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Service Dog Denied From Wal-Mart

Published by Fox23News.com
http://www.fox23news.com/common/printstory/default.aspx? content_id=0829dd2d-922a-40c8-ae5d-ff6d0ec24fa6

It is required by law, and it is also Wal-Mart's policy to allow service animals in all of its stores... But one woman says she was forced out of the Wal-Mart in Albany....after bringing her service puppy into the store over the weekend. Michell Shilling says she explained to the customer service manager when she entered the Wal-Mart that she had a service dog, and that by law, they were allowed in... But apparently, that didn't matter -- she says she and her dog were hunted down and kicked out within minutes.

Shilling says she has a child who has a neurobiological brain disorder, and the dogs are being trained as psychiatric service dogs.

Shilling's daughter uses a service dog to help draw people to her, thus creating more interaction with others. Michell says she took the puppy that she's training to be her daughter's service dog, into Wal-Mart -- and that's when the discrimination started...

She says, “We were told our dogs were not working, they were not seeing eye dogs, so they were not considered service dogs, and they refused to allow them to be in.” But by law -- a service animal is allowed into any public area, except in very few circumstances.

According to the New York Attorney General's office, and the Americans with Disabilities Act -- a service animal is defined as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.

Michell says she tried to explain that to the customer service manager -- but it didn't matter...

She says, “We were hunted down after 10 minutes of being in the facility and escorted out.”

Even after Michell went to police... she says the Wal-Mart employee refused to listen...

It is an incident that may have left her 12-year old daughter more upset than ever...

Shilling says, “my daughter has become very withdrawn, and they're talking about admitting her back into the hospital because she has become so distressed."

An incident -- the Shillings hope raise awareness to this type of ignorance.

Shilling says, “they're there to do a job...and children and adults need to have the availability to have their lives be as normal as anybody else."

Now -- Wal-Mart did investigate this matter....and tonight, they tell say that it is their policy to allow service animals into the store. As far as this particular case goes -- the store says "our associates apparently mistook it for just a puppy, not a trained service animal." Furthermore -- the company says they will provide more training to the associates at this particular store, to ensure that customers with disabilities and their service animals are welcome inside.