Restaurant apologises to blind man after booting him and guide dog out

A restaurant has apologised for booting out a blind man and his guide dog after a staff member "didn't know" the dog was allowed in. Legally blind Springvale man Twanny Farrugia was celebrating his 60th birthday with a friend on Tuesday last week when staff at the Choi Palace BBQ Restaurant on Clayton Rd, Clayton, asked him to leave.

	Twanny Farrugia and guide dog Val were booted out of a Clayton restarurant.

A humiliated Mr Farrugia tried to explain to staff that it was against the law to discriminate against him because of his harnessed guide dog.

"I told him, 'You can't kick me out, but you haven't heard the last of this, you're breaking the law'," Mr Farrugia said.

Mr Farrugia went to another nearby Chinese restaurant for a meal instead.

The restaurant's acting manager, who refused to give her name, said staff were "very sorry".

"I was not there but another staff member said they didn't know guide dogs can go in restaurants," she said.

"We searched the internet and discovered they can go in. We are very sorry to the customer."

She said the restaurant would accept a penalty and would allow customers with guide dogs entry in future.

Mr Farrugia said he was used to explaining the law to restaurants and taxis, and nine times out of ten his explanation was accepted.

The rights of people with guide dogs override the Health Act that prohibits dogs from entering restaurants.

Monash Council Mayor Micaela Drieberg said the incident would be urgently investigated.

Cr Drieberg said the Food Standards Code required businesses to serve patrons with assistance animals in their dining and drinking areas.

"Those that turn customers with these animals away are breaching the Food Act and can face fines of about $721 for individuals and $1443 for corporations," Cr Drieberg said.

"If restaurants continue to breach the laws, we will not hesitate in taking them to court where they can face penalties of up to $40,000 for individuals and $200,000 for corporations."

Source: The Herald Sun, 4 November 2013