KINGSBURG, Calif. — A service dog was refused service at one local restaurant in Kingsburg and it's not the first time it happens to a Visalia family.
FOX26 News Team spoke with the wife and husband who encountered the situation, the manager of DiCicco's Restaurant in Kingsburg, and the Kingsburg Police Department to find out what happened.
"We were ready to have some good Italian bread and Italian food," said Julie Hennesay, wife of husband who has a service dog.
Julie and her husband say they felt they were discriminated against after they were denied service after they were seated.
"They didn't want to serve us. We never even got as far as water," Hennesay said.
The American Disabilities law states that "staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability."
They say things spiraled out of control after they stated what task the service dog performed and that the staff at DiCicco's started to cite information from the ADA that was inaccurate regarding PTSD.
Julie says she provided a document explaining federal law regarding service animals to the restaurant staff who were all claiming management titles after they asked to speak to the owners.
They say the staff started to kick them out for being disruptive and proceeded to call Kingsburg police so they waited for them to arrive.
When officers arrived, both police and Hennesay say at that time, the manager said they could stay but they felt things had gotten too far out of hand.
The manager also claimed that Hennesay refused the offer and continued to ask for the ADA documentation that he was citing when they were denied service in the first place.
He says his family owns the restaurant and they're typically pet-friendly.
But, he also says, he mentioned to police that it has gotten to the point where people bring in chihuahuas with service dog vests so he has asked people to leave that are taking advantage of it.
He says he knows his right to ask the two questions.
The following was one of the statements he made verbally to the FOX26 News Team in person that says, "So many people abuse the whole emotional support. I tried to explain with them that. And, then about how it's on the ADA's website that for an anxiety attack, PTSD requires...he was not having an anxiety attack, he was calm. I know what anxiety is, I have it. I take medication for it. You know, it's it's not not serious."
According to the ADA, the law states a service animal does not need to be certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as condition for entry.
After Friday's incident, the family just wants to spread awareness about the laws so it doesn't happen to anyone else.
They also say there is a difference between emotional and service dogs, but their dog is indeed, a trained service dog in compliance with the American's with Disabilities Act.
For more information regarding the ADA laws, you can click the following: Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.
kmph.com
FOX26 News Team spoke with the wife and husband who encountered the situation, the manager of DiCicco's Restaurant in Kingsburg, and the Kingsburg Police Department to find out what happened.
"We were ready to have some good Italian bread and Italian food," said Julie Hennesay, wife of husband who has a service dog.
Julie and her husband say they felt they were discriminated against after they were denied service after they were seated.
"They didn't want to serve us. We never even got as far as water," Hennesay said.
The American Disabilities law states that "staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability."
They say things spiraled out of control after they stated what task the service dog performed and that the staff at DiCicco's started to cite information from the ADA that was inaccurate regarding PTSD.
Julie says she provided a document explaining federal law regarding service animals to the restaurant staff who were all claiming management titles after they asked to speak to the owners.
They say the staff started to kick them out for being disruptive and proceeded to call Kingsburg police so they waited for them to arrive.
When officers arrived, both police and Hennesay say at that time, the manager said they could stay but they felt things had gotten too far out of hand.
The manager also claimed that Hennesay refused the offer and continued to ask for the ADA documentation that he was citing when they were denied service in the first place.
He says his family owns the restaurant and they're typically pet-friendly.
But, he also says, he mentioned to police that it has gotten to the point where people bring in chihuahuas with service dog vests so he has asked people to leave that are taking advantage of it.
He says he knows his right to ask the two questions.
The following was one of the statements he made verbally to the FOX26 News Team in person that says, "So many people abuse the whole emotional support. I tried to explain with them that. And, then about how it's on the ADA's website that for an anxiety attack, PTSD requires...he was not having an anxiety attack, he was calm. I know what anxiety is, I have it. I take medication for it. You know, it's it's not not serious."
According to the ADA, the law states a service animal does not need to be certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as condition for entry.
After Friday's incident, the family just wants to spread awareness about the laws so it doesn't happen to anyone else.
They also say there is a difference between emotional and service dogs, but their dog is indeed, a trained service dog in compliance with the American's with Disabilities Act.
For more information regarding the ADA laws, you can click the following: Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.
Wife and husband with a service dog were refused service at a local restaurant
A service dog was refused service at one local restaurant in Kingsburg and it's not the first time it happens to a Visalia family. FOX26 News Team spoke with the wife and husband who encountered the situation, the manager of DiCicco's Restaurant in Kingsburg, and the Kingsburg Police Department...
kmph.com
