A recent visit to Waffle House for Mytchiko McKenzie turned into a test of the Americans with Disabilities Act and her right as a legally blind person to have her service animal, Maya, with her.
McKenzie entered the Waffle House one Sunday morning in March with her mother, her aunt, and her 2-year-old yellow lab Maya, her service animal. An employee quickly approached her and asked her to remove the animal.
McKenzie, 21, is a pretty redhead college student and a trendy dresser who is never seen without a polished face and fresh makeup. She does not wear the sterotypical shades people might think of for blind people. And, she makes eye contact during conversation, a mannerism she trained herself to do by using the voice of the person she is talking to set her gaze.
She realized the employee did not understand that she was blind.
McKenzie has retinitis pigmentos of prematurity and can only see shadows, colors and large shapes.
Though she tried to explain her situation and the federal law that would require them to allow Maya in, the employee insisted she could not bring her dog into the restaurant.
The intense exchange between the employee and McKenzie began to cause a scene and disrupt customers.
“She was raising her voice and we were standing near customers. I was trying to explain to her that Maya was not a pet. That she was my leader-dog,” McKenzie said.
The manager came over and told McKenzie she was disrupting customers and asked her to take the animal out. Out of embarrassment McKenzie and her family left, but she made a point to contact Waffle House.
“After that, I emailed the corporate office because my mom said it may be that the employee just didn’t know. And, I think it is an educational issue,” she said.
“But, people need to know that service animals are not pets. Thousands of dollars have been spent on training these animals and I trust Maya, so that if she says it’s safe to cross the street I trust that it’s safe to cross the street.”
She said service dogs are on the job for a variety of people with disabilities, including those who are wheelchair bound, who have seizures, diabetes or post traumatic stress disorder.
According to the overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act found on the U.S. Department of Justice website, www.ada .gov, a service animal is defined as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”
The law also says service dogs should be allowed anywhere the public is allowed:
“Under the ADA, state and local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go,” the overview states.
McKenzie said for those that use guide dogs their service animals are a part of who they are in public life.
“The dogs are a part of us. It’s like a person with a prosthetic leg, or the wheelchair — Maya is essentially my eyes. And when you deny the dog, you deny the person,” McKenzie said.
An executive from Waffle House called McKenzie and apologized to her. the Waffle House in McComb had a staff meeting and made employees aware of the language in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
McKenzie has returned to Waffle House and received a warm welcome.
“Once it was explained to the employees they were fine. They did not have a problem with it and did what they were supposed to do,” McKenzie said of the Waffle House staff.
“Most people with service dogs are not the kind of people to stir up trouble. Most service animals are kept very clean. Maya would never eat off the table. She won’t even touch food on the floor unless I tell her it’s OK,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie said having a service dog gives her and other people who use them their independence. She will soon be attending the University of Southern Mississippi full time and said she feels good about living on her own — knowing she has Maya with her.
“It takes courage to go over to the IHOP (in Hattiesburg) on pancake night,” McKenzie said. “It’s nice to have Maya and to know that I can go by myself.”
