The Patriotic Earthling (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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accessibility_fail2009-06-19 10:32 pm
orbitaldiamonds) wrote in accessibility_fail2009-06-19 10:32 pm
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Because sometimes it's people that fail at access.
( source )
Man, service dog turned away at fairgrounds
Posted: March 2, 2009 07:00 PM
Updated: March 3, 2009 06:19 AM
Robin Davis
"Doc" is Davis' service dog.
Emily Longnecker/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Confusion led to a "canine controversy" at the state fairgrounds for a man who served his country and the service dog now responsible for serving him.
Where Robin Davis goes, so does his 5-year-old Labrador named "Doc".
"I don't take him places because he's my buddy. I take him places because I need his service," said Davis.
That's why Doc was with Davis in Saint Vincent Northeast's emergency room Monday afternoon.
"This afternoon, I had a seizure and fell in the kitchen," explained Davis. "Trusty Doc was there because he brought me out of the seizure by licking my face."
That's Doc's job - he's a service dog.
"If I'm by myself, he's with me," said Davis.
And that was the case this past weekend when Davis says he took Doc to the Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show at the Fairgrounds. He said a man taking tickets stopped him from entering Pepsi Coliseum.
"Told me I couldn't bring dogs in that building. I explained to him Doc was a service dog and he kind of shooed me away," said Davis.
According to Davis, he ended up going through another door. Thirty minutes later, he says a woman who said she was with the Boat Show asked him and Doc to leave.
"She said that she was doing her job," said Davis.
Twenty minutes later, Davis says the same thing happened with another Boat Show worker.
"I went through the whole thing of him being a service dog," explained Davis.
Davis says he went to the office and talked to an employee for the show's organizer, Renfro Productions.
"She was sorry that I thought it was federal law that I could have my dog in there. That she didn't care," says Davis.
Eyewitness News talked to one of the show's owners, Mark Kaley, he said there were other dogs at the State Fairgrounds this past weekend for a jumping competition and that some of those dogs were going where they weren't supposed to. Kaley said it was possible some workers got Doc confused with the competition dogs.
Kaley apologized for any confusion and said it was never their intention to keep service dogs out.
Eyewitness News later received this official statement from Renfro Productions:
"The long standing policy of Renfro Productions has always been to allow service dogs of any kind into our consumer product shows, such as the Indianapolis Boat, Sport, and Travel show. Our company and our employees continually strive to provide the highest level of customer service and convenience to all of our patrons and exhibitors."
Davis says that's not the treatment he and Doc received this past weekend.
"It was humiliating. I mean it was embarrassing. You know, when these people were telling me I had to leave, people were looking at me like I had done something wrong," he said.
Davis says one of Renfro Productions owners called him and apologized. But while Davis says he appreciates the apology, he is still considering filing a complaint.
Man, service dog turned away at fairgrounds
Posted: March 2, 2009 07:00 PM
Updated: March 3, 2009 06:19 AM
Robin Davis
"Doc" is Davis' service dog.
Emily Longnecker/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Confusion led to a "canine controversy" at the state fairgrounds for a man who served his country and the service dog now responsible for serving him.
Where Robin Davis goes, so does his 5-year-old Labrador named "Doc".
"I don't take him places because he's my buddy. I take him places because I need his service," said Davis.
That's why Doc was with Davis in Saint Vincent Northeast's emergency room Monday afternoon.
"This afternoon, I had a seizure and fell in the kitchen," explained Davis. "Trusty Doc was there because he brought me out of the seizure by licking my face."
That's Doc's job - he's a service dog.
"If I'm by myself, he's with me," said Davis.
And that was the case this past weekend when Davis says he took Doc to the Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show at the Fairgrounds. He said a man taking tickets stopped him from entering Pepsi Coliseum.
"Told me I couldn't bring dogs in that building. I explained to him Doc was a service dog and he kind of shooed me away," said Davis.
According to Davis, he ended up going through another door. Thirty minutes later, he says a woman who said she was with the Boat Show asked him and Doc to leave.
"She said that she was doing her job," said Davis.
Twenty minutes later, Davis says the same thing happened with another Boat Show worker.
"I went through the whole thing of him being a service dog," explained Davis.
Davis says he went to the office and talked to an employee for the show's organizer, Renfro Productions.
"She was sorry that I thought it was federal law that I could have my dog in there. That she didn't care," says Davis.
Eyewitness News talked to one of the show's owners, Mark Kaley, he said there were other dogs at the State Fairgrounds this past weekend for a jumping competition and that some of those dogs were going where they weren't supposed to. Kaley said it was possible some workers got Doc confused with the competition dogs.
Kaley apologized for any confusion and said it was never their intention to keep service dogs out.
Eyewitness News later received this official statement from Renfro Productions:
"The long standing policy of Renfro Productions has always been to allow service dogs of any kind into our consumer product shows, such as the Indianapolis Boat, Sport, and Travel show. Our company and our employees continually strive to provide the highest level of customer service and convenience to all of our patrons and exhibitors."
Davis says that's not the treatment he and Doc received this past weekend.
"It was humiliating. I mean it was embarrassing. You know, when these people were telling me I had to leave, people were looking at me like I had done something wrong," he said.
Davis says one of Renfro Productions owners called him and apologized. But while Davis says he appreciates the apology, he is still considering filing a complaint.
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FAIL so hard.
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Not that I'm banking entirely on random police knowing the law but you'd hope maybe they would.
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wow, that's stupid.
Who has *not* heard of service animals?