RunDisney and Service Animals

[AlBrunelle]

I was a runner in the 2014 WDW Marathon Weekend. I am a perfect Goofy (I ran all 9 goofy challenges) that ran the Dopey, but was disqualified from the full marathon because I ran with my service animal the last three miles of the race.

Let me explain.

My wife met me a number of times along the course. At mile 15 she brought my service dog, the dog was anxious but not alerting. She met again at mile 23 just outside Hollywood Studios and he was more anxious, so I brought him with me to ensure I maintained the appropriate level of medication. My service dog ran only the last 3 miles.

My service animal ran with me all 5K family fun runs, during the marathon of the first Goofy Challenge in 2006 as well as 2 Princess Half Marathons over the past few years. This year he ran the 5k and the 10k with me. I was approached while in the corral for the 10k and was told they could provide a shadow runner. I explained that a shadow runner would not provide any assistance because I wasnt blind or deaf. You see, I have a medical condition that is monitored by my service dog. I assured the official that Id run on the left of the course, and be aware of other runners to ensure there was not a safety issue. He approved me to run with my service animal.

RunDisney does not have any guidelines about service animals. The following is published on the race site and is the only thing publicly available.

Safety Reminder
* For everyone's safety, baby joggers, strollers, baby carriers, baby backpacks, inline skates, motorized scooters, bicycles, skateboards, canes, crutches, walkers, walking sticks
and animals of any kind are prohibited from the course. Violators will be removed from the course and transported to the finish line area.

Under the ADA,
* Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
* The work or task a dog has been trained to provide is be directly related to the persons disability.
* Service animals are working animals, not pets.
* Businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally
allowed to go.

Service animals provide many services other than guiding for the sight or hearing impaired. It is common to have a service animal given to a military member for PTSD or a child for autism. These conditions cannot be helped by adding a shadow runner. Individuals with service animals cannot be discriminated against, have the right to participate in activities, and are protected by ADA. Many big races, specifically state that service animals are allowed.

I was humiliated when someone came up to me at the finish, without identifying themselves, got in my face and screamed I was DQd (Disqualified). I was immediately escorted off without the opportunity celebrate with my fellow runners that I motivated to finish or a massage. All this without even a question of why or how long the dog was with me.

Im asking for two things:
RunDisney recognize that the role of service animals exceeds sight and hearing impaired individuals and allow service animals to run with their handler just as other races do.

Secondly, Im asking that my marathon place results be reinstated so that Ive met the requirements for the 2014 Dopey and Goofy which will then restore my Perfectly Goofy status.

Al Brunelle

 

[DOOM1001]

Was it your dog I saw at Pop Century wearing a medal.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wonder if it was the issue that the dog didnt run the whole time? That you received assistance from a spectator in the form of getting the dog from your spouse?

 

[Castle2Castle]

RunDisney does not have any guidelines about service animals. The following is published on the race site and is the only thing publicly available.

Safety Reminder
* For everyone's safety, baby joggers, strollers, baby carriers, baby backpacks, inline skates, motorized scooters, bicycles, skateboards, canes, crutches, walkers, walking sticks
and animals of any kind are prohibited from the course. Violators will be removed from the course and transported to the finish line area.

Whether or not one agrees with it or likes it, their guidelines about service animals seems to be right there in the material you quoted.

Did you not make any effort to contact runDisney for further clarification or to clear an exemption prior to running any of the races? The runDisney people on course tend more to be volunteers than true runDisney officials empowered to make those decisions; the person who approached you in the corral likely had no authority to allow you to keep the dog, but didn't know how to handle the situation and didn't want a confrontation. And while whoever approached you at the finish may have been able to handle the situation differently, you too might have been able to control the outcome better had you spoken with authorized officials to drop a name for verification.

I don't personally know anyone who utilizes a service animal and have only a general familiarity with the ADA, but I would imagine runDisney is more fully versed in the law and at least one source states "if a service animal’s presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation, they can be excluded from the facility."

You can certainly still try to speak with runDisney about re-instating your time and possibly allowing service animals to participate in future races, but I think it would be helpful in doing so if you acknowledged that there was a better way you could have approached the situation, also, rather than handling it on the fly.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think dogs belong in races. Even the few blind people I've seen run are tethered to another human, not dog.

Sorry but the safety of the other participants comes first. I can imagine trying to pass someone and having the dog step away causing a hazard. No thanks. I think they were right to disqualify you but they also should explicitly forbid any animal.

 

[Castle2Castle]

I think they were right to disqualify you but they also should explicitly forbid any animal.

If you read the material he quoted (highlighted in my quotation above), it states clearly that animals of any kind are prohibited from the course.

 

[FireDancer]

If you read the material he quoted (highlighted in my quotation above), it states clearly that animals of any kind are prohibited from the course.

I did miss that. I do think adding language that service animals are included is a good idea but the lawyers might have decided it is best to leave that off.

 

[emilyindisney]

This is a really interesting situation.

First, I'd like to congratulate you on your accomplishment! I know it may not feel like it but you are a 2014 marathoner! You finished and should be rightfully proud of that whether Disney will recognize your accomplishment or not.

That being said, I don't really know how to interpret runDisney's rules. I definitely think it is worth contacting runDisney and explaining your situation. Even if they can't reinstate your finishing time you may be able to help create a more clear precedent for this in the future which would be greatly beneficial for all runners who utilize medical alert dogs.

 

[zeltoo]

I've run in several runDisney races and have seen multiple service dogs in the races. I ran next to one in the half this year. Please contact runDisney regarding this. I'm sure a polite conversation will settle the issue. Their exemption of "any animal" is in clear conflict with the ADA. You may need to have a few conversations with folks but this is a misunderstanding on a single individual's part.

By the way folks, animals are also prohibited from Disney...how many times have you seen a service animal in there?

 

[bumbershoot]

I really do think the issue is going to stem from having the assistance show up well into the race.

Service animals aren't really considered "animals" under ADA, but rather as a family member. So I don't think that applies legally unless it was a truly rogue volunteer.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I don't think dogs belong in races. Even the few blind people I've seen run are tethered to another human, not dog.

Sorry but the safety of the other participants comes first. I can imagine trying to pass someone and having the dog step away causing a hazard. No thanks. I think they were right to disqualify you but they also should explicitly forbid any animal.

I don't always agree with FireDancer, but I do on this issue. Especially in Florida where it's so hot and humid, dogs do not belong on the race course.

 

[Castle2Castle]

I've run in several runDisney races and have seen multiple service dogs in the races. I ran next to one in the half this year. Please contact runDisney regarding this. I'm sure a polite conversation will settle the issue. Their exemption of "any animal" is in clear conflict with the ADA. You may need to have a few conversations with folks but this is a misunderstanding on a single individual's part.

By the way folks, animals are also prohibited from Disney...how many times have you seen a service animal in there?

Not that it shows anything one way or the other, but I ran four runDisney races in 2013 and saw zero service animals at any of the events. Regarding the conflict with the ADA, I don't see that to be the case since the ADA seems to make exception for instances in which there are legitimate safety concerns. It seems reasonable that runDisney or any other road race with comparable numbers could view them to be a safety concern for other runners who would not necessarily be watching for an animal weaving along the road in front of them. It's a different situation than having a service animal in the parks.