OGDEN, Utah — Another customer is coming forward claiming an Ogden restaurant owner refused service because she had a service dog with her.
Anna Taylor says she got her service dog, Finn, to deal with PTSD from a domestic violence incident.
"He has helped me kind of regain my life. It was two and a half years of just being beat every day," Taylor said.
Finn spots panic attacks and helps Taylor function in public places, which is why she brought him with her to get dinner at Bombay Grill in August 2018.
When the owner refused to serve her, she called Ogden Police. The officer's body camera footage recorded his interaction with Taylor and the owner, Jaspal Singh.
"Under the law, there are certain individuals who have service animals who are allowed to bring those animals into restaurants, and if you refuse them, that service it is a violation of the law and you can be criminally charged," the officer told Singh.
"Go ahead, give me a ticket, but no dog allowed," Singh responded. "My place. No dog. Welcome anybody, but no dog."
Singh told Fox 13 that in that particular case, he refused to serve Taylor and her dog because he was overwhelmed with customers.
"I’m busy. I had already 20 tables. Also, only three people working," Singh said.
However, he also refused to serve some veterans and their service animals last week.
Singh said he received a lot of negative pushback after the first story aired on the news, so he decided he will allow service animals — as long as their owners sign a piece of paper that outlines the regulations of the American Disabilities Act.
Taylor says she pressed criminal charges with Ogden Police, but the case never moved forward.
"The detective called me and told me that they were dropping the case just because it was too high risk, and then another time I heard it just wasn’t worth the effort," Taylor said.
The Ogden Police Department said the prosecutor needed more information from Taylor and once that information is provided, they'd be happy to continue pursuing criminal charges.
Taylor said she is also pursuing federal charges and may be joining forces with the veterans who were also denied service at Bombay Grill.
"They think because they own a business that it’s okay what they’re doing," Taylor said. "But no — they own a business in the United States of America, and they still have to follow federal law."
