A 7-year-old girl with autism was refused a visit with Santa Claus and an elf after waiting online for 30 minutes at a mall because her service dog was a Pit Bull.
Abcde Santos was excited to see Santa because she was planning on asking him what he wants for Christmas so she could make it for him, reported Buzz Feed.
After the incident the Santa Claus and elf were fired from The Shops at Mission Viejo, a shopping center in Orange County, Calif.
Abcde's Pit Bull, Pup-Cake, is 5-years-old. He has received Canine Good Citizen training as well as socialization, obedience, and public access training, reported Buzz Feed.
It's against the law for a business to refuse service to an individual with a service dog. The Americans With Disabilities Act doesn't require a person to prove their dog is a service dog to gain entry to a business, according to their website.
"If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability," the ADA website reads. "Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability."
