Things change. One day I was a stay-at-home homeschooling mom and wife. The next night I was in my car with my daughter, my service and my daughter’s cat (who was headed to a foster home) looking for a place to sleep. I was also armed with a cell phone that I hoped to use to find us shelter. Unfortunately, I found only closed doors.
Domestic Violence Shelters – I felt like Snoopy – “no dogs allowed.” Despite my prescription from my doctor for a service dog and federal laws protecting my rights to have that service dog, when the shelters found out I had a service dog there wasn’t room for us. “Yes, we can take you” became “all our rooms are filled” within seconds of hearing I had a service dog. By the way, this was every domestic violence shelter in the state. I know this because a domestic violence center (without a shelter) put us in a motel for a night (no problem with my service dog there) and the advocate and I called each one of the shelters and safe houses.
Homeless Shelters – Homeless shelters turned me, my daughter and my service dog away. As we walked to our car, the people in line behind us were accpeted even though they had just told me they were full. One man made a fuss, yelling “You turned that woman and her daughter away because she’s disabled? They could have my room.” He was quickly quieted down and escorted inside.
Church Missions – Even church missions refused to help us. Not quite as bold as the domestic violence shelters that refused us, they proudly bragged about not accepting federal aid and being a non-profit organization that could refuse anyone help.
My Mom – Don’t knock on my door with a six year old and a service dog. We got the boot and I’m sure you would as well. Once my service dog was in foster care with our cat, we were offered the floor next to the bed in my mom’s guestroom. We spend some time there, but only because we have now where else to go.
The moral of the story is do not become homeless if you are disabled with a service dog – no matter where you live. I even contacted states bordering Oklahoma (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado) and got the same results. I did manage to find a few places that “might” help, but they’d have to “see us and the service dog.” I don’t have the money to drive elsewhere so we are stuck.
Just curious…Anyone know a tough discrimination attorney on a mission?