Vet With Service Dog Denied Service at South Jersey Restaurant

A restaurant in Burlington County denied a veteran food service because he was with his service dog, possibly because it was unaware of state law, nj.com reports.

Shamong resident Mike Alcorn is a combat veteran who requires the service of a german shepherd to help ease his post-traumatic stress disorder and other physical issues caused during his service, according to the report.

Alcorn was denied service at Fortune Cookie in Medford, despite his red vest and federal ID cards, according to the report. He was told that if he wanted food, he would have to wait outside.

The restaurant says it doesn’t allow dogs due to health code regulations. An employee also told nj.com it was unaware of federal or state laws regarding service dogs.

Alcorn, a dog trainer when he was in the U.S. Army, was matched with his dog through Semper Fido, a non-profit organization based in Marlton, according to southjerseylocalnews.com.

Semper Fido Training Director Brian Berg said incidents such as this happen frequently because businesses are unaware that they must allow veterans to be accompanied by service dogs under the Americans With Disabilities Act, according to the report.

“Service animals must be allowed to accompany their handlers to and through self-service food lines,” according to the Americans With Disabilities Frequently Asked Questions About Service Dogs. “Similarly, service animals may not be prohibited from communal food preparation areas, such as are commonly found in shelters or dormitories.”

For more on the act as it relates to service animals, visit ada.gov.

Medford Police are investigating the incident.

Read more at nj.com.