Veteran denied motel room in Daytona Beach because he had service dog: I wish this type of discrimination received the same amount of air time as anti-gay discrimination receives. If...

Samuraiz Loc: Central Florida

I wish this type of discrimination received the same amount of air time as anti-gay discrimination receives.

If this was about a same sex couple being refused service, It would be all over MSNBC, Huffpost, Mother Jones etc.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/veteran-denied-motel-room-daytona-beach-because-he/ngSWM/

chase4 Loc: Punta Corona, California

"A veteran is someone who, at one point in his or her life wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country now who no longer understand it."

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

I find it hard to believe that any business such as hotel or transportation would know the law.

Samuraiz Loc: Central Florida

Bill Houghton wrote:

I find it hard to believe that any business such as hotel or transportation would know the law.

I find it hard to believe that the hotel would not know the law.

The ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is rather specific.
Because violations of these laws have significant penalties, all business are clearly aware of the laws and have in-house workshops designed to educate employers as wells as all employees about illegal discrimination.

Every company I have worked for has mandated this education for all members of staff.

I would find it also very hard to believe that a hotel/motel management would be ignorant about service animals when even the smallest convenience stores have door signs about prohibited pets with service animals allowed.

The news report indicated that there may be the possibility of criminal charges filed against the desk clerk.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

Samuraiz wrote:

I find it hard to believe that the hotel would not... (show quote)

The hell with the desk clerk, she called the manager, who called the police. Told him he was an american criminal. She's the one that should be behind bars not him or the dog.

JamesCurran Loc: Trenton ,NJ

Samuraiz wrote:

If this was about a same sex couple being refused service, It would be all over MSNBC, Huffpost, Mother Jones etc.

There's a big difference -- in this case, the police were called in, and they immediately corrected the situation. The system worked, everyone's happy.

And in the motel owner's defense, the veteran had no obvious injury, and clearly didn't need a "seeing-eye" dog, so it reasonable for them to be skeptical when he claims to be a veteran and needs to be with a dog (that was in the car at the time). It sounds just like a guy with a pet trying to get around the "no pets allowed" rule.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

JamesCurran wrote:

There's a big difference -- in this case, the poli... (show quote)

If you mean corrected by being brought to a different a hotel where he was welcomed and given a discount. An I guess the manager could see the dog over the phone, when she said a dog is dog, and later admitted she wasn't aware of the law.

The only defense she might have is failing to see the dogs papers, all service dogs carry service dog papers. There are allot of pet owners that claim there pets are service dogs but fail to produce the papers to prove it.

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Key words in this story, 'Daytona Beach'. and 'Patel'.

Frapha Loc: Tulsa, Oklahoma

JamesCurran wrote:

There's a big difference -- in this case, the poli... (show quote)

How did "seeing-eye dog" make it into the conversation? Perhaps I overlooked it, but I didn't see that term anywhere in the article. "Seeing-eye" dogs are for the visually impaired, and are only ONE of numerous types/categories of "service dogs". This service dog was for a specific medical condition.

JamesCurran Loc: Trenton ,NJ

Frapha wrote:

How did "seeing-eye dog" make it into the conversation? Perhaps I overlooked it, but I didn't see that term anywhere in the article. "Seeing-eye" dogs are for the visually impaired, and are only ONE of numerous types/categories of "service dogs". This service dog was for a specific medical condition.

Because seeing-eye dogs are, by far, the most common type of service dogs, so if someone says they have a service dog, most people would naturally assume that it's a seeing-eye dog. Further, the purpose & need for a seeing-eye service dog is quite obvious. So, given a random dog, which is clearly NOT a seeing-eye service dog, and also lacks a big sign saying "I am a service dog for a non-blindness medical condition", one could legitimately be skeptical that it is in fact a service dog, and not just a pet.

user47602 Loc: ip 304.0.0.33.32

...so how many veterans were not denied a room because they had a service dog?

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

JamesCurran wrote:

Because seeing-eye dogs are, by far, the most common type of service dogs, so if someone says they have a service dog, most people would naturally assume that it's a seeing-eye dog.and not just a pet.

If you had read the OP article, you would see how far you are on this.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

Gitz0 wrote:

...so how many veterans were not denied a room because they had a service dog?

? how many walnuts are on a walnut tree.

Samuraiz Loc: Central Florida

Gitz0 wrote:

...so how many veterans were not denied a room because they had a service dog?

Do you think the number is important?

dljen Loc: Central PA

Samuraiz wrote:

I wish this type of discrimination received the same amount of air time as anti-gay discrimination receives.

If this was about a same sex couple being refused service, It would be all over MSNBC, Huffpost, Mother Jones etc.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/veteran-denied-motel-room-daytona-beach-because-he/ngSWM/

This isn't a veteran issue, it's a disability issue.

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.