A hotel chain has apologized to a veteran and his family after a Connecticut hotel refused to give them a room because of his service dog.
Marine veteran Derrick Ferrington has a 2-year-old service dog named Chesty, who helps control his PTSD. Ferrington served three tours of duty in the Middle East and suffered a brain injury following an IED explosion in 2006.
"His whole purpose is to be there for me to calm me down," said Ferrington. "When I get down, he brings me up. Gets me out of the house."
Ferrington, his wife Meagan and their two toddlers are spending the next few weeks living in a hotel because their house is undergoing mold remediation. Meagan said she tried to book a room at a nearby Days Inn but the clerk would not let her, telling Meagan the hotel does not allow pets.
"I said, he’s not a pet, he’s my husband’s service animal," said Meagan. "She said, ‘No, we don’t allow pets."’
The hotel released a statement saying, "Connecticut law does not require a person using a service dog to prove that the dog is being used to help with disabilities in order to be afford the protections allowed to people using service dogs."
"She very, very strongly said, ‘I understand that it’s illegal but it’s our pet policy,"’ said Meagan. The hotel manager, however, said the staff was not properly trained and was wrong in denying accommodations to a guest with a service dog.
Days Inn’s corporate office apologized to the Ferringtons and offered them accommodations. The family said they will not take the company up on the offer.
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