Disabled veteran says Charlotte restaurant didn’t allow service dog inside

CHARLOTTE — A local disabled veteran says he wasn’t allowed to bring his service dog inside a local restaurant, and that a manager kicked him out after talking about the laws for service animals.

It happened last month at Angry Ale’s on Montford Drive, according to Nick Jordan. He says he’s disabled, suffering from PTSD and anxiety attacks -- but under the law, he doesn’t have ti disclose that to any restaurant.

Now, Jordan is telling Channel 9′s Evan Donovan that he felt discriminated against.

“You know, it kind of just puts you in the spotlight, and I really don’t like the spotlight,” Jordan said. “Luckily, I had her (the dog). You know, she calmed me down a lot, she was very loving.”

Jordan says anxiety is part of his life now after four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. He said the tours left him with PTSD and suicidal thoughts until he found Besame, his service dog.

But on Feb. 17, Jordan says he went to Angry Ale’s in Charlotte with Besame at his side. He was told he couldn’t go inside because of the service dog; an employee said they don’t allow dogs inside.

One of Jordan’s cousins took a video of the exchange that took place afterward.

“There’s a difference between a dog and a service animal,” Jordan tells the employee.

“OK, Well now the dog’s fine to come in, but I’m asking you to leave,” said the employee, who identified himself as a manager.

“You can’t,” Jordan said.

“I can,” the employee responded.

Jordan is upset because he says the employees understood what was happening at the time.

“I also can’t ask what your disability is; I get it, I know the law,” the employee said.

The Americans with Disabilities Act says staff may ask two questions: is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Staffers cannot ask about the person’s disability.

Channel 9 reached out to Angry Ale’s, and a spokesperson sent the following statement: “On February 17, a guest complained that he was denied service with his service dog at Angry Ale’s. This was an isolated incident and miscommunication between the guest and the manager. We apologize for this situation and we will continue to work with our staff on additional A.D.A. training. All are welcome at Angry Ale’s and we pride ourselves on being one of the most dog-friendly establishments in Charlotte. We value all of our guests and look forward to serving everyone great food and service as we have for the past 22 years.”

Jordan says that exchange made him feel upset, but he’s worried that others with service animals may just accept the outcome.

“It really angered me because there’s some people who would just leave because they don’t know their rights or the laws,” Jordan said.

Jordan filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

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