Ohio Skating Rink 'Illegally' Denied Entry to Young Boy With Service Dog Sparking Outrage: 'Would Have Sent Me to Jail'

A Springfield, Ohio, skating rink has come under fire after its owners were filmed denying entry to a diabetic 6-year-old boy and his service dog, a violation of federal disability laws.

The incident at USA Skate Center was captured in a viral TikTok video, igniting a wave of outrage online.

In the video, the boy's mother, Andrea Galford, insisted that its illegal to deny entry under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but the woman who owns the facility with her husband just shrugged repeatedly. "You can't, by law," Galford said. In response, the owner suggested she would comply if a police officer told her to. A woman claiming to be a police officer entered the fray, telling the owners they don't have to allow dogs as the husband claimed to be allergic to dogs and shouldn't be forced to be around them.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses cannot refuse service to individuals with service animals, and "allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons" to deny access. Despite this, the rink escorted the family outside, with one of the owners telling Galford's child, "I'm so sorry your parents are doing this."

Social media users and disability advocates are calling for legal action, pointing out that violating ADA laws can result in fines of up to $75,000 for first offenses. One commenter wrote, "Denying a service dog is equal to denying a wheelchair. Not okay at all." Others vowed to boycott the business, with an onslaught of Yelp reviews accusing the owners of discrimination against people with disabilities.

Adding fuel to the fire, multiple users claimed this wasn't the first time USA Skate Center had denied accommodations to disabled children. One person commented, "They also denied my friends the ability to use their adaptable stroller for their daughter with Rett Syndrome."

"A business owner in 2025 not knowing about protected rights with service animals is actually hard to fathom," one TikToker stated. Another asked, "How are you going to decorate the new skating rink you own?"—implying that the lawsuit could put the business under.

Several users reacted to the way the owner addressed the child. One wrote, "'I'm so sorry that your parents are doing this' would have sent me to jail," as another praised the mother's composure in that moment.

USA Skate Center has yet to issue a response, though they disabled comments on their Facebook page. Meanwhile, disability advocates are eager to amplify Galford's video as viewers rally around the family. "Call every single news station," another mom of a diabetic child commented. "Get a lawyer and don't stop advocating for your son!"