Starbucks, NY - Please Train Your Staff on Serving Patrons With Service Dogs

Please sign and share this petition in an attempt to ask Starbucks in Rochester, New York and all of its stores nationwide; please train all of your staff on how to care for and handle patrons who enter the premises with a service dog. Although the store has apologized to a woman refused service because of her dog, it is imperative that staff is efficiently informed on how to provide the best service such an individual.

Ms. Amy Kaplan, 24 went into a Starbucks in Brighton, NY earlier this month and was refused service because of her service dog. Although the employee who waited on Ms. Kaplan says he did not deny her service, he would not allow her to come into the store with her service dog, Zero, a Malamute. It is understandable that a service dog must clearly be identified when going out into public with its human, Ms. Kaplan was clearly refused service; she can't just leave her dog outside and the dog is necessary in helping her in normal activities.

Amy was in a severe vehicle crash two years earlier that left her with a traumatic brain injury and she also suffers with a severe form of bipolar disorder. A bus crashed into the ambulance that she worked in as an emergency responder. Zero is trained to assist her in everything from coping with memory issues that stem from her brain injury, such as difficulty remembering where her car is parked or locating her apartment, to managing anxiety.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses that serve the public are required to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals inside. The federal government advises businesses to ask only if an animal is a service animal required because of a disability and what tasks it has been trained to perform. People should be able to show that the dog is indeed a service animal but under law does not have to have it exposed.

Ms. Kaplan states that "This is a part of daily life when you're a service dog handler. Everywhere you go, nobody wants to let me in." Spokesperson Harper for Starbucks made an effort to contact the young lady with an apology. She further stated that "It's unfortunate that this happened. Ms. Kaplan did have an experience that's absolutely inconsistent with our values and our service animal policy."

The company has offered a sincere apology but Ms. Kaplan wants them to ensure all staff are fully trained on caring for patrons with service dogs so that no one else is humiliated and refused service. Please sign and share this petition in an attempt to ask Starbucks in Rochester, New York and all of its stores nationwide; please train all of your staff on how to care for and handle patrons who enter the premises with a service dog. Although the store has apologized to a woman refused service because of her dog, it is imperative that staff is efficiently informed on how to provide the best service such an individual.