Indiana Veteran Turned Away Because of PTSD Service Dog

Kokomo veteran files complaint after local business turns away service dog 
WTHR News Indiana
By Emily Longnecker, WTHR reporter
Updated: May 08, 2015

KOKOMO, Ind. - You wouldn't know it to look at her lounging at her owner's feet in a living room in Kokomo, but Ella, a 16-month-old shepherd mix, has a job.

"She is a hardworking service animal," explained Ella's owner Jody Mitchell.

That means, where Jody goes, Ella goes too.

"I need her. She's basically a piece of medical equipment," explained Jody.

It's Ella's job to help the 48-year-old United States Army veteran navigate the hearing loss and post-traumatic stress disorder she lives with after her military service.

"This dog has gone through a lot of extensive training," Jody said of Ella.

That training has prepared Ella to wear a service dog vest and walk down the aisles of a grocery stores or sit in restaurants right along side Jody.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs are allowed anywhere their humans and the public are allowed to go. It's federal law and has been for several years.

Under the ADA, service dogs must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless the devices interfere with the dog's ability to work or the person's disability prevents using such devices.
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Here's a few thoughts.

We need to consider there are fake service dogs popping up all over the country. Easy to buy a vest and piece of paper online. The owners of these dogs are lower than dirt. They just want to take their dogs wherever they want, whenever they want, but never, ever consider the disabled really needing them. Too selfish to think of others.

Topping that off is the fact that veterans need to stop thinking they will be welcomed everywhere. It is wrong and it needs to change but that won't happen until more veterans have been subjected to fools.

Among other things PTSD Service Dogs do is offer support for the veteran to go out in public. Not such an easy thing but situations like this cause more stress.

If you have a PTSD service dog, you can avoid this. Call ahead. Let them know you have a PTSD Service Dog and want to come into their business. If they are up on the law, they will make accommodations for you without any friction, added stress or embarrassment. Then you can feel comfortable.

If they say no, then take to social media to let others know about this business rejecting you and breaking the law. After all, you need to stand up for your rights and folks need to know what the business is all about. Plus this way, you won't have to face some stupid jerk turning what could have been a good day into a nightmare!