Guide dog kicked out of doctor’s office
A Bucks County, Pennsylvania, doctor kicked a guide dog out of her office, and says it was within her rights to do so.
Dr. Priya Punjabi told Phillyburbs.com that a large animal could scare or upset her patients — though the couple with the guide dog were the only ones in her Bensalem office when they arrived. The doctor also said she is afraid of dogs.
Lat week, Joseph Cichonski, 58, who is visually impaired, accompanied his wife to Punjabi’s office, where she was scheduled to receive a physical.
Cichonski said his guide dog, Hero, a golden retriever/Lab mix, was lying calmly at his feet in the waiting room when the doctor approached and told him pets weren’t allowed in the office.
“We simply asked him to step outside,” the doctor explained later. “I have my rights and my phobias, too.”
“I told her that it’s not a pet, it’s a guide dog, but she still said I couldn’t have him in there,” Cichonski said.
Cichonski said he and Hero stepped outside the office because he didn’t want to cause a scene. His wife, who was told she wouldn’t be treated while the dog was in the office, also left.
The Cichonskis called police, who interviewed the parties involved and filed a report. Cichonski said Wednesday that he’s exploring his options.
“I’m not trying to cause a fuss,” he said. “I just want to let people know that things like this are happening and I’d like to prevent them from happening to other people with disabilities.”
Rocco Iaculla, an attorney with the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania, said the doctor’s actions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“You cannot exclude service animals except in very specific situations,” he said. “Unless the animal is out of control or not housebroken or someone nearby has a severe allergic reaction, you must permit them in any area that the public is permitted. It has to be more than someone feeling uncomfortable with an animal present.”
(Photo: Kim Weimer / Phillyburbs.com)
Posted by jwoestendiek August 11th, 2011 under Muttsblog.
Tags: americans with disabilities act, animals, bensalem, bucks county, denied, disabilities, disability rights network, doctor, dogs, fear, guide dogs, hero, joseph cichonski, pets, police, priya punjabi, report, service dogs
Comments
Comment from Hanna at Dog Products
Time August 11, 2011 at 4:26 pm
I am utterly appalled at Dr. Priya Punjabi’s behavior. As a medical practitioner, I would expect her, of all people, to be more sensitive to individuals whose disabilities warrants the services of animals that have been trained to guide them through the task of living.
I am glad that Mr. Cichonski called the police and I would hope that he would take it through the court system, if necessary. I would also hope that this get publicized in area newspapers so that this so called doctor suffers the loss of patients due to tarnished reputation.
Fight for your right Mr. Cichonski!
By the way, I love your blog and I visit it frequently. I have also incorporated your link within my DogProducts.org site as a valuable resource for my visitors. Would you be willing to return the favor by placing my link right here on your blog?
Hanna
Comment from Renee
Time August 11, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I just saw this on the news. I could not believe what I heard. What a pathetic
example of a doctor. Dr Punjabi profession, of all professions, should be aware of the ADA law. Or she truly that stupid?
She should be ashamed of herself and should at the very least make a public apology to Mr.Cichonski and a large donation
to Guiding Eyes for the blind (or a similar organization) which trains these wonderful
dogs to be the eyes of someone so less fortunate than she. Because of this wonderful animal he was able to come to her office which enables her to put bread on her table. For Dr. Junjabi to ask this family to leave her office is unforgivable. This doctor should NOT be practicing medicine and everyone who has any compasion for the freedom and company these animals offer their owners should by all means boycott this woman’s practice. I really hope this woman pays the price for what she did.
I wish Mr. Cichonski only the best when he
searches for a new medical professional.
Comment from Zack
Time August 28, 2011 at 11:16 am
The doctor had every right to remove the dog from her place of work as it was most likely a private place and she said she felt unsafe. She said she had a phobia of dogs, so before people state there was no reason to be afraid or the guide dog is trained so well it would never harm anyone, a phobia is an irrational fear. You can not compromise one person’s comfort for another’s especially if you are expecting that person to perform such an attention requiring task as medicine. It was an easy solution: gentleman and dog waited outside. Before people become appalled by my lack of compassion, I do plan to allow my own pet to accompany me to my practice as I am a animal lover. I am also an advocate of guide dogs and therapy animals in hospitals.
Comment from i have a disability
Time October 2, 2011 at 8:17 pm
This happened to me today, I have severe PTSD the doctor told me that I can not come in with my fiance due to my service dog, now my question to you zack is the doctor may is afraid of dogs well I am afraid of people does that mean I have the right to tell them to leave?
Comment from Zack
Time February 29, 2012 at 10:29 am
“i have a disability”, yes, stay in your home if you are afraid of people or, more appropriately, seek mental health counseling. You shouldn’t be made to exacerbate any psychological condition in your professional or personal life. Cheers.
Comment from Rollins
Time August 3, 2012 at 3:48 pm
As someone who has severe dog allergies, I completely approve. I can tell you that I have to get out of elevators if a seeing eye dog gets in, so having a dog in a doctors office is completely inappropiate, even if it is legal.
Comment from Service Dog Handler
Time August 22, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Oh heaven forbid you have to wait for another elevator, Rollins!
And having a service animal which is legally considered *medical equipment* in a doctor’s office is no more inappropriate than having an oxygen tank.
And Zack, a person’s access rights with their service dog trumps somebody who may be fearful of or allergic to dogs. Whether you like it or not, what Dr. Punjabi did was ILLEGAL and she should be prosecuted for it.
She broke the law and discriminated against the guide dog handler
Comment from Service Dog Trainer
Time December 2, 2012 at 11:01 am
If you are that allergic to dogs carry a disposable protective mask and an epi pen in case you encounter a service animal, and continue to go about your day as normal. If a person who uses a service animal is denied the access that is allowed to them under FEDERAL LAW, they can not go about their day as normal. Enormous difference. If a Dr. who has a true phobia of dogs has his or her own private practice and there is no other Dr. available to deal with a patient who is accompanied by a service/guide dog they should try being reasonable and compassionate. Explain to the service animal handler about their phobia, and ask them to make other arrangements, don’t trample their civil rights by saying “no pets allowed” to a blind person with a guide dog. If you are part of a service animal team PLEASE stand up for your rights. If you back down to bulies like this, you make it harder for the next service animal team to gain the access they are entitled to.
Comment from Boogiewoogie
Time May 19, 2013 at 10:54 am
I work as a paramedic and years ago I got a 911 call for a visually impaired woman who had a guide dog. She called because her eyes were hurting a little bit. Now aside from the fact that this probably wasn’t the best use of 911 or a hospitals ER, I offered to transport this woman to the ER. She said her guide dog needed to go also. The hospital was less than 1 mile away. As with all calls, the police respond with us. Just their protocol. I informed the woman that due to the tight confines of the ambulance, no safe way to secure the animal with safety restraints(seat belts) and that should the need arise that I needed to do further assessment/treatment, that the police officer would be more than happy to transport the service dog in the back of his air conditioned cruiser.
This was more of a safety issue than anything.
This woman absolutely refused to go without her dog right beside her. I calmly and politely tried to explain the risks involved, not just to me but to her dog, should the ambulance have to stop suddenly or take evasive manuevers( which surprisingly is often ) and she still was abruptly and adamantly refusing to go without her dog next to her.
After calling the hospitals ER and speaking with the attending doctor, I informed this lady that we are not a taxi, and if she was having a medical emergency she should be willing to accommodate us as we are trying to accommodate her(having a police car as taxi to her service animal).
In the end she would not go to the hospital with us. She wasn’t in a life threatening condition and after speaking to the ER attending she would probably be better served In a primary care physicians office rather than an ER.
I am an animal lover and have rescued several shelter animals. While I do not agree with the way this particular doctor handled her patient, there needs to be understanding that at times, safety and procedures have to trump someone’s desire to have their own way.
In my case every attempt at accommodation was offered and the patient declined.
Comment from smoketoomuch
Time August 11, 2011 at 11:12 am
Way to go Doc – terrific PR move! Numbskull.
See folks, a piece of paper that says you have paid for an education is no guarantee of either intelligence or common sense.