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The festival also was ordered to reimburse Michael Grasso for his costs in bringing the case.
The Florida Commission on Human Relations has agreed with an administrative law judge that a local man was discriminated against when he was denied entry into the 2019 St. Marks Stone Crab Festival because of his service dog.
Judge G.W. Chisenhall had determined Michael Grasso’s civil rights were violated when he was barred from entering the festival with his Labrador-mastiff mix Zuko.
Organizers wrongly told him he first had to show "documentation substantiating that his dog was a ‘service animal,’ ” records show.
In a decision out last week, the festival has been ordered to stop any discriminatory practices similar to those that violated Grasso’s civil rights.
The Commission also ordered the festival to reimburse Grasso for his costs in bringing the case; Chisenhall must now determine the amount owed.
A request for comment was pending Wednesday with festival organizers.
The back story: Judge: St. Marks Stone Crab Festival violated man's civil rights by prohibiting service dog
Grasso has post-traumatic stress disorder and moved into a house boat in St. Marks in 2018, according to records. He got a service dog to help him deal with crowds and strangers.
A volunteer collecting admission fees told Grasso the festival has a "no dog policy." When he told her Zuko was a service dog, the volunteer requested documentation.
Grasso didn't have any, nor did he need any, he said. Zuco also was not wearing a service vest.
The exchange became heated, according to records, with Wakulla County sheriff’s deputies getting involved.
Requiring Grasso to produce documents or describe his disability is against the law, the judge wrote in a recommended order, but asking people whether they need a service animal for a disability and what "the animal has been trained to perform” is legal.
Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.
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State: Man was discriminated against when denied entry into festival over service dog - Tallahassee Democrat
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