CASE 36

1. With whom do you agree in this dispute? Should Russ have honored Clyde’s request to leave or should Clyde have allowed Russ and Ellie into his store?

I agree with Clyde because his decision was meant to protect his store as anyone else could do for their business. Allowing Ellie into the store could result in a fight with his dog, Kit which means some property could be destroyed. Moreover, this was an armory gun shop meaning there were sensitive weapons which could not stand violence. Besides, the fight between the two dogs could leave Kit hurt hence making it hard for him to provide security in the shop. Dog is man’s most loyal servant, and even though Clyde could hire security personnel, there could be no guarantee of security and trust besides the fact that it could be an additional expense to pay them. Dogs provide excellent protection and make it difficult for thieves to break into a store, unlike human beings who are prone to accepting bribes. Ellie is Russ’ service dog and helps him around the house. If the two dogs fought, Russ could also be inconvenienced. Russ should have honored Clyde’s request because it was for their good. Both of them had something to lose if the dogs got hurt in a fight. They could even die, and they would have to wait a long time to get other dogs.

2. Who are the stakeholders and what are the stakes?

Stakeholders are people who are interested in a particular thing. The stakeholder in this situation is the Puppies Behind Bars organization that allocates dogs to veterans who have been wounded in the line of work. The dogs are trained in such a way that they can help people run errands which makes them of great help. With time, the dogs become too attached to the veterans to the point of becoming good friends or part of their families. A stake can be an interest in something or a right to have something. In this case, the stakes are war veterans who have been hurt in the line of duty to the point that they cannot fend for themselves totally and have to rely on other people for help.  The organization seeks to ensure that they are well taken care of and appreciated for serving their country.

3. What ethical principles apply to this situation?

Ethical principles are described as guidelines used to justify the actions of human beings. They include beneficence, respect for persons, justice, and non-maleficence. The policy of respect for persons requires giving respect to those people who are not mature and those who are disabled. In this situation, Russ Murray falls under the category of persons who are disabled since he sustained a brain and back injury in an explosion. He should be treated with respect like other people. When Clyde denies him entry into his store, Russ assumes it is because of his state and plans to complain under the Americans with Disability Act. Another principle is the principle of beneficence which states that people should be treated in a good way and given protection. The Puppies Behind Bars organization trains dogs which are later given to war veterans to keep them company and help them do one or two things that they cannot do themselves. It shows that the organization protects the veterans by giving them dogs which not only provide company but also give security. Besides, there is a mention of the Americans with Disabilities Act which protects disabled people. The ethical principle of justice ensures that people receive what is rightfully theirs and treating people equally. There should be no discrimination whatsoever. Russ gets a dog that runs some of the errands in the house. It is what veterans are entitled to, and an organization sees to it that the dogs are well trained.

4. Before doing any more research on service dogs and the ADA, think about what happened. Who is in the right? Is this a violation of the ADA or does the store owner have rights that outweigh ADA concerns?

In this situation, Clyde is in the right because he is trying to protect his store by ensuring Ellie does not enter because his dog, Kit, does not like other dogs, which is a common thing among dogs. If the two dogs meet, a fight might break out in the store, and this is something Clyde is trying to avoid. It is not a violation of ADA because Clyde has no problem with Russ entering his store. It could qualify to be a violation if Russ was denied entry because of his injuries. The dog is not a human being, and it is not hurt. Russ is not discriminated against because Clyde is trying his best to avoid a dog fight in his store. Maybe this is for a good course because Ellie may be hurt since Kit’s purpose is to provide security and may end up hurting Ellie, forcing Russ to go back to his former life while waiting for another service dog which is not attached to him yet. The store owner has every right to do what he did, and the good thing is he only has a problem with the service dog getting into his store.

5. Was a reasonable accommodation attempted? Did the potential accommodation involve undue hardship?

There was an attempt on accommodation because the organization provided Russ with a service dog which helped him around the house and with time the dog became his best friend to the point that they became hard to separate. The dog also protected because it could dial 911 in case of an emergency. Dogs are loyal to their masters, and we have a rough idea of how loyal Ellie is to Russ. The accommodation did not involve hardship because Russ life went on smoothly and even became better because he had help. The only problem he encountered was being denied entry into the store, and that was because of the presence of another dog in the premises. If Kit were absent, Clyde would have no problem with Ellie since there could be no dog for Ellie to have a dog fight with.

6. Now, look up the ADA policy on service animals. In considering this, who is in the right in the above scenario? Does your answer change from the one you gave in 1 or 4?

Clyde is in the right because he refuses to let Ellie into his store to prevent a fight from breaking out between his dog, Kit, and Ellie, the service dog. I wholeheartedly second his reason to keep the environment safe. If the dogs fight, the people around his store may panic. Russ was driven out of the store because he refused to leave when he was asked to do so. I don’t change my answer from that of number 1 and 4 because he had the option of getting into the shop without Ellie, but he decided otherwise. Clyde meant no offense.

Reference

Carroll B. & Buchholtz K. (2015): Business & Society; Ethics, Sustainability, and Stakeholder Management. Cengage Learning