I love dogs ...but

[FloridaMM]

We were at Brown Derby on Sunday (use to be our favorite) We had such a bad experience. Our food took one hour from the time we finished our apps to the time it was delivered. And my pork was rare in the middle. I understand that it should be a little pink but not pink in the whole inside. But that is not all. There were two woman in front of our table. And the one lady had a medical dog, which I think is wonderful. I am a big advocate of speciality trained dogs. But I was appauled that she had the dog in her lap petting it and having dog hair flying around. And having the dogs mouth on the table. Also she let the dog chew a bone from her finger at the table. I don't know about all of you but when I go to a fairly nice restaurant I don't think that a dog should be allowed to do that. I think it was extremely poor management. Usually the medical dog is seated or laying by the feet of the owner. Then the other woman took off her shoes and her feet were not clean. The manager came over and said she took off my dinner (big deal) that was our last day and I was not able to use the credits. But she said she could give us fast passes and I told her again that we are leaving in the morning. We were at the BD on Xmas Eve and there were a lot more people then on March 6. I understand that restaurants can have a bad day, but the money that you pay for this restaurant they should hire a more qualified manager.

 

[GailT]

We were at Brown Derby on Sunday (use to be our favorite) We had such a bad experience. Our food took one hour from the time we finished our apps to the time it was delivered. And my pork was rare in the middle. I understand that it should be a little pink but not pink in the whole inside. But that is not all. There were two woman in front of our table. And the one lady had a medical dog, which I think is wonderful. I am a big advocate of speciality trained dogs. But I was appauled that she had the dog in her lap petting it and having dog hair flying around. And having the dogs mouth on the table. Also she let the dog chew a bone from her finger at the table. I don't know about all of you but when I go to a fairly nice restaurant I don't think that a dog should be allowed to do that. I think it was extremely poor management. Usually the medical dog is seated or laying by the feet of the owner. Then the other woman took off her shoes and her feet were not clean. The manager came over and said she took off my dinner (big deal) that was our last day and I was not able to use the credits. But she said she could give us fast passes and I told her again that we are leaving in the morning. We were at the BD on Xmas Eve and there were a lot more people then on March 6. I understand that restaurants can have a bad day, but the money that you pay for this restaurant they should hire a more qualified manager.

I agree with service dogs but sounds like that was no handled theright way, that would of grossed me out. so sad and sorry for your bad experience but that just goes to show disney isnt exempt from anything

 

[TDC Nala]

There's no way a manager is going to kick out a customer with a clearly identified service dog, or otherwise remonstrate that customer about where the dog is sitting. That could put them afoul of federal law.

I haven't ever heard of a service dog that sits in its person's lap and is fed at the table. They are usually well trained on behavior in public. Could be a "therapy dog" (which I'd never heard of until Southwest Airlines put up something about having one in an airplane cabin). Even so, no manager is going to do anything about the customer with the dog. All they can do is try to placate the complainer, and there wasn't anything they could do since refunding your meal was not something that benefited you.

 

[FloridaMM]

I understand that there are many laws, but I don't see how that manager couldn't have mentioned that the dog should be in the stroller that the owner had for it. Also, when they cleaned the table. They did not wipe the edges where the dog had licked.

 

[LaurenT]

I don't think management had many options. People crass enough to have their dog (service or otherwise) chew on a bone from their fingers at the table in a signasture restaurant and take off their shoes to reveal sweaty, dirty feet are the same kind who will call the newspaper and whine about how poorly they were treated because they needed to have their service animal in the restaurant. For all we know, the dog may have been just a pet, but as soon as you say "this is my service animal", the establishment may not question you further...no proof is required.
They did try to comp your meal and in lieu of that offer FP's...it was unfortunate that neither we things you could use.
I am sure they would have relocated you if you had voiced your displeasure during the meal instead of after....

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I haven't ever heard of a service dog that sits in its person's lap and is fed at the table. They are usually well trained on behavior in public.

I don't think it's the dog that wasn't well trained. Service/Therapy dogs aren't trained to eat people food at the dinner table. You can't teach manners to some people and what you find offensive may not be obvious to some. Unfortunately, the restaurant had little choice. Your meal however is a different issue. Some people subscribe to cooking pork to 160 degrees, lean pork can be served med rare at 145 but not everyone likes this. Did you ask them to cook it longer, or after an hour did you just give up!

 

[Looking4themouse]

I just wanted to reiterate that you are not required to have papers on a service dog, and I am sure Disney is well aware of this. One of my coworkers used to train his own, as the expense was just too much for him, and it was not covered by his insurance. Many individuals I am sure do this and just like everything else some do it better than others. However, that being said, I have never, nor would I ever, expect to see a individual with a service dog to act that way at any restaurant signature or not. I know plenty of ppl with service dogs and the behavior of that individual was disgusting and rude. I think it also gives a bad name to other people who train their service dogs correctly, as I'm sure, for some it was their first experience around a person who owned a service dog... Unfortunately, first impresssions have a way of sticking with a person.

 

[Chloesmom]

I understand that there are many laws, but I don't see how that manager couldn't have mentioned that the dog should be in the stroller that the owner had for it. Also, when they cleaned the table. They did not wipe the edges where the dog had licked.

Stroller? So this was a small dog? It had to have been a companion animal which here in Ohio you can get certified by paying $40 ( that was a few years ago). I agree with you 100%. Management could not have thrown them out but should have asked them politely to please remove the dog from the table. The world is so full of political correctness that we seem to have lost decent manners along the way.
just curious.. was your dinner comped because of the dog or because of the delay in getting it?

 

[ShannonMB]

Sounds like you had a gross meal, sorry that happened! But it also sounds like you were the victim of some disgusting guests, and not really the management. I don't really know what else they could have done for you, other than moving you if you requested as a PP said. I'm sure the manager wasn't thrilled with these people's behavior, either, but what could he really do?

 

[FloridaMM]

My meal was taken off. Not because of the wait. Actually she should have taken the entire dinner off. All the manager said was sorry it happened and that they were backed up. I understand that happening but when other people around us came after us and was finishing up their dessert when we got our dinner. That is a problem. But when I cut into the pork and it was really undercooked that is when she said she would take my meal off because I sat there with nothing to eat when my DH and DS had their food. What I am confused about is why the manager couldn't tell the people with the dog that the dog cannot be on their lap and be fed from the table. I have been to restaurants where there has been medical dogs and the owners had respect and kept the dog sitting next to them, not on their lap. This lady's dog was more behaved than the owner. And what she is probably doing is going against some of the training that the dog had. I think the dogs owner needs training. We could have asked for another table but to me that is not the issue. Why should anyone have to see that. And why should someone have to sit there after the dog.

 

[Belle5]

Stroller? So this was a small dog? It had to have been a companion animal which here in Ohio you can get certified by paying $40 ( that was a few years ago). I agree with you 100%. Management could not have thrown them out but should have asked them politely to please remove the dog from the table. The world is so full of political correctness that we seem to have lost decent manners along the way.
just curious.. was your dinner comped because of the dog or because of the delay in getting it?

Companion animal? Isn't that what every pet is to it's owner? Wow! If there really is such a certifiable thing, then I could see lots of people paying the $40 to have their animal certified and bringing them into the parks, and dining in the restaurants instead of paying a kennel fee. If the dog in question was really small enough to carry around in a stroller, it really doesn't sound like the same kind of service dog situation we have all had understanding about in the past. (German Shepherd leading a blind person, etc...) It does make one wonder if in this world of political correctness, someone will claim that because of their emotional needs they must have their companion dog at all times and should be allowed to take them into restaurants, etc. Is that day already here? I have never heard of a story like the one posted here.

 

[badblackpug]

My meal was taken off. Not because of the wait. Actually she should have taken the entire dinner off. All the manager said was sorry it happened and that they were backed up. I understand that happening but when other people around us came after us and was finishing up their dessert when we got our dinner. That is a problem. But when I cut into the pork and it was really undercooked that is when she said she would take my meal off because I sat there with nothing to eat when my DH and DS had their food. What I am confused about is why the manager couldn't tell the people with the dog that the dog cannot be on their lap and be fed from the table. I have been to restaurants where there has been medical dogs and the owners had respect and kept the dog sitting next to them, not on their lap. This lady's dog was more behaved than the owner. And what she is probably doing is going against some of the training that the dog had. I think the dogs owner needs training. We could have asked for another table but to me that is not the issue. Why should anyone have to see that. And why should someone have to sit there after the dog.

I think this is a difficult thing for the manager to address. If it is a service dog, then it's presence was probably covered under the Americans with Disabilites Act. I think this would be tricky to confront because the woman with the dog can complain that it is her therapy dog or assist dog or whatever. I, too have never seen a service animal at the table, but I am sure the diner would have some sort of reasoning or excuse.

As for the shoes....yes the manager could have dealt with that. As well as the wait time for your food. You could have sent the meal back to be cooked a little more if it's done-ness wasn't to your liking. I wouldn't have sat there and not eaten at all.

 

[ancestry]

Companion animal? Isn't that what every pet is to it's owner? Wow! If there really is such a certifiable thing, then I could see lots of people paying the $40 to have their animal certified and bringing them into the parks, and dining in the restaurants instead of paying a kennel fee.

Companion animals are frequently used for people who suffer from seizures, panic attacks, or other disorders. The dogs are trained to sense when an attack or episode is about to come on and can alert the owner before the owner themselves can sense that anything is wrong. And yes, small breeds (i.e. lapdogs) can be trained to perform this duty.

From Wikipedia:

There are three general "types" in which an assistance dog may be further classified.[1] Most assistance dogs will be trained for only one of these, though "combination" dogs do exist.

Guide dogs assist the blind and the visually impaired.

Hearing dogs, or signal dogs, help the deaf and hard of hearing.

Service dogs refers to dogs not specifically trained for visual or hearing impairment, but trained to do other work, such as mobility assistance dogs, seizure alert dogs or other medical alert dogs, and psychiatric service dogs. In the United States, the term "service dog" may be used synonymously with "assistance dog," and is occasionally used for other types of working dogs as well.

 

[LaurenT]

Companion animal? Isn't that what every pet is to it's owner? Wow! If there really is such a certifiable thing, then I could see lots of people paying the $40 to have their animal certified and bringing them into the parks, and dining in the restaurants instead of paying a kennel fee. If the dog in question was really small enough to carry around in a stroller, it really doesn't sound like the same kind of service dog situation we have all had understanding about in the past. (German Shepherd leading a blind person, etc...) It does make one wonder if in this world of political correctness, someone will claim that because of their emotional needs they must have their companion dog at all times and should be allowed to take them into restaurants, etc. Is that day already here? I have never heard of a story like the one posted here.

There are "service" dogs specifically trained to alert their owner that they are about to have an epileptic seizure so that they will sit down, or pull over, or whatever they have to do to avoid injury. These dogs come in all shapes and sizes.
There are also "companion" animals that are for people who have things like PTSD or anxiety disorders - they have found that there companion animals keep people like this on a more even keel.
Neither of these should be chewing on a bone at the table in a restaurant.

 

[NMAmy]

My meal was taken off. Not because of the wait. Actually she should have taken the entire dinner off. All the manager said was sorry it happened and that they were backed up. I understand that happening but when other people around us came after us and was finishing up their dessert when we got our dinner. That is a problem. But when I cut into the pork and it was really undercooked that is when she said she would take my meal off because I sat there with nothing to eat when my DH and DS had their food. What I am confused about is why the manager couldn't tell the people with the dog that the dog cannot be on their lap and be fed from the table. I have been to restaurants where there has been medical dogs and the owners had respect and kept the dog sitting next to them, not on their lap. This lady's dog was more behaved than the owner. And what she is probably doing is going against some of the training that the dog had. I think the dogs owner needs training. We could have asked for another table but to me that is not the issue. Why should anyone have to see that. And why should someone have to sit there after the dog.

I'd have been throwing a fit about the wait and the improperly cooked meal but the dog wouldn't have fazed me at all. The restaurant can't control rude guests. They can control the meal, though.

 

[flyiguy]

That stinks, sorry you had a bad meal and experience.
I know it's tough for a manager with ADA laws on the books, but where do you draw the line? What if the dog is allowed to sit on the table, what if they are allowed to eat whatever they like that is on the table? What if the dog wants to run around the area just to get some exercise after it's meal? Some people will still say it's a touchy situation, but I don't think it is. I think as soon as something that is clearly not acceptable to you occurs (wait time, cooked meat, or a crazy dog) the main store/restaurant manager should be notified so they can try to fix the situation right away. Another great thing is the iphone 3GS with video. I would of set that phone on the table taking video of the whole thing, call the manager over to the table and said in a quite, respectful tone. "Hi Dan, thanks for coming over. I'm having a problem with that dog eating at the table. I've taken video of it for the last 5 minutes and have continued to record the conversation as well as our conversation right now. Would you like to handle the situation, have me handle it or have corporate handle it? Thank you for your help"

On a side note with the video, I just had to return some comcast equipment when we cancelled our service, I went into the office during the returned modem/cable boxes with with my phone in hand just recording the visit (not showing faces or acting like I'm recording), returned everything and emailed the video to me. A week later we get a call that we didn't return anything yet and owe $600, I said we did and will be happy to email them a video and copy corporate on it. 20 seconds later they found that I did return everything and sent an email that everything was all set. Sorry to go OT on that last part but it's just a good reminder of the power of video and presenting a case for or against something that some may not thing about.

 

[Sunshine1987]

Wow! That is such an incredible story. We are dog owners and lovers as well as compassionate about people with disabilities so it bothers me that many people may be left with such a negative (and unusual and unfortunate) impression of service animals because of this incident.

I think what would have really sent my DH over the edge though was the dirty feet! OMG Who takes their shoes off in a restaurant? GROSS My DH even has a fit if he sees someones dirty feet in their car window!!! You know, driving along the highway when you want to air out the feet... My husband just can't take that!!! I think the bare, dirty feet in HBD would have sent him running for the bathroom!!!

Sorry you experienced this and please know that this couple does not represent all people with disabilities who use service companions!!!

 

[skater]

I love dogs, but I noticed a huge increase in the number of service dogs in the parks this Feb. It was probably coincidence, but I was wondering if some people are taking advantage of laws meant to help people who really need those dogs.

 

[saradela]

I get gross more often by people than from dogs...sorry