Blind Man: Guide Dog Got Him Kicked Out

"I started losing (my sight) at the age of 21, and it's from diabetes," said Mike Selman.

Selman is now completely blind.  The Fraser man depends on his leader dog, Spice, to help him take the steps in life that he can't see.

On Sunday, August 22nd, Selman says he, his sister, Rebecca, and Spice walked into a store only to hear the words "No dogs.  Look at sign.  No dogs.  Out."

"My sister yelled from the cooler area, 'She's a guide dog.  She can go anywhere he goes,'" Selman said.

"He was like I don't care, shaking his head no, pointing his finger.  'Out.  No dog. Read sign.'  Pointing at the sign," said Rebecca Moffett.

"So, we went outside and made a phone call to the police department," said Selman.

"I got an officer at the Roseville Police Department , and he basically told me there was nothing illegal about it," Moffett said.

"I got kicked out of the store.  I called the police for help, and there's no help available," said Selman.

"I'm just embarrassed, frustrated, angry," said Moffett.

"How dare you.  I have a right to have my dog in here," Selman said.  "That's my right.  They stepped all over it."

We took a trip to the Roseville, family-owned Stop N Go and ran into Mike Yostos.  He runs the place and was not present when the unthinkable occurred, but wanted to have his say about what happened speaking on behalf of the clerk who was behind the counter.

"He (didn't) know... if he's blind or not.  He looked at (the) dog and he told him, 'Please, there is no dog in the store," said Yostos, who added that it was a complete misunderstanding.

We do not want to end this story without everyone getting a good understanding of the guidelines when it comes to dog guides.  So, we went to the internationally known Leader Dogs for the Blind campus in Rochester Hills.

"It is a federal law that anyone who navigates with a dog guide is allowed access to any environment public or private, and that's what were here to do at Leader Dogs for the Blind.  To place a highly trained dog guide in someone's hand that enables them to live a life of unimaginable freedom.  To go place they never thought possible without their dog guide," said Melissa Weisse with Leader Dogs for the Blind.

Leader dogs are important to so many people.  If you would like to get involved with that organization, visit www.leaderdog.org for more information.

We also spoke with a high ranking officer in the Roseville Police Department.  They promise to talk with the employees of the Stop N Go to make sure they fully understand the law.