On February 11, 2012, I was denied access at the Pizza Hut in Suffolk, VA, because of my Seeing Eye Dog, Dextra, a female yellow Labrador Retriever.
My family and I entered the Pizza Hut and I was immediately told that my dog was not welcome and I'd have to leave. We tried to calmly explain to them that she was allowed and the hostess argued for a few minutes, before saying she'd go talk to her manager.
My kids got upset, so Gordon, my husband, took them out, while I tried to educate the hostess and manager. I called to them, several times, that my dog was allowed and what they were doing was against the law. When I heard no reply, I warned them that the police could be called on them for doing this. Still no response, so I stepped outside and stood on the
sidewalk, while I called the police. I actually called 911, and the operator
told me that all she had to do was tell the officer that a lady with a Seeing
Eye Dog was being denied access and he said "I'm on my way!"
While waiting outside for the officer, The hostess poked her head out of the
door and I was first told I had to show paperwork proving she was a guide
dog, no I don't, Asking to see any kind of paperwork proving that a dog is a guide dog is actually also against the law. The only question they are legally allowed to ask is "What is the dog used for?" My dog wears an official Seeing Eye, Inc. harness and is extremely well behaved, along with being very clean. There was nothing my dog or I did to warrant this treatment, in fact, the whole time I was standing outside with her, she sat calmly beside me, never getting up, even as people passed by us.
A few more minutes passed and then she poked her head out of the door again and I was told I could come in, but they'd make
me sit near the door, in case people were afraid of my dog. Told them that
was also descrimination. Never once did the manager come to talk to me, during all of this exchange. I was just told that they had called the regional manager, by the hostess.
Then the Officer showed up and I told him what had happened and he was
quite upset and went in to inform them of the laws they were breaking. Shortly
after, the Regional Manager showed up, she was very nice, when she stopped to talk to me for a few seconds, before she headed inside to talked to her employees and the Officer.
A few minutes later the Officer and Regional Manager came back outside and told me that it was straightened out and we had an offer of a free lunch.
We did decide to go ahead and go in and show them how Dextra behaved. The Regional Manager made the manager wait on our table, personally, and the Regional Manager came over and made sure we were doing alright, after we had ordered. She told us she had gone over the laws, state and federal, with her employees and would be sure that the other employees were better educated in the future. We thanked her for this as I believe education is so key in this and avoiding situations like this. If the public was better educated people with service dogs wouldn't get harrassed as much as we do.
One of the odd things is, I've been here several times before with my guides and this is the first time I've had an issue, at this particular Pizza Hut. I've had minor issues at another one in another nearby town, but was never denied access, it was more the other customers making rude comments.
I wasn't about to let these people get away with descrimination. This is
the first time I've actually called the police, though I have filed
complaints and done some other actions to this kind of thing before, but it was
definitely my first time involving a police officer and I was happy to have one
that was apparently aware of the laws and wasn't going to let me be
descrminated against. I've actually heard of cases where other guide dog users have called the police for being denied access and have the police officers side with the establishment. Guide dogs are not a new thing and there are laws in every state and at the federal level protecting our rights to take them with us where ever we go. It is amazing how much education still needs to be done.
I've lived in this area for almost 10 years and I still get asked, on a regular basis about my dog being in a store, restaurant, etc, jus tlike this Pizza Hut, places I go on a regular basis, and it is very annoying. About 3 years ago, I did have to call our local Wal-Mart and talk to a manager about the harrassment I was getting from the employees every time I went in the store. I told him I was getting really tired of it, as I was a very regular customer. It must have worked, because now when I go in there, I rarely get asked about my Seeing Eye Dog, anymore.
Education, Education, Education!
So, thought I'd share with you all Dextra's Denied Access Adventure, doing my part for educating the public!
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