GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A group of assistance dogs in training and their handlers were at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids Friday, for an outing that not only gave them an opportunity to get training in a public setting, but also gave the hotel’s employees a chance to learn more about accessibility laws.
Many people who rely on a service dog to help with a disability have been illegally denied access to spaces like hotels and restaurants, according to Paws with a Cause Chief Programs Officer Becky Canale. A report by Assistance Dogs International found that 43% of handlers have been denied access to a public space within the past year: restaurants and cafes accounted for 56% of those denials, while hotels and accommodations accounted for 28%.
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To help address that issue, Paws with a Cause works with local businesses like the JW Marriott to educate them on the Americans with Disabilities Act rules.
“It’s really important that the hotel staff is knowledgeable about the ADA,” Canale said. “The ADA guarantees an individual with an assistance dog that has been individually trained to meet that individual’s disability, that they have access to go anywhere that any other patron is allowed to go.”…