Prosecutor: No Charges After Bar Kicks Out Veteran, Service Dog

GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ/AP) - A prosecutor says no charges will be filed after a western Michigan bar asked a veteran and his service dog to leave the establishment in November.

Jerome Smith used the dog to manage post-traumatic stress disorder from his time as a Marine. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker issued a legal opinion Thursday, saying Smith and the dog had the right to be in The Holiday Bar in Grand Rapids but the dog should have had a harness or leash.

The Americans with Disabilities Act allows a person with a disability to bring a service animal into businesses that serve the public. Businesses can ask a service animal to leave if they believe the animal's behavior may threaten the health or safety of others.

Bar staff said they were concerned for the safety of the dog and others in the crowded bar. The bar later posted an apology on its Facebook page and said it would donate all of its sales from Nov. 12 to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.

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