OKC Woman With Service Dog Denied At Subway Restaurant

A local woman says she was denied service at a Subway restaurant because she was with her service dog.

Margo Mateas keeps her Pomeranian, Max, close because she can suffer from panic attacks brought on by Claustrophobia.

"I don't know what it is about her presence that keeps me from having panic attack, but it does," says Mateas.

A little more than a week ago, Mateas and Max walked into the Subway at SW 104^th and May and were denied service.

"She said 'You can't have the dog in here'," says Mateas about the Subway worker.

Max was not wearing his service dog vest, but Mateas did have certification papers to show employees.

"I'm being treated like a freak, a non-person, like I violated the law. I was just trying to get a sandwich at Subway," says Mateas, who filed a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

She also contacted the ACLU, who says it's will help get her an apology and hopes the Subway workers will be trained on identifying service dogs.

The owner of the Subway tells News 9 the incident was a misunderstanding and Mateas and her dog will be allowed to dine at the restaurant the next time they visit.