Service Dog Controversy: Man Refuses Removal from Central New York Pizzeria

A man walks into a bar with his service dog and is asked to leave. It's not a joke. It really happened in Central New York.

Gary Schultz, a retired BCI investigator with the New York State Police, thought he was just grabbing a bite at the Famous 727 Bar inside Venice Pizzeria on Oriskany Boulevard in Yorkville. But things took a turn when he was asked to leave—because of his service dog, Ansel.

Schultz says Ansel was identified as a service animal, wearing a collar that made it obvious. Still, he says a server told him he and his dog had to go.

“She told me I was not allowed in the restaurant with my dog,” Schultz shared on social media.

Manager Calls Cops

Then a manager stepped in and echoed the same thing—Schultz and Ansel had to leave.

Schultz tried to explain. “I suggest you Google the Americans with Disabilities Act and research it before you get yourself involved in a problem,” he told the manager in a Facebook video.

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Instead of listening, Schultz was told “I’ll call the cops.”

Which they did.

Cops set Record Straight

Three officers showed up—and according to Schultz, they set the record straight. “They informed the owner, the manager, and the barmaid that they were in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that my dog and I had all rights and privileges to remain within the restaurant. What they were attempting to do was illegal,” Schultz wrote.

By then, Schultz said he’d lost his appetite. He stayed just long enough to finish a fountain soda—and was charged $4 for it.

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"At no time did Pam, Anthony or the owner come out to me to apologize. Their actions and the treatment I was subjected to was nothing less than despicable and quite shameful on their part," Schultz went on to say.

Facebook Apology

An apology was posted on the pizzeria's Facebook page for the misunderstanding and any inconvenience caused.

"The employees were following orders. The concern was coming from health & sanitary standards. We take full responsibility and apologize."

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses and public places must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas the public is allowed to go. They can only ask a service animal to leave if it’s out of control or not housebroken—neither of which applied in this case.

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Despite the apology, Schultz says the treatment humiliating and truly uncalled for.

The video Schultz took has 185,000 views in 13 hours.

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