Mall Santa Turns Away Autistic Child Because Of Service Dog
[su_right_ad]The Orange County, CA Santa was afraid of the child’s service dog.
The incident took place at The Shops at Mission Viejo on Sunday afternoon after Abcde Santos and her 5-year-old pit bull service dog Pup-Cake waited in line for 30 minutes to see Santa – only to be told he would not meet with her, reports Orange County Register.
“For an autistic child to wait in line for 30 minutes, that’s an accomplishment in itself,” said Julie Miller, who is a friend of the family and in charge of the Pup-Cake the Service Dog Facebook fan page.
The Santa was reportedly hired through an outside agency and his name has not been released. After expressing his fear of the dog, the Santos family reportedly offered to remove him from the area so the little girl could visit Santa. The man still refused, according to the family – and then reportedly claimed he was allergic to dogs.
By law, service dogs are allowed in stores and other businesses. But Miller says the Santos family is often treated unkindly because of the dog’s breed.[su_csky_ad]
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Bad Santa. 🙁
tracey marie December 2nd, 2014 at 1:05 pm
maybe he really is deathly afraid of dogs…I will reserve judgement. I have a friend who is terrified of dogs from a 3.5 lb yorkie to a 45lb border(mine).
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 2:04 pm
For an autistic child you should put aside your fears. A parent of the child could of been right there with the dog to help. So many ways this could of gone the right way, this was the wrong way.
tracey marie December 2nd, 2014 at 2:07 pm
not that easy, do you have a deep seated fear of something?
Carla Akins December 2nd, 2014 at 2:12 pm
But once the parents offered to remove the dog, he should have made the effort.
tracey marie December 2nd, 2014 at 2:13 pm
still, I will reserve judgement. Fear is not logical or overcome that easily.
FrankenPC . December 2nd, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Agree. Irrational fear is, well, irrational. It’s a legit mental disorder that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Bunya December 2nd, 2014 at 4:09 pm
I agree. I have a friend who is deathly afraid of dogs. She’ll run if she spots a small Chihuahua a block away. I never understood that fear, but then again, I’m afraid of heights.
rg9rts December 2nd, 2014 at 5:36 pm
My ex wife……..
R.J. Carter December 2nd, 2014 at 4:59 pm
His whole “I’m allergic to dogs” after the dog was removed made me feel he was more “averse to special needs children.”
I can imagine the poor child’s reaction at being, literally, rejected to her face by Santa Claus.
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 5:24 pm
That was my take also. That is really low.
Carla Akins December 2nd, 2014 at 5:58 pm
I know, it’s heartbreaking.
rg9rts December 2nd, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Wonder what he did when he got peed on
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Not of anything irrational. I have been in some very scary situations though and have always risen above my fear and acted rationally. Granted that is difficult for many but that is when you get help. This was one of those situations where there was plenty of help available. It wasn’t a war zone or major natural disaster. It was a peaceful holiday event.
tracey marie December 2nd, 2014 at 2:24 pm
so the answer is no.
R.J. Carter December 2nd, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Speciel Profiling.
StoneyCurtisll December 2nd, 2014 at 2:13 pm
Santa doesn’t have it easy..
Especially with the “war on Christmas” and all..
Ya think it’s easy being Santa?.
Watch this..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t2TzJOyops
granpa.usthai December 2nd, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Probably wasn’t the ‘real’ Santa. Next time, call Mall Security and demand he produce a ‘real’ birth certificate or throw the lying socialist bum out. False Santa’s are destroying Christmas! The real Santa would never turn away a sweetheart with a dog decked out to be a reindeer. No doubt this fake is probably from Arizona and a Republican!
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 5:26 pm
No Doubt.
Hirightnow December 2nd, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Who refuses to fly over Benghazi…
rg9rts December 2nd, 2014 at 5:31 pm
The milk of human kindness as expressed by a sensitive Santa
rg9rts December 2nd, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Was talking to a oil service man who was told the boiler was in the basement…they neglected to warn him about their pet bear down there… This is lower New York not Alaska
Hirightnow December 2nd, 2014 at 7:30 pm
OK, smarty-pants…
Where would YOU keep the family bear?
rg9rts December 2nd, 2014 at 10:50 pm
Next to the honey jar of course
M D Reese December 3rd, 2014 at 5:49 pm
And of course what would you feed it?
–Whatever it wants!
fahvel December 2nd, 2014 at 7:06 pm
way off topic – what is this pop up crap about h2 or some other crap – it degrades the flow of LL.
Hirightnow December 2nd, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Pit Bulldogs are one of the goofiest,most loveable breeds out there.
Try getting that reindeer getup onto a Chow-Chow (It doesn’t work, I can tell ya!).
Santa just forgot that he wasn’t hired for his benefit.
Hopefully, Santa got put on a road-cleaning crew by his temp staffing agency.