Woman helped by ‘service dog’ says dog is hassled by businesses

A local artist relies on her new service dog to get around, but she said she has been given a hard time by some local businesses.

Sitting on a stool at her drawing table littered with brightly colored illustrations, Deborah Schilling-Jrade dropped a stencil on the tile floor of her Surfside studio.

”Sego, get it!” Schilling-Jrade said.

The golden retriever lying at her side walked over and gently lifted the paper-thin plastic stencil with his mouth.

”Good boy,” said Schilling-Jrade, 47, as she took the stencil.

Schilling-Jrade, an illustrator of children’s books, waited for more than 3 ½ years to get a service dog that will help her work and raise her child despite the limitations of multiple sclerosis.

She said Sego is a blessing, helping her get out of the house to enjoy neighborhood restaurants and shops.

But she said some of those local establishments are giving her a hard time when she tries to come in with Sego.

Click here to read the rest of the story