SHARONVILLE, Ohio — Diagnosed with complex PTSD, anxiety and depression, Ryan Walters can start to scratch and hyperventilate at any given time. For more than two decades, a specially trained four-legged companion has helped him through his episodes, but now he says his employer is trying to deny him that vital support.
"A service dog is a medical equipment and a lot of people don't realize that. A lot of people look at service dogs as pets still," he said.
Walters was paired with his current PTSD service dog in December. Bubba is a 2-year-old American Staffordshire specially trained in stress response, psycho-emotional grounding and other tasks.
Psychiatric service dogs are catered to their owners. Bubba can scent Walters' anxiety attacks before they visibly trigger.
"Thy read cortisone levels in your body and each person has a different tick or a different thing, how they deal with their anxiety, their PTSD or their depression. Some people scratch or shake their leg and that makes them alert," Walters said. "(Bubba) will paw at me. he'll boop the nose on my leg if I'm feeling a little more anxious or if I'm doing a more noticeable gesture."
When Walters starts to breathe heavily, Bubba is trained to jump up on him and paw him down to the floor. If that isn't enough to stop the anxiety attack, he then lays down on Walters in what is called deep pressure therapy and will wait in that position until Walters has fully calmed down.
Walters said he needs Bubba with him at all times and that's why he even brings him to work, though lately that's allegedly become an issue.
In August 2023, Walters was hired by driving recruitment agency Transforce to join a Sharonville trucking company. Bubba started riding in the truck cab with him last winter, he said.
In mid-February Walters said Transforce told him he couldn't bring Bubba to work anymore, claiming Walters didn't have the proper paperwork for him and that they'd also need to look into whether he was an undue hardship.
An undue hardship is also known as a financial burden and legally an employer may refuse any request for an accommodation that is unreasonable or that would impose an undue hardship on the operations of its business.
Walters questions the merit of that argument given he is only asking for his service dog to ride next to him, he said.
"Per ADA — 20 or more employees, there is no undue hardship because they can afford it," Walters said. "That's very hard to prove that, especially when you have a couple thousand employees in your multi-million dollar, multi-billion dollar company."
Walters said he had provided the necessary paperwork proving Bubba's certification. He showed WCPO a copy of his primary doctor's written recommendation, which Walters said he submitted to Transforce multiple times.
He also provided an ADA reasonable accommodation form with his doctor's signature at the bottom.
"PTSD, anxiety and depression, getting counseling and therapy and treatment plan includes service dog in all venues of life at all times," the doctor wrote.
"Is the employee able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation?" the form asks.
"Yes as long as his service dog is included," his doctor responds.
Walters said Transforce is now also asking for his medical records, which would violate his HIPPA rights.
He said the trucking company doesn't have a problem with Bubba. They gave him the green light asking only that he ensure two things were done before they go home.
"Make sure he is wearing a seat belt and that the windows are wiped down at the end of every shift that I work," he said.
WCPO reached out to Transforce for comment by phone and email Wednesday. The company has yet to respond.
In the meantime, Walters said he will continue to bring Bubba to work and hopes for a quick solution.
"I'd like to be able to go to work, ask for the accommodation and there be no problem, especially when it has to do with a disability," said Walters.
