Veteran says he was denied access to ride Ferris wheel with service dog at Christmas event

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - An Alabama man is suing after he says his service dog was not allowed on a Ferris wheel with him while visiting the German Christmas Market.

Kenneth Browning says he was at the Cullman Christkindlmarkt with friends and family but didn’t expect to have issues with his service dog Maisie.

Browning said his dog wasn’t allowed on the ADA-accessible Ferris wheel. The Army veteran says he suffers from PTSD and his service dog is critical to his health.

“I don’t think I would be here today if I didn’t have her. It got pretty rough this year. She has really been my best friend and helped me through a lot,” he said.

Browning’s lawsuit, which has been filed against the city of Cullman and Kissel Entertainment, claims what happened was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Army vet said the crowds and situation were already difficult for him that day while at the Christmas event and when he couldn’t get in touch with market organizers, he had a panic attack.

“Just kept getting worse. The feeling, and the panic. My dog Maisie, she went into one of her tasks and she laid on me, providing some pressure and trying to help calm me down,” he said.

Browning’s attorney Edward Zwilling said the lawsuit will hopefully ensure no one else will go through something like this.

“We want some training; we want clear policies, so this doesn’t ever happen in the future. This is an annual event; I am sure this Ferris wheel is coming back. We want to make sure this doesn’t ever happen to another veteran, and I think he is entitled to some compensation too for what they put him through,” Zwilling said.

Representatives for the city and Kissel Entertainment have not immediately responded to a request for comment regarding the situation.

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