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Hotel Cancels Family's Reservation Due To Son's Service Dog

A family's reservation at a Baton Rouge Best Western was canceled after the hotel learned the family planned to bring along a service dog.
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A Baton Rouge Best Western canceled a family's reservation after learning a service dog would be tagging along.

Thirteen-year-old Beau Vaughn has a form of epilepsy called Landau-Kleffner syndrome and uses a service dog named Chip. (Via WAFB)

KAREN VAUGHN: "They said, 'Oh, well, you're bringing a pet with you' and that Best Western isn't pet-friendly." (Via WAFB)

Landau-Kleffner syndrome can affect language and cause seizures. Chip is trained to alert the family when Beau is having a seizure. 

The Daily Caller reports Chip goes everywhere with his family, including restaurants, trips, and yes ... hotel rooms. Beau's mother, Karen Vaughn, says her son has the legal right to bring Chip along. 

Under the Americans With Disabilities Act, "State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go." (Via ADA.gov)

Best Western headquarters did contact Vaughn a week after her reservation was canceled and offered to let her keep it, but Vaughn wasn't interested, saying she had already booked with a different hotel that was happy to follow the law.