Ami Moore
www.chicagodogcoach.com
www.dogdoright.com
Abuse of Service Dog
An Iraqi War veteran is suing McDonald's for $10 million after alleging he was beaten for bringing his service dog into the restaurant.

Retired Army Capt. Luis Montalvan, an Iraqi War veteran who earned two Bronze Stars, filed a lawsuit claiming he was assaulted by employees of a Brooklyn franchise, the New York Post reports.

Montalvan claims workers at the Brooklyn McDonald's franchise hit him with the lids to plastic garbage cans when he tried to enter with his golden retriever, named Tuesday. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, and said the beating left him with back and neck injuries, the Post reports.

"We take these matters seriously," a spokeswoman for McDonald's told Slashfood. "We investigate all allegations to gather the facts, and where necessary, take action consistent with our policies.

"Our policy is to permit service animals to accompany customers with disabilities, in our restaurants. We comply with all applicable laws, including the American Disabilities Act."

Montalvan told the Post he was told to leave the Brooklyn McDonald's franchise last December when he entered with the dog. "Employees started yelling, 'No dogs!' and 'Get out!' " he said.

After Montalvan sent a letter to the company to complain, McDonald's put stickers on the franchise's doors saying service dogs were allowed inside.

However, when he returned on Jan. 30 to take photos of the stickers, he alleges two men in McDonald's uniforms came toward him with plastic garbage can lids and beat him for two minutes. The franchise, in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, did not respond for comment.