So I was walking to work today...
And I love this job. I supervise a great team. People know I have a service dog, they don't know or ask why, and they leave the dog alone and talk to me like a person.
On my way there this morning, walking with my service dog at my side, a bus stops at an intersection near me. The doors of the bus are open. This seems strange and I slow down a little. Next thing I know, I'm being pelted with small hard things.
Confused and alarmed, I go into fight or flight mode and find cover behind a wall. My dog alerts and goes into protective mode.
The bus driver then comes to the doorway and yells that it's treats for my service dog, and I should go find them in the bushes.
I tell him, "Stop, I need to go to work..." he throws more. He keeps saying, "But she likes them."
I yell back, "Stop, the dog is working. Stop..."
A whole stopped bus of people watching, and others on the sidewalk.
I wanted to find them and throw them back at his sorry ass. I did not. He finally drove off.
I regrouped, fought back humiliation and tears, tried to find my courage... Five minutes after he finally drives off... I called the city bus service and filed a grievance. I'm debating pressing criminal charges - I did confirm this is an act that is a crime under three separate criminal codes in my state in the US. The bus has video, so his behavior is most likely on tape and can be pulled. It's an easy case to prove he stopped a bus route to throw things to distract and screw up a service dog. Is this harassment of me too? I don't know. I asked him to stop. He did not.
I mean, it's nice he loves my dog but there is a line and this was waaaaaay over it. I told him to stop it.
Would you seek criminal charges? I've asked him before no treats for the dog. He just escalated to throwing them to me on the street and demanding I find them.
A**hole.
And I love this job. I supervise a great team. People know I have a service dog, they don't know or ask why, and they leave the dog alone and talk to me like a person.
On my way there this morning, walking with my service dog at my side, a bus stops at an intersection near me. The doors of the bus are open. This seems strange and I slow down a little. Next thing I know, I'm being pelted with small hard things.
Confused and alarmed, I go into fight or flight mode and find cover behind a wall. My dog alerts and goes into protective mode.
The bus driver then comes to the doorway and yells that it's treats for my service dog, and I should go find them in the bushes.
I tell him, "Stop, I need to go to work..." he throws more. He keeps saying, "But she likes them."
I yell back, "Stop, the dog is working. Stop..."
A whole stopped bus of people watching, and others on the sidewalk.
I wanted to find them and throw them back at his sorry ass. I did not. He finally drove off.
I regrouped, fought back humiliation and tears, tried to find my courage... Five minutes after he finally drives off... I called the city bus service and filed a grievance. I'm debating pressing criminal charges - I did confirm this is an act that is a crime under three separate criminal codes in my state in the US. The bus has video, so his behavior is most likely on tape and can be pulled. It's an easy case to prove he stopped a bus route to throw things to distract and screw up a service dog. Is this harassment of me too? I don't know. I asked him to stop. He did not.
I mean, it's nice he loves my dog but there is a line and this was waaaaaay over it. I told him to stop it.
Would you seek criminal charges? I've asked him before no treats for the dog. He just escalated to throwing them to me on the street and demanding I find them.
A**hole.