An employee has been accused of being "unwelcoming" to their colleague after they tried to ban her from bringing her service dog to a work dinner, despite her relying on the trained animal.

The anonymous employee said they want to hold a party at their house for some of their colleagues, and while they want to invite this particular co-worker, they don't want her service dog in their home. According to the employee, her dog has been "too aggressive" with their own canine in the past, and since the party will be held at their house, they want to be able to allow their dog to roam free without worrying about their co-worker's service dog.

In a letter sent to Slate's Dear Prudence advice column, the employee stated they had previously spoken to their colleague about their service dog's behaviour and was simply told "he just really wants to play". They added: "This is really challenging to my dog, who has previously been mauled by another dog, so I just keep him away from hers."

And in response, Jenee Desmond-Harris told the anonymous person that while they are free to impose whatever rules they want in their own home, they should think hard about whether they want to make their co-worker feel "unwelcome" by banning her service dog. She said the colleague relies on the dog for everyday tasks so will not be able to simply leave it at home, and therefore it is "not kind" to ask her to do so.

She said: "It is OK, in the sense that you're allowed to do whatever you want in your own home. But it is not kind, it will make your co-worker feel unwelcome, and it will definitely not do anything to make your little corner of the world an easier place for people with disabilities to live their lives - if that's something you care about.

"You would like to have your dog out, but your colleague needs her dog in order to attend the event. Think of this less as a choice between your gentle and traumatised pet and her poorly behaved, dog-mounting pet, and more as a choice between making your party accessible to her or excluding her. If you have to choose, you should choose to make it accessible to her, which might mean putting your dog in your office for a couple of hours. It's the right thing to do."

The advice guru also recommended that the person talk to their colleague about their dog's sensitivities so the pair can reach some sort of compromise, such as keeping the service dog on a leash or instructing the canine that the party is a time to work, rather than play.

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