Houston police kick veteran with service dog out of restaurant: ‘You’re not blind’

[MrScorpio]

By Scott Kaufman
Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:29 EST



A twenty-three year veteran of both the U.S. Army and Navy who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) says that a police officer asked him and his service dog, Bandit, to leave a Houston area restaurant because “you’re not blind.”

Aryeh Ohayon claims that Bandit is there to help him cope if “I start to go into a panic attack, or into a flashback mode.” Memories acquired during his twenty-three years of service have left Ohayon struggling with depression, in addition to PTSD.

But none of that mattered when he attempted to have dinner at a Thai Spice Buffet II, which denied him service. He called the police to inform them of the denial, and when an officer arrived, he was as unsympathetic as restaurant employees.

“I told him what my disabilities were,” Ohayon told KHOU11. “That’s when he said, you’re not blind, I don’t see why you need the dog.”

“It feels like your service and experience that you’ve done to defend and uphold the Constitution and protect this country have been belittled,” Ohayon said.

Last year, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a bill that made it a misdemeanor to refuse entry to service dogs, irrespective of the disability of their owners.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/27/houston-police-kick-veteran-with-service-dog-out-of-restaurant-youre-not-blind/

Cops in this country are some seriously sadistic bastards, I tell ya.

[frazzled]

1. I just saw a segment on these service dogs for PTSD yesterday

Where was it? I can't even remember (I probably need a dog to help me deal with my failing memory.)

But it was really touching: a Vietnam veteran who had suffered for decades, lost his family and job, got better from the panic attacks on drugs but couldn't function all that well because of the side-effects. Then he was given this service dog, and he claims to have been happier and more productive than ever. He'd wanted a retriever but was offered a cockapoo: thought it would be silly, but fell in love with it.

[Sunlei]

2. charge the buffet and the police officer with misdemeanor charge ( Perry signed the bill for)

Get rid of the police officer, it's not his job to decide who needs a service dog!!