18-year-old stands up for her rights

Caitlin is a freshman in college. Away from home for the first time. With her Diabetic Alert Dog, Ellie. Caitlin trained puppy Ellie from the day she took her home, the summer before her senior year in high school. They are an incredible team. Here is what happened recently in the town where Caitlin's college is located. These are her words.

"My roommate was going to take me to Walmart so I could get some soup and cold medicine. We were going with three of her friends as well. The guys wanted to go to Sally Beauty Supply Store to get some stuff so we stopped there before going to Walmart.

"When Kelsey, my roommate was looking at the many different hair extensions and I was standing next to her pointing out that there were even Dancing with the Stars sponsored hair extensions, the manager of the store came over to me and told me that dogs were not allowed into the store. I told her that Ellie was my service dog and pointed out that she had service dog stated clearly in two different spots on her bright pink service dog vest and also on her collar. She then asked me to leave the store. I did not leave the store because I knew that I was allowed to be there with Ellie. This is when the other employee also asked me to leave.

"After that I did leave the store because I was getting mad and did not want to cause a scene in the store and make myself and Ellie look bad. Kelsey told the guys that if they could get the stuff they wanted at Walmart to do that and then explained what had happened. They put back what they could get at Walmart and only got the things that they could not get at Walmart.

"Kelsey then went back into the store to ask for the manager's name and the corporate number that I could call to make a complaint. The manager gave her first name only and said she had no clue what the corporate number was. When we got in the car Kelsey’s boyfriend Ryan looked up the number to call the headquarters for the store. I called the number and got a really nice lady named Gina who was very nice and understanding. After getting my side of the story she put me on hold for ten minutes and called the store to talk to the manager. When she took me off hold she proceeded to tell me that she had explained to the manager that what she had done was against the law and that there were severe consequences that could happen if that ever happened again. Because of this a training program is being set up and the store had to apologize. The person that I talked to was extremely nice and I was happy with how the situation was handled. They are sending me a gift card and a coupon to use if I choose to do so. 

"I am happy with how things were handled and now everything is all better.

"The group of people that I was around during this were supportive and stuck up for me when I was unable to do so for my self.  Things at college are so much better than they were in high school and I would not change anything if I was given the chance."

As the trainer who oversaw Ellie's DAD training, I could not be more proud of these two. Caitlin has consistently exhibited incredibly mature behavior in training and caring for her service dog and knowing their rights. She is a rock star in my world! 

This is Caitlin, Ellie and two Type 1 Diabetics who hope to get their own DADs soon.
In addition to everything else, Caitlin educates others about T1D and DADs.

# # #

Service Dogs & the ADA

Effective in 2011, the Americans with Disabilities Act's definition of a service animal changed to:

“Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.”

Important changes include:

• Only dogs are recognized as service animals.
• Service animals are exempt from breed bans as well as size and weight limitations.
  

If you have a service dog, know your rights. Read through the ADA's FAQs before venturing out in public with your service dog.

Need more information? Contact me at dee@deethedogtrainer.com.

No service dogs allowed?

Service dogs. The Americans with Disabilities Act. McDonalds et al.

You have a service dog. Your dog is permitted to accompany you to pretty much any public place in the U.S., right? You know the law. Does the American public know the law? Too often the answer is no. The Today Show recently ran the story of the mother of autistic twins, their service dog, and a confrontation at McDonalds. Is this unusual? Unfortunately, no. Similar scenarios play themselves out daily in this country.

Sue Kindred, President of Service Dog 411, noted examples of noncompliance with service dog laws in a recent white paper:

• In Denver, Colorado a blind woman tried to hail a cab. The cab driver insisted that she put her service dog in the trunk of his cab. 
• In South Carolina, a woman entered a restaurant, and the owner asked her to sit far away from the other patrons in the back of the restaurant at a less desirable table.
• In New York, a man entered a bus with his service dog and he was ridiculed and harassed by the bus driver because his dog “didn’t have a handle” and she knew it couldn’t be a real service dog.
• In Florida, a young man was denied entrance to a “big box” warehouse store because they “require papers on all service dogs and we keep records”.

According to Kindred "In each of these instances, the service dogs were wearing a vest. The owners were humiliated and so uncomfortable with the harassment they received, that THEY complied with the business owners demands to put the dog in the trunk, sit away from other patrons, get off the bus, and leave the store. Sadly, this is all too often the case and it perpetuates the criminality of not abiding by the law."

What should you do if you and your service dog are denied access? The Delta Society recommends:

"If you are illegally denied access to or otherwise discriminated against in a place of public accommodation because of your service animal, stay calm. Explain that the ADA (or state law if it provides greater protection) protects your right to be accompanied by your service animal in places of public accommodation. If that does not get you admitted, ask to speak to the manager or supervisor. Repeat the explanation. If you are still not admitted, you can politely offer to call the police to have them explain the law."

Going somewhere with your service dog? Carry with you at all times a card that explains your service dog's rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sharing these cards with anyone who questions your rights will, hopefully, continue the process of educating employees and owners of businesses: 

There are many kinds of service dogs - not just service dogs for the blind - and they are ALL permitted in your place of business.

Service Dogs in School

The role of service dogs is changing dramatically. With the rights afforded people with disabilities through the Americans with Disabilities Act, more and more children are able to take their service dogs to school. Read the story of two kids and their service dogs on NPR's website. Even though these are not Diabetic Alert Dogs, the same rights - because of the Americans with Disabilities Act - apply to DADs and a multitude of other kinds of service dogs. 

Kids with Diabetes. The Classroom.

Managing diabetes is a 24-hour-a-day job ... including when your child is in school. The American Diabetes Association created the Safe at School program to ensure that:

• All children with diabetes are medically safe at school and
• All children with diabetes have the same educational opportunities as their classmates.

Take advantage of this program that helps families overcome barriers at school by providing solutions to challenges their child may encounter.

Learn more about diabetic alert dogs here.

Service Dog Cards

All service dog teams, at one time or another, find themselves faced with a person who does not know about the rights afforded service dogs because of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For those occasions, a service dog card like this one is a simple solution. The cards are affordable handouts and are a wonderful way to educate.