Outrage after Aussie restaurant refused service to a war veteran because of his service dog
- Veteran of Iraq and Syria tours denied entry to restaurant
- He went with his service dog Gunner to the Perth venue
A restaurant is under fire after refusing entry to a decorated war veteran who uses a service dog to help him cope with PTSD and a brain injury he received in Iraq.
David Pearce, originally from the US, served in the Marine Corp for 20 years and has been living with his wife in Perth for a little over a year.
He said his dog Gunner, whom he has had for nine years, ‘saved his life more than once’, but when he took him to Juicy Bao Bao in the city’s inner north at the weekend the pair were refused entry.
David Pearce a former Marine and his dog Gunner, who helps him with his PTSD and a brain injury he got while on tour in Iraq
Mr Pearce said he was left feeling ‘humiliated’ after his wife and her friend were shown to their table but staff moved to ‘block’ him when they spotted Gunner.
He added it was the first occasion he and Gunner had ever been refused entry somewhere after explaining that he was a service dog.
‘There was a lot of shock, a lot of embarrassment – it’s never outright happened like that before where they knew it was a service dog,’ Mr Pearce told 7News.
‘There were quite a few people in the restaurant and some people laughed … It was humiliating, especially because it was in front of my wife and her friends.’
In Australia, it is illegal to discriminate against a person who uses a certified assistance dog .
Mr Pearce said Gunner helps not only to calm him down when his PTSD gets too much but also is trained to look out for his physical wellbeing.
He explained he has a traumatic brain injury from explosions in Iraq which can cause him to have ‘dissociative episodes’ where he isn’t aware of what he’s doing and that Gunnar is trained to stop him doing something dangerous like walking into traffic.
‘Service dogs are a necessary medical tool and companionship for people with disabilities that enable them to function as close to regular people as possible,’ he said.
Mr Pearce was in the US Marines for 20 years and has been living in Perth for a little over a year
The Perth restaurant has since apologised and said Mr Pearce and Gunner are welcome back
Juicy Bao Bao’s Northbridge manager said she made a mistake by not allowing in Mr Pearce and Gunner and has offered him a free meal and assurance they are welcome back.
Mr Pearce said he would probably return to the restaurant to show that service dogs can do their work in public without bothering anyone else.
He also encouraged people not to leave negative comments about the restaurant since they have acknowledged they were wrong and have said service digs are welcome.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Juicy Bao Bao for comment.
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