A 9/11 volunteer being treated for PTSD was turned away froꦏm a Manhattan hospital Tue꧂sday because he brought his service dog.
Security officers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in Washington Heights barred Jaime Hazan from an appointment with his doctor when they spotted his companion, Bernie, a serv꧂ice dog.
Hazan explained that the 1-year-old Golden Doodle is a working service dog and said he felt “humiliated” when he was told that didn’t matter.
Hazan captured the incident on an iPhone 🎉video that lasted 27 minutes.
“You com🍌e 🧸to a hospital for health care and I’m being detained for being disabled,” Hazan laments on the video.
It took four sympathetic NYPD ౠcops called to the scene to resolve the situation and make clear that disability laws protect service dogs. But by that time, Hazan was too late for his appointment.
“Because of the🔜ir total incompetence about the law, they took four men in blue off the street who could be protecting New York,” Hazan told The Post.
He believes the situation is particularly “egregious” since the state-run institute specializes in people with disabilities.
‘You come to a hospital for health care and I’m being detained for being disabled.’
- Jaime Hazan
The institute, which is contained in the Colu𝓀mbia University Medical Center, issued an apology when reached by The Post and pledged that the “unfortunate situation” would not hap🔜pen again.
The institute’s policy “specifically states that service animals are welcome, in accordance with state law,♏ federal law, and basic courtesy towards persons with disabilities,” the statement reads.
“NYSPI is distressed and perplexed that these employees failed to abide by this policy and will take immediate action to address this incident and to make sure that other visitors are not treated like this going forward.”
Hazan wants the two security officers fired and an investigation by⛦ Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
“An apology isn’t enough, unfortunately,” Hazan told The Post, who also believes the four NYPD officers should be rewarded.
Hazan, a former Rockland County emergency medical technician, volunteered at Ground Zero on Sept. 12, 2001, and hasꦛ undergone three surgeries for his sinuses, hernia and chronic digestive disease. His PTSD symptoms have impr🍌oved since Bernie came into his life from Dogs 4 Warriors, which typically provides pups for veterans.
Hazan has been an advocate for first responders with health care issues and, in a flood of emotion, gave Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand his EMT badge last year during a celebration of Congress’s renewal of the Zadroga Act.
“Senator Gillibrand has not seen the video yet, but thinks he is a hero and has every right to bring hi⛎s service dog to his doctor’s appointment,” said her spokesman, Marc Brumer.
Hazan says he hasn’t had trouble with Bernie until Tuesday. That’s when he pulled out his iPhone and began filming the two safety officers, who wore badges and a patch saying “State of New York Office of Mental Health.”
“Who else are they doing this to? Is it just me? That’s why I have to make a st𝓀ink,” Hazan told the NYPD cops on the vi🌳deo.
“I don’t like doing this ✨but I got to. I don’t like to💙 be a complaining person. I hate being disabled. I can’t stand it. I was never that guy. It took me a long time to get comfortable with the fact that I’m not my old self.”