[(JD)]

Ok, so what does that have to do with health support?

I was denied entry because of my service dog!

The federal government has it's own rules when it comes to ADA guidelines. However, in 1978 section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was written to INCLUDE the ADA requirements that spoke to all government and public encounters/buildings etc.

That the officer did NOT know just "floored" me. He asked questions I could have filed Title III charges for, but of course that isn't my purpose in life. I choose to educate him.

I will return in the morning with printed regulations for federal offices in hand, maybe even hole-punched for his notebook.

Here is the link that will cover all entities, for anyone who may need them. http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/504/disability_primer_1.html

[nothemama8]

Yepper, thats our main job in life I guess, to educate those who choose to be misinformed (sp)
Hey Caleb bite them in the butt for me and Tara

chances are the guard was just a contracted guard and not a federal officer...i have run into that before (i was the disabilities assisitance officer at the federal building/facility where i worked)..many times the contracted employee "rent -a-cop" aren't familiar with all the reg's.

now on the otehr hand IF it was a federal law enforcement officer...thenthe guy deserves to be written up and sent for retraining because there is no excuse for that.

personally i file a complaint. it is not acceptable either way as the service dog should be allowed access.

[(JD)]

Yep.

I'll double check his uniform when I go back. I'm so tired tonight, maybe I will be able to rise early enough to get there when he opens the place. LOL

Oh I haven't written a letter for the supervisor to make sure he/she has a policy in place regarding compliance with the ADA. sigh.

If I wrote everyone up that breaks Title III that's all I'd be doing in life I think. I volunteer with the Scouts, and though they aren't required to comply with ADA Title III, they generally do accommodate quite well. However, they fail to realize there are words and wordings they probably should follow also. I'm personally working on that this spring, putting into scouting words. ROFL

[Rhapsody]

Sorry you had to deal with this Sky..... ((( hugs )))

[AAAAA]

I find it hard to believe anyone in the country would not be aware of allowances for service animals. Some people may be surprised to find all of the new uses we have for them, but to be ignorant that the animals are permitted just amazes me.

I would file a complaint, not to get the officer in trouble, but to make sure that it doesn't happen again, there is no excuse for it.

[lizardlady]

Sky, it doesn't matter whether this guy was a rent-a-cop, federal employee or whatever. He violated your civil rights! Complain - IN WRITING - about what he did.

[ECHOES]

Unbelievable!!

I'm sorry this happened to you.

But I love that you can have a sense of (irritated!) humor about it ---

maybe even hole-punched for his notebook.

((( Sky )))

[(JD)]

Thanks all!

I did take a copy of the DOJ bulletin on the expansion of the Section 504. When I went in he didn't even look at me, didn't face me when he spoke and outwardly denied that he had denied me entrance the day before. When I "forced" the papers into his hand, he said that he's with Homeland Security and it doesn't apply to him, that I'd have to contact the Homeland Security Office.

Once again HE punched in information and gave me the paper number ticket from the machine. (This is a privacy issue, imo, but a side issue at this point. The machine is in the foyer for public use, so you don't have to state your business, just go to the machine and select it and get a number for that person.) As it turns out I waited 1 1/2 hours for the wrong person, and had to wait more.
I became ill with a migraine, and Caleb barfed during the wait too.

ANYWAY, I decided to dispense with the minions and I wrote my CONGRESSMAN! I included the name of the officer, since I had a chance to read his full name on his badge this time. I also included that his attitude was arrogant and how he "happened" to have listed me for the wrong person. I included something else I can't recall right now... but the lady behind me told me what he said since I had missed it....and it was important to include.

I guess he might have been flaunting to his buddies about my claims but found out he WAS wrong that day...and couldn't stand that a white female would be right. So he took it out on me (his ignorance) two days in a row. DOH!

I told the Congressman that I wasn't at this time filing a Title III violation complaint against the guy. hint hint. But you know, when it comes right down to it, my not having the witnesses names means it's his word against mine. I choose my battles. It isn't with him.

I asked the Congressman to consider having Congress demand the Section 504 rewrite be REWRITTEN completely as it is still too confusing and ambiguous for federal employees to understand. LOL well, maybe not quite in those words.

I sensed my duty to do this, as it's too difficult for so many disabled people (especially hearing impaired) to articulate AND have the energy to follow through. That's what I do. (I.E. I'll go to a particular restaurant that may have refused a deaf person with service dog... and go eat there even though I don't really want to... go there with my dog so that I may help educate the owner. I sure hope enough people are educated by the time I can't speak with them about it!!! LOL Anyway, usually after being kicked out by the police I receive an apology by the owner and a free meal!) (No hope for police? rofl) OK I'm digging in deeper here. LOL

Thanks again for sharing the ride!

[AAAAA]

I hope they give the matter serious concideration. It seems that "Homeland Security" has forgotten who they're serving!

[kebsfroggy]

I got tickled when I read your post. Not because of what happened but because I'm almost convinced that the "government" doesn't know its right from its left.

My oldest son works in one federal building. He says they run into situations all the time where "one set of idiots doesn't know what the other set of idiots are doing" even when they are both working on the same project.

I'm so glad everything worked out for you.

[Tumnus]

Originally Posted by _Sky

Thanks all!

I sensed my duty to do this, as it's too difficult for so many disabled people (especially hearing impaired) to articulate AND have the energy to follow through. That's what I do. (I.E. I'll go to a particular restaurant that may have refused a deaf person with service dog... and go eat there even though I don't really want to... go there with my dog so that I may help educate the owner. I sure hope enough people are educated by the time I can't speak with them about it!!! LOL Anyway, usually after being kicked out by the police I receive an apology by the owner and a free meal!) (No hope for police? rofl) OK I'm digging in deeper here. LOL

Thanks again for sharing the ride!

Okay, so I have always known that service animals have access where other animals don't--even property mgmnt companies who don't take pets have to take service animals by law and that's a good thing. But I have to confess my ignorance. There are service dogs for the hearing impaired? I guess it makes sense that if a dog can be a person's eyes then a dog can also be a person's ears. I'd just never thought about it before. Can you expand on that a bit for the non-federal ignorants in the PC crowd?

[AAAAA]

There are service dogs out there now for many many things we would have never thought possible in the past. There are those for the blind, hearing impaired, seizure dogs, dogs that help disabled people complete activities like opening doors etc, therapy dogs (although therapy does are not legally the same as service dogs). This list is quite extensive. They really are man's best friend.

Check out this web site: http://www.nhm.org/exhibitions/dogs/atd/assistance.html

[wyrmhaven]

Originally Posted by AAAAA

I find it hard to believe anyone in the country would not be aware of allowances for service animals. Some people may be surprised to find all of the new uses we have for them, but to be ignorant that the animals are permitted just amazes me.

I would file a complaint, not to get the officer in trouble, but to make sure that it doesn't happen again, there is no excuse for it.

Please be careful here, i mean i know that the bush regime is out but this new one really isn't much safer, and be it rent-a-cop or not, more and more of them are getting away with violations such as this. be safe and calm at all times, and if you have the misfortune of running into Mr. Intimidator just turn and walk away.