LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — A Lafayette resident claims her civil rights were violated on a recent Friday when she and her service dog were forced to leave a neighborhood convenience store. Kasey Bella said an employee told her to leave after citing a storewide policy prohibiting pets.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, public businesses are prohibited from excluding service animals. Federal law permits service dogs of any breed or size that are trained to perform specific tasks related to an individual’s disability. The ADA does not require service animals to have professional training, official certification or identifying vests.
The incident occurred after Bella finished making a transaction at a neighborhood convenience store. She was accompanied by Danger, an eight-month-old German Shepherd currently being trained to notify her during medical crises…