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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> seeing-eye@googlegroups.com [mailto:seeing-eye@googlegroups.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ginger Kutsch<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 28, 2016 7:42 AM<br><b>To:</b> seeing-eye@googlegroups.com<br><b>Subject:</b> [seeing-eye] Another Uber incident in Murfreesboro, TN<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Uber driver suspended after refusing to drive man and service dog <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.wbrc.com/story/33265031/uber-driver-suspended-after-refusing-to-drive-man-and-service-dog#">http://www.wbrc.com/story/33265031/uber-driver-suspended-after-refusing-to-drive-man-and-service-dog#</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>MURFREESBORO, TN (WSMV) - <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A Middle Tennessee Uber driver has been suspended after police say she refused to give a ride to a man and his service dog.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thomas Jones said he called an Uber to pick him up from the grocery store on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As usual, he had his guide dog Blake with him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“He helps me around class. He helps me around campus,” Jones said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jones has retinitis pigmentosa, and has lost all sight in his right eye.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Blake helps him get around.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jones said as he was about to get in the car, the driver asked him a question.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“She asked me if I was going to put him in a cage,” Jones said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jones said he explained Blake was his service guide dog, but the driver said she couldn't have dogs in her car. She then canceled the ride and left.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“I was hurt. I was really hurt. You have a buggy full of groceries and, you know, you are trying to hurry up and get home. I was really hurt,” Jones said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jones called police and filed a report. An officer then gave him a ride home.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Uber spokeswoman Susan Hendrick said the driver has been suspended while the ride-sharing company investigates.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hendrick added the company may deactivate the driver’s account permanently.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A training video all independent contractors are required to watch clearly states it’s necessary for drivers to allow service dogs in vehicles. Service<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>animals should be able to ride with the passenger on the floor of the backseat of the car.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Americans with Disabilities Act says all businesses that serve the general public must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“She should be prosecuted because she knew the law and she knew the outcome if she did break those laws,” Jones said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jones said he hopes his story will serve as a lesson, not just for Uber drivers, but all companies who come in contact with a service animal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Education is a good start. A well-educated society is a better society all the way around,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>-- <br>The Seeing Eye<br>Independence with Dignity since 1929<br><br> <br>If you need to contact one of the list owners for <br>> questions or assistance, please use the following email address: <a href="mailto:seeing-eye+owner@googlegroups.com">seeing-eye+owner@googlegroups.com</a>.<br>--- <br>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group.<br>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a href="mailto:seeing-eye+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com">seeing-eye+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com</a>.<br>To post to this group, send email to <a href="mailto:seeing-eye@googlegroups.com">seeing-eye@googlegroups.com</a>.<br>To view this discussion on the web visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/03e201d21996%2485132960%248f397c20%24%40ky2d.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/03e201d21996%2485132960%248f397c20%24%40ky2d.com</a>.<br>For more options, visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/optout">https://groups.google.com/d/optout</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>