ComplaintsforHarris Crab House

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 18 June 2022 at approximately 4pm, my daughter and I went to get dinner at Harris Crab House. We had two service dogs with us and one dog in training. While my daughter stayed in the car, I went in to make sure we could eat outside with all 3 dogs. The waitress asked me what ailments we had that necessitated a service dog (which is illegal to ask) and then told us that after talking with a manager, we could be seated. We were seated and ordered food. THe waitress brought us water for the dogs and the manager then came out and said "we are not going to do this". He then told me that my disability was not covered under Americans with Disability act (it is...asthma) and announced my disability in front of other customers. He told us he didn't have to have us there and would not serve us. We left but were extremely offended. The manager clearly does not understand legal implications of ADA and we were embarrased and humiliated by his public and illegal actions. We deserve an apology and the manager and his staff need to be appropriately trained on disability awareness and appropriate behavior to disabled customers.

  Business response

  08/05/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/07/05) */ We are unfortunately on the way to the beach for many travelers. We have many customers who travel with their dogs and want to eat with them. We have a strict service dog only policy. Most of our customers don't want to have dogs at the table next to them. We gladly allow for true service dogs. I personally have 5 rescue dogs. My Family has actually raised and trained 2 service dogs for the organization, America Guide dogs foundation and America Vet Dogs. My daughter is an area trainer for these organizations. I am the manager who actually spoke with this customer. I am very aware of the procedure and requirements for service dogs and therefor support/comfort dogs. Our staff has also been trained in May of 2022 by ADA and we take this very seriously. Like I say, we have many customers who want to travel with their dogs and eat with them. We do not allow comfort dogs or support dogs in the restaurant. This customer's first statement was that she had her daughter wait in the car to see if she was able to bring her 3 dogs in the restaurant. Anyone who trains or has service dogs clearly knows that they don't need permission to bring in a true service dog. Before I went to their table, the server said that the first thing they asked was for our staff to get them some water for their dogs. Anyone with a true service dog knows that the dog owner cannot ask us to provide anything to their working animal. When I came to the table, our server was giving the support dogs water. I told the customers that "we are not going to do this" referring to the water. The customer stated that one dog was for PTSD, one was for Asthma, and one was in training. I told her that Asthma was not recognized by the ADA for Service animals and that animals in training had to be clearly identified and that they needed paperwork stating that they are in training and by what organization. I never actually asked them to leave. She stated that they would be leaving and got up and walked out. Dogs in training are not service dogs and do not have the same protection unless properly identified. I believe that this is a frivolous complaint. If it was something true, she would have complained to the ADA. If she complained to them, she would have been rejected. She should be "embarrassed and humiliated" that she posed her pets as service dogs. There are handicapped people who need service dogs to live their normal lives. I will not give her an apology. I would like to get her address so that I can present her with a bill for my time. I will then donate the money to a true service dog group to actually train animals for handicapped citizens. Consumer Response /* (3000, 10, 2022/07/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) First, Asthma is most definitely an accepted ADA component. The manager lied when he said that that was not a component and showed his lack of education on the subject. Second, we did NOT ask the waitress to get water for the dogs. We asked her if we could have some of the cardboard containers used for soup so that we could put water in them ourselves for the dogs. Third, my daughter waited in the car because we had a service dog in training and wanted permission to bring him in. That is perfectly appropriate to do and was in respect for the restaurant. Note that we asked THREE times if we should get take away and were told we would be seated. Fourth, dogs are not required to wear vests. Please reread the ADA requirements. Fifth, we were not coming from the beach, so to assume we were was an incorrect statement by the manager. Sixth, the manager brought up our disabilities publicly in front of others. Sixth, the manager said "we are not going to do this" and them immediately harranged me for being asthmatic, stating that that was not an ADA requirement. So the manager is also telling mistruths about that. Additionally, he never once asked me for any paperwork on the dogs (which we had, but is illegal to ask for, as per ADA requirements). Please note that complained after noting this to BBB to the Maryland Civil Rights authorities and they have taken the case. To end his comment with stating that I "posed my pets as service dogs" is incredibly nasty and unfair. By the way, one of my dogs has been featured in People magazine for his work, in the Maryland Capital, and won the top award for the Collie Club of America for his work. Should this not be resolved and should we not get an apology from this manager both for his treatment of us and for his continuing lies and nastiness, I will take this further.

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