat like someone without a wheelchair could do. If someone who needs oxygen was not given their oxygen tank while they ate.
It's the same with a service dog. Service dogs should be thought of as medical equipment. Many tasks that they perform can save lives, and a disabled person should not have to worry about being without their medical equipment for a family meal.
Service Dogs Require Identification: Wrong
Service dogs do not have to carry identification. Some service dog teams will have an identification card from the program that provided the dog. However, since not every service dog comes from a program, this is not federally mandated in any way.
Service Dogs Should Be a Certain Breed: Wrong
Service dogs can be of any breed, size, color, or weight. You may see tiny chihuahuas that provide diabetic alert tasks. You may also see huge Great Dane service dogs that provide mobility tasks.
Service Dogs Need to Wear a Vest or Identification: Wrong
Although most teams wear a service dog vest, you cannot kick a dog out of your restaurant for simply not wearing identification. Some dogs work best when having a free range of movement. Some handlers also prefer not to spend money on costly equipment.
To all handlers with medical service dog be aware of this restaurant discrimination.
Thaiverse Restaurant In our visit to Middleburg, VA on May 30, 2023 and Thaiverse restaurant
We asked to be seated inside due to the sun and warm weather. The gentleman said we can't seat you inside with a dog. I have explained to him that my dog is a medical service dog and his answer was " we do not recognized service dogs". We left a restaurant and was able to go to another restaurant one block away. This experience was extremely hurtful for someone with invisible disabilities and PTSD history. My dog is a trained, registered 7 pounds chihuahua and very well behaved and my only help during a sever panic attack and PTSD.
Service dogs are dogs trained to perform tasks for someone with a disability. They are highly behaved, quiet, and can act in the blink of an eye to save their handler's life.
under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is illegal to discriminate against someone with a disability who needs their service dog by refusing entrance to a legitimate service dog team.
When Can a Restaurant Kick Out a Service Dog?
Even though it is illegal to deny access to a service dog without reason entirely, you still have rights as a business. First, the restaurant should ask every service dog team the two legally acceptable questions outlined by the ADA:
1. Is this dog a service dog that is task-trained to aid in your disability?
2. What tasks does this dog perform?
Any business that operates as a public service, such as hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, stores, malls, and parks, must allow entry to service dogs and their handlers. It may seem unfair at times, but it's actually more just.
If a person who can't walk isn't allowed to have their wheelchair, they won't be able to enter your restaurant and eat like someone without a wheelchair could do. If someone who needs oxygen was not given their oxygen tank while they ate.
It's the same with a service dog. Service dogs should be thought of as medical equipment. Many tasks that they perform can save lives, and a disabled person should not have to worry about being without their medical equipment for a family meal.
Service Dogs Require Identification: Wrong
Service dogs do not have to carry identification. Some service dog teams will have an identification card from the program that provided the dog. However, since not every service dog comes from a program, this is not federally mandated in any way.
Service Dogs Should Be a Certain Breed: Wrong
Service dogs can be of any breed, size, color, or weight. You may see tiny chihuahuas that provide diabetic alert tasks. You may also see huge Great Dane service dogs that provide mobility tasks.
Service Dogs Need to Wear a Vest or Identification: Wrong
Although most teams wear a service dog vest, you cannot kick a dog out of your restaurant for simply not wearing identification. Some dogs work best when having a free range of movement. Some handlers also prefer not to spend money on costly equipment.
To all handlers with medical service dog be aware of this restaurant discrimination.
