Over the past few months, Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) has received several inquiries concerning service animals on escalators. These inquiries have come from service animal handlers who have reported being denied access to escalators and moving sidewalks. Some have even reported finding signs on escalators specifically prohibiting service animals. Though the common thread of these complaints has involved airports, escalators can be found in many public places, such as hotels, retail establishments, and shopping malls. If we do not take measures now before the trend gets out-of-hand, we will find ourselves denied the right to take the most efficient, convenient, preferred path and be required to take stairs or elevators. In a recent meeting with the Department of Transportation, Advocates for Service Animal Partners was asked to gather more information about this trend so they can take proactive steps to correct it. ASAP is creating a technical assistance brief about this issue which will be sent soon. In order to learn more about this issue, ASAP needs help from our partners in the field to gather evidence of this problem. If you have been denied access to an escalator or moving sidewalk due to the presence of your service animal or see a sign prohibiting service animals on escalators or moving sidewalks, we want to know about it. Though it is very helpful to have video or photographic evidence, if you do not, letting us know about the problem is helpful. Here’s what you can do! If you are denied the use of an escalator or moving sidewalk, record the encounter. Remember that your purpose is to record their bad behavior, but it will also record yours! Take a few deep breaths, stay calm and don’t give those who see the video a reason to blame you. Those of us who use service animals understand how offensive the ignorance is and how emotionally charged access denials can be. Too many times the focus turns to our behavior rather than the precedent civil rights denial. In the words of my wife, “When the victim becomes the defendant, the defendant becomes the victim!” No matter how obvious it may seem, your dog is a service animal, such as wearing a guide dog harness or a service animal vest, never fail to have your first words after the contact be “I am disabled; this is my service dog.” Or words to that effect. For instance, I am willing to disclose more information than others and will state, “I am blind, this is my guide dog.” This establishes an important legal principle known as intent. In other words, they cannot claim they were unaware you were disabled and the dog was a service dog; therefore, they did not intend to violate your civil rights. It is also our responsibility to offer such credible assertions, even though they may not even ask the question. More often than not, my polite assertion is met with an apologetic, “I didn’t know!” If you see a sign, we ask that you take a picture of it. Be sure it is legible, clearly applies to an escalator or moving sidewalk, and captures any other signs around it, such as “No strollers”. Please share your videos and pictures with us. Be sure to let us know when and where the video or picture was taken. You can do so by sending an email to Advoc...@gmail.com with the following information: Your name Your email address Your telephone number Please include details about your experience, including the name, address, and date of the incident or pictures. ASAP will contact you to discuss the issue further. Your advocacy on this concern will help make the way smoother for service animal handlers in the future. If you are not subscribed to our email alerts, go to our website and complete the “Become a Partner” form! | 
