Florida veteran says he was denied Uber ride because of service dog: 'Slapped in the face'

Veteran says he was denied Uber ride because of service dog

A Central Florida veteran says an Uber driver refused to take him to the airport, claiming his service dog needed a muzzle and that pets weren’t allowed — a move the company says violates both federal law and its own policy.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Central Florida veteran says an Uber driver refused to take him to the airport, claiming his service dog needed a muzzle and that pets weren’t allowed — a move the company says violates both federal law and its own policy.

Willmarck Gonzalez, a disabled veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, said he was trying to fly home from New Jersey on Monday when the driver denied him service because of his dog, Pippa. 

The backstory:

The disabled veteran has PTSD and says his service dog, Pippa, is his saving grace. She’s the only way he’s allowed to travel, but this stop added a lot of stress. 

He reported the incident to Uber and says drivers should know the law. It’s against federal law to discriminate against people with service and guide dogs. It’s also against Uber policy.

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He eventually made it back home but says every time he books a rideshare, he’s worried a problem could happen again.

What they're saying:

Willmarck says he deals with issues traveling more than he’d like with a service dog, and it’s not only with ride-share. FOX 35 also shared his story when he had issues cruising with Pippa.

"I felt hurt. I felt like I got slapped in the face," said Willmarck Gonzalez. "Uber drivers should know what the difference between a pet and a service dog is."

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Uber's response

Uber is still looking into what happened with Willmarck.

On the company’s website, it says: "State and federal law generally prohibit transportation providers from denying service to riders because of their service animals, and from otherwise discriminating against riders with service animals… There are no exceptions to this policy due to allergies, religious objections, or a generalized fear of animals."

The company says their drivers have to watch education videos on people traveling with service dogs. Riders can also report problems on the app, online and by calling them.

A spokesperson with Uber sent FOX 35 a statement on the issue:

"What’s been reported by this rider is disappointing, and we are continuing to investigate. Our policy prohibits drivers from denying service because of a rider’s service animal, and drivers are regularly reminded of this… We have a dedicated team that investigates these types of reports and takes appropriate action, including up to removing the driver's access to the app."