A Raleigh restaurant is
making amends after a veteran and his service dog were denied entry, sparking
outrage and a quick resolution.
Steve Jones, a
Winston-Salem resident, was in Raleigh on business in early November when he
decided to stop by Buffalo Brothers, a restaurant he had visited before with
his service dog, Koda. But this visit was different.
“I walked in, and the
manager said, ‘We don’t allow dogs in here,’” Jones recounted. “I said, ‘But
it’s a service dog. There’s a federal law,’ and he replied, ‘It ain’t my law.’”
Shocked and frustrated,
Jones left the restaurant.
Under federal law, businesses cannot deny entry to
service animals — animals trained to assist individuals with disabilities,
including PTSD. Koda, a loyal companion to Jones, is registered as a service
dog with the state and has the documentation to prove it.
“There are veterans out
there that need service dogs,” Jones emphasized, adding that the interaction
left him disheartened.
The incident caught the
attention of another patron, a fellow veteran, who walked out of the restaurant
in solidarity. That patron suggested Jones contact WRAL’s 5 On Your Side for
help.
“I looked it up and
decided to reach out,” Jones said.
Buffalo Brothers’
operations manager, Clare Redman, was quick to address the issue once it was
brought to her attention.
“We were disappointed to
hear of a situation like this because we are a company that values active
military and veterans,” Redman said.
The restaurant took
decisive action, firing the manager involved in the incident, issuing a $50
gift card to Jones, and retraining staff to ensure all service dogs are
welcomed at their locations.
Jones appreciated the
apology, which included a personal meeting with Redman.
“They owned up to the
mistake and made it right,” Jones said.
For Jones, the resolution
was about more than a gift card or apology. It was a step toward ensuring no
other veteran faces the same treatment.
Know your rights with service animals
Federal law requires
businesses to allow service animals to accompany their owners. A service
animal is defined as a dog trained to perform specific tasks for an individual
with a disability. Business owners can ask only two questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What task has the dog been trained to perform?
Businesses cannot ask for
documentation.
For more information on
service animal rights, visit ADA.gov.
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