Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. – Another win for service dogs!

Part of our goal at Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. is to help educate the public about the appropriate protocol for interactions with service dogs. In the following excerpt from a recent U.S. Department of Justice release, service dogs score a big win.

“The Justice Department reached an agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the When Pigs Fly BBQ Pit restaurant in Westfield, New York to resolve a complaint under title III of the ADA.

The Department’s investigation found that the restaurant discriminated against a veteran with PTSD when it refused to seat him and his family in the main dining room because he was accompanied by his service dog.

The settlement agreement requires the restaurant to adopt and implement a service dog policy; provide training on the service dog policy to employees and managers; and post the service dog policy at the restaurant and on the restaurant’s website and in its advertising. The When Pigs Fly BBQ Pit cooperated with the Department throughout the investigation.”

People interested in finding out more about the ADA or this agreement can call the toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA website at https://www.ada.gov

If you are partnered with a legitimate service dog, your companion is granted protection under the ADA. If your dog is denied access to a venue accessible to all others, do your best to educate in a kind manner. When you take the time to do so, you are not only mediating your situation, you are helping pave the way for others who may visit the same location accompanied by an assistance dog.