Restaurant turns away Shellbrook veteran with service dog

“And I told him that he was a service dog, and he was certified and he said ‘is he a seeing-eye dog?’, I said ‘no, he’s for a medical service for a condition that I have,’” Sharron said. He told the man that Rylie is a medical services dog that he needs for his medical condition. He said the man asked him what his condition is, and he replied that it was none of his business.

“And he said, ‘well, he’s not allowed in then,” Sharron said. “And I said, ‘well, he’s a service dog, he has the same rights as a seeing-eye dog. He’s a service animal.’” He said the man again asked about Sharron’s condition, and again he did not tell him, but explained he had paperwork for Rylie. Rylie was also wearing an orange service dog vest at the time.

Service dogs such as Rylie help those with PTSD, as well as other disorders, manage their symptoms. They are trained to recognize signs of anxiety or similar kinds of attacks, and to start interacting with their owners. Sharron keeps Rylie’s leash tied to his waist, and he provides Sharron with a constant distraction that prevents his mind from drifting. His wife and young children have noticed a change in him since he got Rylie.

The conversation between Sharron and the man was loud enough to draw attention from other people in the restaurant, according to Sharron. “And I’m looking around and feeling like if I can crawl into a hole, I would,” he said.

Sharron said asked to speak to the owner, and the man told him that he is the owner — Ray Littlechilds.

Littlechilds said Sharron gave no indication he was a vet. “He didn’t explain himself, show any documentation at all. And we said, ‘we need to know for health reasons.’”

He said Sharron asked if someone came with a seeing-eye dog, if he’d let them in. “I said, ‘yes, if he’s blind and he’s got a service dog, sure.’”

Littlechilds emphasized his support for Canadian military veterans – his uncle died in combat and other family members have served.

“We couldn’t allow him in on the way he talked to us,” Littlechilds said. “He says, ‘this is none of your business,’ you know, and I said, ‘well, I can’t let you in.”

It was at that point, Sharron said he decided not to press the issue further. He then started to leave, but briefly sat on the bench near the exit to make a phone call to Rylie’s trainer.

He said Littlechilds told him he would have to go out into the foyer in the mall to do that. He left.

Sharron, upset by the incident, walked around to calm down, and then called a lawyer. The lawyer for MSAR, which trained and provided his service dog, has been in contact with Littlechilds’ lawyer.

Littlechilds said another person went to the restaurant days later and scolded him, and told him that Sharron is a veteran. He said he told the man he had no idea this was the case at the time.

“We would have been happy to have him as a guest, as far as an individual. I don’t stop people from coming to my business. I welcome every single customer there is. It doesn’t matter what you are, what colour, what race, if there’s any disabilities whatsoever, they are welcome at Smitty’s.”

He said he would welcome Sharron back.

“All we were trying to do was live by the letter of the law of the health regulations and purposes and that’s something that’s very strict, and there’s a lot of meningitis, etcetera. We have to run with the health regulations. Smitty’s does run with health regulations.”

Sharron is now hoping for greater public awareness about service dogs, as more of them are with Canadian military veterans.

Another Canadian military veteran based in Cold Lake, Alta. was not allowed to board an Air Canada flight with her service dog but was allowed her to travel with it as a pet for a fee. She too has PTSD, and owns the dog because it helps her stay calm.

The airline has since apologized for the incident.

Sharron said the last time he was turned away with Rylie, it was months before he went to places where he knew his service dog would be accepted. He has taken Rylie with him to stores and restaurants in Prince Albert – without incident.

“It just takes one.”

-With files from James Bowler and the Canadian Press.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames

by Thia James

Restaurant turns away Shellbrook veteran with service dog

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