An ex-serviceman entered a restaurant, took a seat, and then placed his order for breakfast. But shortly after, the manager came over and ejected him. Was the eatery mistaken?
Veteran Major Diggs Brown served in the Army for more than 30 years. And he wasn’t completely undamaged by his service to our nation. He had PTSD after his return from Afghanistan. Sadly, the Chicago restaurant employees had a terrible manner of «thanking» the Colorado soldier for his sacrifice when he visited there.
He attempted to take a seat at Cochon Volant on West Monroe Street for a good brunch but was rudely rebuffed. Major Brown’s service dog, Arthur, has been by his side for years as a result of his PTSD. According to CBS Local, this was the situation when he was asked to leave the Chicago eatery.As Brown remembered, «The hostess escorted my assistance dog and me to the table, and the young girl named Hannah said you can’t have a dog in the restaurant. He understood right away that she was mistaken. He informed her that the Americans with Disabilities Act stated otherwise while maintaining his composure. Brown informed the hostess, «This is my service dog; he can go wherever I go; it’s the law.»
After taking a seat and placing his order, Hannah quickly came back to see him. She informed him that he had to go this time. He reminded her once more that Arthur is a service dog and that doing otherwise would be illegal, but she said, «I don’t care; you need to leave; we don’t have dogs in the restaurant.» Brown walked away humiliated. The encounter stayed with him even after he returned to Fort Collins via the airport.
Arthur is more than just a dog. He is a crucial and essential component of the veteran’s life. He does a variety of tasks. When I have nightmares, he wakes me up. He calms me down when I’m having anxiety episodes. Brown said, «He saved my life, and I’m even off the narcotics. He, therefore, realized he had to tell his story.
«When I got home, I posted what happened to me on my Facebook page, and it went viral,» Brown remembered. Brown stated, «Guess this would be a case of no thanks for your service, after explaining that he, a veteran, and his service dog were denied service and asked to leave.» And it gained popularity because he was entirely correct.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) stipulates that, with very few exceptions, service animals must typically be welcomed in all public areas. Not one of them is a restaurant. They cannot prevent service animals from traveling with their owners.
Sadly, it appears that wait staff and other restaurant personnel are unaware of this. Fortunately, in this instance, the establishment in question tried to make amends.
The restaurant’s manager apologized to Brown over the phone and through email. They commented on the matter on Facebook as well. The restaurant replied, «The Cochon Volant family is both sorry and disturbed to read this report of a veteran’s experience.
The proprietors of Cochon Volant said, «Not only are we well aware of and in compliance with all ADA requirements surrounding service dogs, but we also have a keen appreciation for the sacrifices made by veterans and are delighted to welcome staff members and workers who have proudly served this nation.The restaurant also announced it was giving a gift to Puppies Behind Bars, where Arthur received his training, and started an urgent internal review of its policy on staff ADA requirements training. Brown claims that this is the first time he has ever been asked to leave because of his service dog and that he is pleased with the outcome.
«It’s not my intention to destroy a restaurant, but it is my intention to make them aware that they have violated a law that not only affects veterans with service dogs but other people with disabilities with service laws, and that they need to be aware that it’s discrimination,» he added. «They’ve stepped up to the plate, and they are going to make some changes at the restaurant. I’m happy in my mind that it is resolved.»
Brown expressed his concern for the worker who asked him to leave, saying, «I really hope this young lady isn’t fired for this; she just needed to be educated.» Because Major Diggs Brown’s situation is not unique, education is definitely necessary.
Education before termination would be far more beneficial than the latter. It’s crucial that everyone hear this narrative for that reason. Sharing what occurred to Major Brown and his dog Arthur in the hopes that it would save another soldier from experiencing the same thing. The service of our veterans should be appreciated, not illegally withheld.