Durham, Ontario resident Vita Stibert wants people to know that service dogs come in all shapes and sizes.
The mother of 17-year-old triplets was recently denied entry to a hotel in Woodstock, southwestern Ontario, when she arrived with her service dog Amora, a 15-month-old miniature poodle who was wearing a red vest that read “Service Dog.”
Stibert and Amora entered the Holiday Inn Express and Suites on the afternoon of Jan. 7 to pick up bags belonging to her daughter, who had arrived the night before with her hockey team to play in a tournament. Stibert was in town to see his daughter play, but stopped at the hotel first.
But Stibert didn’t get far. The staff questioned her about Amora, who has a traditional poodle haircut.
Stibert arrived at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites on Jan. 7 to pick up her daughter. When officers saw Stibert’s service dog, a 15-month-old poodle named Amora, she was questioned and eventually denied access. (Google Maps)
“They actually told me they didn’t believe she was a service dog,” said Stibert, who then showed staff a medical note from his doctor that said Amora was “medically necessary,” plus she present the dog’s vaccination certificates and public access.
However, the staff asked Stibert to leave.
Vita Stiebert’s doctor’s note says her dog is ‘medically necessary’
Stibert carries this doctor’s note that deems her dog “medically necessary.” For a dog to be considered a service animal in Ontario, it must either wear a vest or the owner must provide documentation from a regulated health professional confirming that the animal is necessary due to a disability. (Submitted by Vita Stiebert)
“Later, as I waited between the two doors, [staff] told me I could be charged with trespassing,” she said.
Stibert is on long-term disability from his job as a veterinary technician at the University of Guelph because he struggles with chronic daily migraines and the resulting anxiety.
She made me very comfortable. She provides a lot of support. – Vita Stibert, 53, on her service dog Amora
“I lost my sight in an accident,” Stibert said. “[Amora is] taught to find me somewhere to sit and will stay with me. It also helps with anxiety.”
CBC News contacted IHG Hotels and Resorts on Thursday and was told in an email that someone would respond, but there was no response by Friday afternoon. The CBC also called the Woodstock Hotel this week and a man who identified himself as a sales manager claimed Stiebert’s dog was not a service animal.
Stibert says 15-month-old Amora helps her deal with chronic migraines and anxiety. (Submitted by Vita Stiebert)
What does the law say?
Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, a service dog is readily identifiable as such or a medical practitioner has determined that the dog is necessary for the individual.
In an email to the CBC, a provincial spokesperson said: “You cannot be refused entry to a business if you have a service animal and you can provide documentation from a regulated health professional confirming that the animal is necessary due to a disability.
“If someone has been discriminated against on the basis of a disability, they may want to contact the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, which hears discrimination claims brought under the Ontario Human Rights Code.”
Dog trainer Robyn Minifie works with Stiebert and her service dog Amora.
“Service dogs come in all shapes and sizes these days,” Minifie said.
“It’s all about what works best for the owner.”
What a dog looks like or how it’s groomed doesn’t matter, she said.
There is a lack of standards and regulations for service dogs in Canada and this varies by province.-Colleen Dell, University of Saskatchewan
“As long as their behavior is there and as long as they have service dog qualifications, their doctor’s note, I don’t think that should matter.”
Colleen Dell is an animal therapy researcher and professor at the University of Saskatchewan who specializes in mental health, addiction and wellness treatment.
She said identifying a service animal can be confusing because “there is a lack of standard and regulation for service dogs in Canada and it varies by province.”
“It’s really confusing for people.”
Why Stibert chose a poodle
However, in Stiebert’s case, Dell said the answer should have been obvious.
“It is quite clear that the owner of the hotel has a legal duty not to refuse entry to this woman and her service dog.”
Colleen Dell is an animal therapy researcher and professor at the University of Saskatchewan. She specializes in mental health, addictions and wellness treatment. (Submitted by Colleen Dell)
Many people assume that a service dog has to be a golden retriever or a Labrador, Dell said.
“There’s just this complete lack of understanding.”
Stiebert chose a poodle for a reason.
“They don’t shed, so they’re hypoallergenic. I have allergy sufferers at home.”
Stibert also enjoys showing Amora at dog shows, which she admits comes with challenges.
“I felt like people didn’t take her seriously as a service dog because of the way she was maintained,” Steibert said. “Unfortunately, my anxiety is making me wonder if I should just shave it off.”
London Morning9:45 Can a fluffy poodle be a service dog?
Vita Stibert was shocked when an employee of the Woodstock Hotel asked her to leave because Stibert had her service dog with her. University of Saskatchewan professor and animal therapy researcher Colleen Dell shares her knowledge of service animal law with the London Morning.
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