Lawsuit: Dealership denied military vet loaner vehicle because of her service dog

A Buena Park, Calif., dealership faces a lawsuit for allegedly refusing to provide a loaner to a customer because her service dog would ride in it, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The incident happened last October when Teresa Barber brought her car to BMW of Buena Park for a prescheduled service appointment, according to the complaint. It described her as a disabled military veteran who needed a service dog because of fibromyalgia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The complaint said she was initially offered a loaner but that a manager then told her she couldn't have one because of the store's no-pet policy.

Barber "attempted to educate the manager that what he was doing was considered discrimination, but the manager would not relent," the complaint said. She "did her best to explain that her dog was not a pet, but in fact a working service animal. Nonetheless, the manager doubled down on his discrimination and claimed that he could deny service to anyone for any reason."

The suit, filed Jan. 8 in Orange County Superior Court, seeks damages and attorney fees under federal and state anti-discrimination laws.

The complaint said Barber "faces the prospect of unpleasant and discriminatory treatment should she attempt to return to the dealership."

Even so, it noted that she had the car serviced previously at BMW of Buena Park "and would like to do so again in the future once it ceases its discriminatory practices."

In an emailed statement on behalf of the dealership, AutoNation's public relations said: "As the matter is currently under legal consideration, we won't be able to offer further comments." Barber's attorney's office declined to answer questions about the case.