LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — An Acadiana woman wants to know why her service dog is denied access to her job.
Today we met Justin Melancon who works at The Arc and her service dog, Roscoe.
Melancon wants to have Roscoe with her at her job.
She says The Arc has refused to allow Roscoe to be with her.
“The reasoning behind refusing of the service of animal is to protect their clients and it’s in the client’s homes,” Melancon says she has been told.
Melancon says she provided her employer with a doctor’s note which prescribed her with a service dog due to medical history and health reasons and says she has to have the service animal with her everywhere she goes.
“My dogs are trained specifically for my needs. They keep me calm, they keep my blood pressure down to a safe level. Working with my medication keeps it down and without my dog, my blood pressure is high.”
When asked if there were any alternatives presented by her employer, Melancon said she was offered a change in schedule, which she says is not an option.
“Their alternative is for me to work overnight with one client which means I may get a $1.25 pay deduction and also because of my medication, and my health I can’t work overnight.”