Starbucks Leave Room For The Cream And The Service Dog

    It is ironic that Starbucks, a company that supports our Vets, failed the spot or understand the disability test. We all know that seeing eye dogs are needed for the blind but that's not the only use as this breaking story in Texas shows. A service dog, Verbana, and his disabled Vet owner were denied entrance at a Starbucks even after explaining that Verbana was a service dog which by law cannot be barred from a public establishment. At least one customer stood up for him the brief report shows and although wearing pant legs, it seemed clear to this poet that that metal lower leg was showing.  It would appear that Starbucks apologized very quickly; as a loyal customer I would hope that the "coaching experience" mentioned becomes a company-wide training experience for the otherwise very customer oriented barista staff. People with ADA disabilities, including me, do not want to be challenged in public over those disabilities. Enough said,  save the muse comment below--I will drink another cup to Starbucks efforts to insure this sort of nonsense does not happen again.
Starbucks Leave Room For Cream And The Service Dog
I am a coffeeholic who needs his daily caffeine
From Starbucks for me it’s a place hard to wean
The news that a man with a service dog a barista would block
Comes to me as a complete  surprise, a complete shock
Maybe the service dog was not with his Service Dog blanket ID
But a missing part of a leg one would think would be easy to see
One barista perhaps new rookie just learning the customer is right mantra, I could partially understand

After all the red tipped cane or wheelchair need seems the handicap myth of the land

But other than the ritzy of the ritz save for the patron with a purse dog

To bring a canine into a Starbucks unless a Service, you would have to be in a fog

A second barista seemed to make the same mistake

Some more training on the law, Starbucks needs to take

If any customers like me would have been enjoying Starbuck’s fare

Seeing this, some obvious comments to the manager I would quickly share

And before this Iraq Vet with service dog Verbana in tow

Was expelled, I would have gone viral so all would soon know

I would hope that my fellows sipping coffee would do the same

Ere by silence, mere bystanders we become and also bear some shame

To its credit it would appear Starbucks pulled no punches and the apology sincere

Suspect that training will follow and these mistakes across Starbuck land will not again reappear.

© February 9, 2014 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet