BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) – A Birmingham resident is suing the city of Cullman and Kissel Entertainment after he says his service dog was not allowed on the Farris Wheel at the Cullman Christkindlmarkt.
The lawsuit claims this is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Kenneth Browning says they visited the Christmas market with friends and family, but they didn’t expect to have problems with his service dog Maisie, who wasn’t allowed on the Ferris wheel accessible by the ADA. The Army veteran says he suffers from PTSD and his service dog is essential to his health.
“I don’t think I would be here today if I didn’t have it. It has been quite difficult this year. She really was my best friend and helped me a lot,” Browning said.
Browning says the worker manning the Ferris wheel and his boss refused access to the dog.
Browning says the crowd and situation were already difficult for him because of PTSD. When he couldn’t get in touch with market organizers, Browning says he had a panic attack.
“It just got worse. The feeling and the panic. My dog Maisie, she launched into one of her tasks and she put pressure on me and tried to help me calm down,” he said.
Browning’s attorney, Edward Zwilling, says the trial will hopefully ensure no one else suffers something like this.
“We want some training, we want clear policies so this doesn’t happen in the future. It’s an annual event, I’m sure this Ferris wheel will return. We want to make sure this never happens to another veteran and I think he’s also entitled to compensation for what they put him through.
So far, the city of Cullman and Kissel Entertainment, which organizes the Christmas market, have not responded to our inquiries.
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