FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1997                            (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

 SHONEY'S RESTAURANTS TO LET DINERS WITH DISABILITIES BRING IN
 SERVICE ANIMALS UNDER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  Under a settlement reached with the U.S. 
Department of Justice, Shoney's Inc. will ensure that its 544
restaurants welcome persons with disabilities accompanied by
their service animals.

     The settlement resolves a complaint filed by a Charlestown,
New Hampshire woman, who is deaf.  She alleged that the Shoney's
restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama violated the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) by refusing to allow her and her service
dog into the restaurant.

     Under the agreement, the 544 corporately-owned restaurants
will adopt a new national policy to ensure that people with
service animals have access to all Shoney's restaurants. 
Shoney's also has another 300 franchises. 
 
     "A service animal is not a pet, and plays an important role
in the day-to-day life of a person with a disability," said
Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Isabelle Katz
Pinzler.  "By entering into this agreement, Shoney's is doing its
part towards eliminating obstacles for individuals with
disabilities."

     According to the complaint, the woman was accompanied by her
"hearing" dog, "Gizmo," and several friends when she was asked by
the Huntsville restaurant management for a Department of Health
card for Gizmo.  After a lengthy debate, the complainant and her
friends left the restaurant without being served.

     The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal
dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance
to an individual with a disability.  A "hearing" dog is
responsible for alerting persons with hearing impairments to
sounds.  Under the law, an individual is not required to show
documentation of a disability, but is required to identify their
animal as a service animal.

     According to the terms of the agreement, which was reached
on June 11, Shoney's will:

     *    develop and prominently post a written policy statement
          indicating that all persons with disabilities,
          including those accompanied by service animals, are
          welcome in the restaurant, and that no proof of an
          animal's certification as a service animal is required;

     *    train all present and future staff to ensure that
          people with disabilities, including those with service
          animals, are treated in a nondiscriminatory manner and
          are afforded the same service as that afforded any
          customer of the restaurant; and,

     *    pay the complainant $1,000 in damages.

     Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination by private
businesses, including restaurants, on the basis of disability.

     The Department of Justice's ADA World Wide Web Home Page and
ADA information line provide information about the ADA and the
Department's responsibilities under the law.  The Home Page is
located on the Web at (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm). 
The ADA information line is (800) 514-0301 (voice) and (800) 
514-0383 (TDD).
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