Sophie Rules the World

Updated with important legal info Wednesday morning.

Chalk one up for guide dogs everywhere!

Strass is a guide dog.

He's not one of the guide dogs above, but these guys are a reasonable facsimile of, I would guess. Strass takes care of a guy named Michel Larochelle, who is a quadriplegic. In 2005, Monsieur Larochelle was refused service at Pizzeria Napoli in Montreal, because of Strass. I guess to the waiter, a dog is a dog is a dog.

Apparently the waiter was allergic to dogs. As much as I sympathize with allergies, being an allergy sufferer myself, I really do have to say, in this case, SUCK IT UP! A dog is not a peanut and a little dog hair won't kill you. This man is a paralyzed from the neck down and his dog is an amazing beast who helps him live life to the fullest. How dare that waiter or restaurant refuse to serve him.

It took them long enough, but the courts finally ordered the restaurant to pay Monsieur Larochelle $4000. They should have ordered the waiter to pay a 20% tip on that too.


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/02/26/qc-pizzeriadecision-0226.html


NOTE: In Canada, and I believe the US, assistance dogs are legally entitled to access public spaces, when accompanied by their person. I believe that if they attempt to go to the bar on their own, they can legally be denied service.