Army Vet Fired From Trucking Job For Driving With Service Dog

A U.S. Army veteran is fighting back after she was fired from her job as a truck driver for driving with a service dog.

Service Dog Helps Veteran Cope With PTSD

Fifty-two year old trucker Lucinda Brummitt rides with a service dog after suffering sexual abuse while serving in the Army. Her chocolate lab named “Big” helps her cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Brummitt moved to Manitoba to be with her husband, also a truck driver, and was hired by Jade Transport in September 2015.

Trucking Company Has No Pets Policy For Safety Reasons

She was fired just a few months later right before Christmas because, the company said, she failed to let them know about the service dog.

Further, Jade Transport says that they have a no pets policy in place for safety and cleanliness reasons as they often deliver to chemical plants in the U.S.

After being terminated, Brummitt lost her Canadian work permit. She says she’s undergone significant financial hardship since she was fired.

Truck Driver Vows To Fight Termination

Brummitt has taken her case to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, where it is still pending. She says that she won’t give up until she gets a fair settlement from Jade.

The Manitoba Trucking Association says that trucking companies usually do their best to accommodate requests for service animals but that “we have to defer to the safety end of things, whether we like to or not.”

Sources:
CTV News
Winnipeg Metro News