A 30-year veteran with PTSD who recently returned from Afghanistan was embarrassed in front of the people and kicked out of a restaurant after ordering breakfast.
As Major Diggs Brown sat down to order warm breakfast at Cochon Volant in Chicago, the elderly man was approached by a waitress who asked him to leave the restaurant because he was accompanied by his service dogs and they didn’t want any dogs inside.
“When my service dog and I walked in, the hostess took us to the table, and the young lady named Hannah, she said you can’t have a dog in the restaurant,” Brown recalled.
The veteran went on to explain to the waitress that Arthur, his service dog, is his ever-present companion who helps him deal with his PTSD and has the right to accompany him wherever he goes according to the law.
Despite informing the staff that the Americans with Disabilities Act allows Arthur to go wherever he goes, Mr. Brown was once again confronted by the waitress.
After telling the young woman that kicking him out because of his dog would mean breaking the law, the waitress responded by saying: “I don’t care, you need to leave, we don’t have dogs in the restaurant.”
Feeling embarrassed and saddened by the woman’s words, the veteran stood up and left the restaurant.
“He does a lot of things,” Diggs said of his service dog. “He wakes me up from nightmares when I have them. When I have anxiety attacks, he calms me down. He saved my life and I’m even off the drugs.
“When I got home, I posted to my Facebook page, this is what happened to me and it went viral.”
After the incident, Brown shared his story on Facebook where it spread to viewers from across the globe. Later on, the manager of the restaurant called the veteran and apologized for the way he was treated.
“The Cochon Volant family is both saddened and disappointed to hear this account of a veteran’s experience,” the management wrote on Facebook.
“Not only are we 100% aware of and in compliance with all ADA regulations regarding service dogs, we also have an acute appreciation for the service of veterans and we are happy to welcome staff members and employees who have honorably served this country.”
The veteran also shared a few words concerning the employee of the restaurant who kicked him out. “I really hope this young lady isn’t fired for this, she just needed to be educated,” he said.
What are your thoughts on this incident? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your friends and family on Facebook!
Recommended Video – “Homeless Veteran Timelapse Transformation”