Posted on 09/13/2014 2:38:18 PM PDT by walford
PATERSON, NJ -- A disabled veteran was thrown out of a fast food restaurant because of his service dog.
The incident itself is troubling enough, but you won't believe what happened after the Eyewitness News investigators arrived at the restaurant to demand answers.
It's one of the most bizarre exchanges Eyewitness News has ever had on a story. Federal law is very clear: Dogs are recognized as service animals and all businesses open to the public, including restaurants, must allow them in.
But a U.S. Army veteran says a Subway restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey, blatantly ignored the law, and now, he's determined to send them a message in court.
Richard Hunter's troubled life turned around in July when the U.S. Army veteran received a service dog from the non-profit group Dogs4Warriors. The 50-year-old suffers from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
"He realizes I'm having anxiety before I do," Richard Hunter said.
*video*
So, it was a big deal when Hunter finally took his son and a coworker to lunch a few weeks ago at a Subway restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey.
"This was huge to go out with my son for the first time in over ten years," Hunter said.
The sign on the door seemingly said it all: "Service animals are welcome," but Hunter claims the manager, later identified as Mitul Ahmed, said something very different.
"I may have been holding the door when he first said something. He said, 'The dog is not allowed in here. Get the dog out of here,'" Hunter said.
"He was clearly identified as a service animal," Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter Sarah Wallace said.
"He was wearing what he has on right now," Hunter said. "I said he was a service animal."
"He didn't care," Wallace said.
"That's exactly what he said, 'I don't care,'" Hunter said.
Hunter called the cops who said they couldn't do anything. He then called the owner.
"The owner told me straight up: 'I can refuse service to anyone I want,'" Hunter said.
That's when Hunter reached out to disability rights attorney Robert Tandy.
"No food establishment can refuse entry to a service animal," Tandy said.
"Plain and simple," Wallace said.
"Simple as that," Tandy said.
When Eyewitness News found the manager, Mitul Ahmed, behind the counter he denied everything.
"You're not Mitul Ahmed," Wallace said.
"No, he's not here," Ahmed said.
Oh, and that sign on the door, suddenly changed. The line about service animals welcome was removed.
The owner's son arrived, with a foot-long list of excuses.
"If he's not going to say he made a mistake, that's fine too, because I'm going to be the better person, you know, we both messed up, all right, we messed up more," said Zaphir Pathan, the Subway owner's son.
"How did he mess up by having a service dog and wanting to go into the store, I don't understand that?" Wallace said.
"You're completely twisting the situation, that's funny," Pathan said.
"If I go into that Subway with a service dog, will I be allowed in?" Wallace asked.
"You can go in right now because now we know," he said.
*video*
Now, Guess what? Ahmed is still working and still in denial.
"You weren't here," Wallace said.
"No," Ahmed said.
"So, you're ok having him work for you when he lied?" Wallace asked.
"Who doesn't lie when they don't want their case thrown under the water?" Pathan said.
"OK, my goodness," Wallace said.
"I was just looking for an apology. I was just looking for an apology that you're wrong," Hunter said. "Now, I'm afraid to go out. I'm having anxiety even to go to the corner store now."
Suicide Rates Soar among WWII Vets, Records Show
https://www.baycitizen.org/news/veterans/suicide-rates-soar-among-wwii-vets/
“Suicide Rates Soar among WWII Vets, Records Show”
Are you saying if they were given a dog they wouldn’t commit suicide?
The men who stormed the beaches went back to their lives as best they could. They didn’t need a free dog. What would Patton say?
Patton loved his dog but slapped his soldiers and things didn’t end so well for him.
Even though I love my German Shepherd, I really don't want to take him to lunch with me - and I doubt many others would either unless the dog had a specific purpose.
I also don't like the idea of people having their pets marked as service dogs when they are clearly not needed as such but when they truly are a service dog too often the owner is treated as this man was.
Miniature horses (which are no larger than a large dog) are easily housebroken and trained and they live a lot longer than large dogs.
Well, aren't YOU just the know-it-all?
My Dr. insisted on handicapped plates for me - I asked "Why?" (I hadn't even thought about it.)
'Because" he said " you ARE."
See, I have a serious heart condition. If I have to park too far away from the grocery store, by the time I get around the store and back out - it can very difficult to make it all the back to the car...and there's a danger I wouldn't.
So take your sanctimonious judgment and stuff it.
You just may NOT know it all.
I knew a dog pig of a Muslim was involved here.
Another “moderate” dog pig Muslim.
Had to laugh, or actually snorted. My mom was in a wheel chair for 9 years. Many times the handicapped spots were full and so we had to park elsewhere and push her. There were rarely people in wheelchairs in the stores. Cracks me up about Walmart. You have to walk 10 miles to get through the store.
“How did the men who stormed the beaches at Normandy get by without service dogs and a lifetime monthly check for PTSD?”
Actually it was WWII blinded veterans who were the first candidates to receive seeing eye dogs. They went to an institute in Morristown, N. J. and were matched with a dog after a mutual training period. It takes a special kind of dog to be a seeing eye dog. There has to be complete trust between the dog and the vet. As for monthly checks, vets have always rec’d compensation for debilitating injuries. Do you begrudge it?
I have a rat terrier. Looks like a Jack Russel with ears that stick out to the side. Because they are so small and their natural means of safety is running away, whenever they are nervous the adrenalin kicks in and when they can’t run, they shake. When mine sees a squirrel and I hold her, she shakes cause she wants to run after it. Natural reaction.
let’s see. moosies hate dogs. dogs recognize terminators. terminators want to kill humans. moosies want to kill humans. now we know why moosies hate dogs.
I had a rat terrier growing up. Great dog.
Was fearless of anything bigger than he was.
Was scared of anything smaller-go figure.
He lived to be 19 years old.
When we got him as a little pup, my sister wanted to name him “Phineas”. But my mother said, he’s lucky to be here, so he was named “Lucky”.
My father bought a 50 pound bag of Gravy Train. The dog took one whiff and walked away.
So my mother said, “Ok, you’ll eat what we eat and like it!”
And he did.Worked for him to live to such a ripe old age.
He loved the bones from the corner butcher with the marrow still in them. He would chew that for hours.
Was smart as a whip—I swear he could understand English.
Then again, he was a Manchester rat terrier.
“debilitating injuries”
For WWII vets, “debilitating” meant their injuries were, well, debilitating. Like all vets who are actually combat wounded and do not recover fully, they deserve the support of the American people as long as they need it.
Today, debilitating has been defined down to include anyone who wants a check for life.
Percent of disability declarations at separation from the military is also a large area of fraud in the military.
One used to be able to assume that military service meant that an individual was above such petty rent-seeking. That hasn’t been the case for a long time.
Muzz is muzz.
Muslims...I knew when I saw New Jersey and dog. How do they own a Subway and not sell ham? Sue the evil barbarians. Douse the place with pork grease and blood. Nice pig head at the door would be a great touch.
I would rather wade through piles of dog excrement than enter an establishment with ragheads in it.
Not sure if you recall this, but the day the twin towers fell, the Muzzies in Patterson were out dancing and celebrating in the streets.
“the day the twin towers fell, the Muzzies in Patterson “
Of course I remember it. What does that have to do with my comment about muzzies and dogs?
And those poor store owners in Ferguson had THEIR stores destroyed for just ‘being there’...
A righteous Subway Corporation would void their franchise agreement. I guarantee there’s a clause that would apply.
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