What do I do if I believe I’ve been discriminated against?

If you are illegally denied access to or otherwise discriminated against in a place of public accommodation because of your service animal, you should remain calm. You should explain that the ADA (or state law if it provides greater protection) protects your right to be accompanied by your service animal in places of public accommodation. If that doesn’t get you admitted, you should ask to speak to the manager or supervisor, and then repeat the explanation to the supervisor. If you are still denied, you can politely offer to call the police to have them explain the law.Note:Some states still have statutes that are more restrictive than the ADA. The police are charged only with the enforcement of state, not federal law. You should know what the law is in the state where you are. If the public accommodation refuses to admit you and the state law excludes you (e.g., if they have an owner-trained dog for mobility and the state law recognizes only “guide and hearing dogs from accredited training programs”), you can file a complaint with the US Department of Justice or hire a lawyer to file a suit in federal court.Sometimes writing a letter to the person who owns the facility will result in an apology and a change in policy. In addition, disability advocacy groups might be interested in pursuing the issue on your behalf.