Vet and dog kicked off boardwalk
Several of you have sent us links to this story about Jared Goering, a disabled 19-year veteran who was ticketed for having his service dog on the boardwalk in North Wildwood, NJ.
Goering said, “Just like any veteran with disabilities with a service dog, to come back and be harassed and shown no respect, it upset me – it really bothered me. I was up most of the night thinking about it.”
A North Wildwood police officer issued Jared and his wife a summons because of the dog. Goering said, “I expected to get more respect from him because of the jobs that we both have to do.”
“He mockingly asked if all veterans get service dogs,” said Jared’s wife, Sally Goering, “his dog is medically necessary and he is a service dog.”
North Wildwood police officials say there are no pending charges, but that there are other circumstances surrounding the case.
The mayor of North Wildwood says they will issue a formal apology, if appropriate, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Too late. The officer’s attitude is indicative of a training problem among the police force of North Wildwood.
It seems to me that, if the officer truly thought he could write a summons, he could have, instead, issued a warning, and he didn’t need to be a smart ass about it. That’s erring on the side of caution.
Category: Support the troops
One of the stories posted by claymore involved douche bags in new york slapping on harnesses on their pets and calling them service dogs. I’m not condoning the officer’s actions,regardless if he believed the man, he should have been respectful, but i can’t help wonder if this sort of shit contributed to the situation.
There’s always one or two pinheaded punks in any organization.
@1: They showed the officer the permit for the dog. He could have had it verified and gone from there. I think the “other circumstances” surrounding the case was the officer screwing up because he didn’t know the rules about service animals.
well, I’ve been told PDs are run like the military, so I see all officers receiving training on what is and is not a service dog, and maybe a refresher class on sensitivity training. Nothing like bad press to spur people into doing the right thing.
It’s south Jersey. The cops are idiots there. I lived in Blackwood when I was in Philadelphia, just across the river from the Navy Yard.
A traffic light stopped working at a 4-way stop at the intersection near my apartment. I could see people racing through and coming very close to having bad accidents, so I called the emergency number and asked them to put a squad car out there and have someone direct traffic to prevent accidents. What I got was crickets….
Service dogs are allowed everywhere under the Disabilities Act. The cop needs to be reprimanded and apologize to the man and his wife, and learn a bit of humility – if that’s possible. Whatever the extenuating circumstances are, service dogs are allowed everywhere.
Yes there are probably cases of fucktards slapping a harness on their dog and calling it a service dog, but to automatically assume everyone you run into is doing that is not professional. As soon as the cop was told that it was a service dog he should have changed his stance. If the couple quickly provided paperwork then he should have sent them on their way with a “have a good day”.
Then again I have known people who had service or were handicapped that were complete assholes.
Jonn, may I suggest when you get these type stories you include contact info to generate a shit-storm. If you don’t have the time, I’m up for the task. In the case of North Wildwood, NJ, the only thing they understand is money and threat of a Veterans boycott will get attention. While the truth of the matter is most of us are not anyplace close to that armpit community, they won’t know that. I’ve listed those who should receive indignant e-mail and let me suggest all bombard them with complaints. Please refain from using appropriate language such as son of a bitch and MF’ers. Say word is out in Veterans chanels and we are not going to tolerate this type of unacceptable police behavior. Insist the town host the Goerings for an expense paid weekend.
Now please go kick some ass. E-mail the Mayor and Chief and copy the rest. THEN, go on facebook and find the Chamber of Commerce of North Wildwood New Jersey and post there.
Mayor William Henfey henfey@northwildwood.com
Police Chief Robert A. Matteucci rmatteucci@nwpd.org
City Council:
Prosenello@gmail.com
jkane@northwildwood.com
szampirri@northwildwood.com
ktolomeo@northwildwood.com
ddelconte@northwildwood.com
ekoehler@northwildwood.com
Having spent may a mid-september in years past down there for the Fireman’s Convention, I’d lay odds this “officer” is not even a full-fledged cop, but a “Special I” or “Special II”, other-words, glorified meter maids and ticket machines seasonally hired making just over min-wage.
Way to send a message though N. Wildwood, “Disabled vets and the blind” not welcome on the boards in your perfect little town.
Now if they could only get more guido D-Bags from Staten Island named Snookie to show up for the summer and toss more cash at the boardwalks, they’d be a happier hamlet.
I know Goering just wants to put out there for more towns to be aware of service dogs, but nothing will wake them up more like a lawsuit for violating the ADA.
“A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken”
#1: likely.
Just what breeds of dogs are service dogs? One man, shopping in the commissary at Belvoir, had a toy breed sitting in the kid’s seat of the cart. The dog had a vest proclaiming it a service dog.
If some toy can be a service dog, why not a pitbull or a wolfhound?
@9 – the law covers pretty much any kind of dog really. http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/280 Emotional Support Service Therapy Emotional Support dogs: An Emotional Support Animal is a dog or other common domestic animal that provides theraputic support to a disabled or elderly owner through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life. If a doctor determines that a patient with a disabling mental illness would benefit from the companionship of an emotional support animal, the doctor write letters supporting a request by the patient to keep the ESA in “no pets” housing or to travel with the ESA in the cabin of an aircraft. So even my dogs, purely pets, could qualify if I got a doctor to sign off on it. The actual law: Effective March 15, 2011, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. My brother-in-law is one of those unethical people who threw a… Read more »
@9: They showed the proper paperwork for the dog, so the meme of the cop not knowing for sure is bunk.
The cop should be fired and have his LEO credentials revoked, because no one needs cops like that around.
As I said I wasn’t condoning the cops actions, I think everyone involved, including the offending officer at this point, is in agreement that it was a jackass move, if for no other reason than the sensitivity training he’s going to have to sit through. My concern was of the previously mentioned fucktards ruining it for everyone.
A 95 year old Veteran murdered by the police outside Chicago…Now police harassment of a 19 year veteran because of his authorized service dog.
Local, state and national governments pay lip service to our sacrifices as veterans. Empty words, emptier promises. What counts are the actions of those in their employ.
Honestly, Its wildwood, its a trashy beach location compared to other locations down the shore. He should just take his business elsewhere (OC, NJ).
The cop needs to be reprimanded and apologize to the man and his wife, and learn a bit of humility – if that’s possible.
He should be required to be on poop duty for that vet and his dog. Follow the family around at a discrete distance and gather the dog droppings for a month or so.
Then again I have known people who had service or were handicapped that were complete assholes.
I know someone (not a friend, definitely not a friend) who bought a dog. Two years later, they had a kid. A year or so after that, they moved into some Section 8 housing and claimed the dog was a service animal that provided emotive support to the kid…who was all of a year or so old…and the dog had been purchased before they even had the kid.
The policeman was obviously and idiot but on the flip side as pointed out by others, many people take advantage of this for personal reasons.
While the cop was a dick, this was also a direct result of the other dicks that buy fake service dog vests so they can take Fluffy wherever they want and into places where they are ordinarily banned by law.
There are a lot of self centered civilians that think the laws are for other people when it comes to their pets.
@18.
Roger that.
TWO THINGS:
1. BOYCOTT WILDWOOD!
2. Recently highlighted in the NY and NJ metro news the service dog vest issue is out of control and it has become just another thing that non-tax payers want:
Obama phone, welfare, foodstamps, disabled parking plaquard, electronic benefits cards (for purchasing smokes and malt libations), canes, battery powered wheelchairs, free food programs, baby sitters, and now the service dog vest, ID, and starter kit.
From the AlGore.net:
http://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.&fp=ab3f64aa1bbec6b5&q=service+dog+vest
Going to wait to pass judgment here. Only getting one side of this right now, and while it looks to be a clear case of stupidity in action, going to wait on hearing what the police have to say led up to this. Sounds like it is possible there may have been more than an issue with the dog involved.
As to the ADA and what the regulations say about Service Dogs. it is pretty darned simple, and should be required reading for everyone.
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
I’ve been to Wildwood many times, especially for Irish Festival weekend. Great times, no problems. Don’t know why anyone would bash the place. The stupid fake vests and id’s anyone can buy off the internet(or probably just about any one of the shops right there on the boardwalk) are what’s dicking it up. Sounds like this could have been handled much differently though.
I’ve shared this with the Elks Lodges across the country, lets see how much “feedback” we can get them.