A Colorado Springs lawyer is being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly turning away a disabled woman’s service dog.
The case, filed in federal court in Denver today, alleges Patric LeHouillier would not allow veterinarian Joan Murnane to bring her Australian Shepherd to his office in 2006.
LeHouillier today said Murnane was being sued by his client at the time in a heated case that involved claims and countersuits. Murnane would not provide proof that the dog was a registered service animal, and LeHouillier said evidence in that prior case would contradict that she is disabled.
His client later won several of the claims and Murnane prevailed in others, he said.
“It’s a vindictive, retaliatory claim,” he said of today’s filing. “It’s unfortunate.”
The lawsuit against LeHouillier claims he was concerned the dog would soil his office carpet.
Denying entry to a service animal is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which “ensures that individuals with disabilities are guaranteed the same rights and access granted to everyone, and it has prohibited discrimination against individuals who use service dogs for almost 20 years,” Thomas E. Perez, assistant U.S. attorney for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement.
Service animals are trained to help the disabled with many daily tasks, including picking up items, closing doors and guiding the blind.
“This was a companion animal, this was her pet,” LeHouillier said today of Murnane’s dog. “I have to think the Justice Department rushed this case and didn’t investigate that very well.”
LeHouillier has been in the media the last few years. He won a $145,000 lawsuit against Denver personal-injury attorney Frank “The Strong Arm” Azar last year on behalf of a former Azar client who accused his practice of churning lawsuits for quick settlements and rarely taking cases to trial.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
