Local restaurant owner refuses entry for service dog

Monday, Hrachya Avagyan owner of Seafood World in Myrtle Beach was arrested after he refused to let a service animal into his establishment.

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Denying entry for a service animal is of course illegal. Over at the Americans with Disabilities website the law is stated as follows on their FAQ page:

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed.

This type of complaint is a rare occurrence, however some are still ignorant of the laws. Head on over to The Sun News for the full story, including just how much trouble Avagyan can get into.

To be clear, restaurant owners or any establishment has to right to refuse entry to animals who are not service animals -we're looking at you people with Paris Hilton dogs in their purse.

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