I guess I won’t be shopping at Walgreens any more.
Veteran Christopher Goodson was asked to remove his service dog from a Mesquite, Texas Walgreens last week and was ultimately kicked out after arguing trying to prove the dog was a service animal.
Fox 4 KDFW reported:
?He had just walked in to buy a drink when he said the manager told him to ?get the dog out.??
?Although Goodson attempted to explain his dog, Ben, was a service animal, he was refused service. The reasoning behind the refusal was the fact that Ben was not wearing a vest indicating that he was a service animal. Goodson did, however, have his ID card and a special tag indicating his status.
Goodson, who is a Marine veteran, suffers from PTSD, depression, and has nightmares. He was allotted the service animal by doctors at the VA to help with these all too common issues in our soldiers. Goodson has stated that the dog does help ?with depression?and nightmares from his service in Afghanistan.?
Though he has said he has been questioned before by other businesses, he has never had to deal with the unprofessional nature of this Walgreens manager.
Goodson:
?He could have walked up and discreetly asked me, ?Is this a service dog?? Everything I was telling him, he was just blowing it off.?
Fox 4 KDFW shared that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not require service animals to wear any special vest.
When contacted a Walgreens spokeperson stated:
?Service animals are welcome in our stores, and we understand the help they provide?we will make sure our employees at this store fully understand the rights for use of service animals.?
Goodson’s wife recorded the incident with her cellphone. Although there was harsh profanity, Goodson admitted this and said he was frustrated.
?Yes, I did use profanity with him, but he had me that mad. He showed that much disregard for my personal feelings.?
Here’s the thing, I can understand asking whether an animal is a service animal in your business. However, an identification card and tag should have been enough. In fact, I would find that more official than just by going with a vest. At any time, I can take my happy, 40+ lbs. pit bull puppy and throw a vest on him and state he’s a service animal.
This veteran should have been thanked for his service and sacrifice rather than treated in such a manner. Sure, he used profanity, but I think many would have too. I hope this manager has been fired. I’m truly glad I don’t shop at Walgreens to begin with. Since the manager at Walgreens failed to do so, I’ll do it here. Thank you Mr. Goodson for all you sacrificed and for your service in protecting the American people. There are those who do appreciate you and admire you for your service. Whatever solace your service animal brings you, you deserve it and more.
Check out the video below of the incident. Please note, there is cursing.
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Liz Lee considers herself a modern woman of the South and hails from the swamps of South Georgia. She votes along no party line and prefers to look at issues from all angles before taking a stance. She takes particular interest in healthcare issues, mental health issues, and the battle for equality. She is also an emphatic advocate for the end to dog breed discrimination legislation. She is a wife, mother of one human child, mother to one furry American Bully, a college student, and also your typical everyday Wonder Woman. When she hangs up her cape, you can find her curled up in her office sewing, writing, playing World of Warcraft, or practicing banjo. You can follow her on Facebook to see what issue she is tackling.
