Utah Restaurant Won’t Allow Dogs Inside Despite ADA Requirement

A Utah restaurant has upset quite a number of prospective customers with service dogs by not allowing them into the establishment. Why? It’s because of their service animals.

According to two Bombay Grill customers, the owner rejected their patronage when they tried to bring their service dogs inside. The incidents happened in a two-week span but not at the same time.

Missy Warwood’s five-year-old son Jefferson has Down Syndrome and uses a service dog to help keep him calm. Warwood said the moment they tried to enter the restaurant to celebrate her birthday, the owner told her they needed to leave because he doesn’t allow dogs.

Warwood said they informed him they had a right to be there with their service dog due to ADA regulations. However, he told her, it was his restaurant and his right, and he doesn’t allow dogs to come inside.

After the family left, they took to the restaurant’s Facebook page to post the ADA regulations, which requires business serving the public to allow patrons with service animals to come into areas where others allow and prohibits them from discriminating against people who have disabilities.

Not long after the Warwood experience, a group of veterans also tried to eat a the Bombay Grill and were also told they could not eat there.

Abraham Swank had his service dog with him to help with his anxiety and mobility. He said without his dog, he’d never be able to leave home. Another veteran also had her dog with her for PTSD and other medical problems. According to her, she suffers from severe hearing loss, and her service dog keeps her aware of her surroundings.

The Bombay Grill owner said the establishment doesn’t allow dogs anymore due to a previous incident that involved a canine. The owner said the restaurant is his responsibility. The owner said he has read the ADA laws and understands them, but he stands by his no dogs inside policy.