Karen Feld, an heiress to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus fortune and a columnist, has filed a lawsuit against the exclusive National Arts Club in Manhattan, alleging the organization illegally discriminated against her based on disability. Feld claims the club demanded her two service dogs wear diapers, leading to her exclusion from events.
Feld, who has attended events at the club for approximately 20 years with her service dogs, Mango and Beignet, states they assist her with PTSD and seizure disorders. According to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, a food and beverage director for the club confronted Feld on May 19, demanding she leave an event to which she was a guest. The following day, she was informed by the incoming president of the Silurians Press Club, a group on whose board Feld serves, that she would not be permitted to attend a scheduled luncheon with her dogs unless they wore diapers. The club cited "sanitation concerns," though Feld asserts the dogs were professionally groomed.
Feld's suit contends that the diaper demand is a pretext for illegal disability discrimination. Federal and state laws generally require service animals to be permitted in public spaces. Businesses are limited in their ability to question handlers, typically only allowed to ask if the animal is required for a disability and what task it performs. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not require service animals to wear vests, carry identification, or use specialized equipment like diapers. However, service animals can be removed if they are not housebroken or are otherwise out of control.
The National Arts Club has denied Feld's claims, stating that her dogs had accidents inside the building on two separate occasions. The club claims one incident involved soiling club property, and another involved "detectable noxious orders consistent with the dogs having urinated" in member spaces. The club stated it looks forward to defending itself in court and noted that Feld has filed previous lawsuits involving accessibility claims related to her dogs.
Feld's father, Irvin Feld, purchased the Ringling Bros. circus in 1967 and was credited with revitalizing it. Feld herself has a history of litigation, including a dispute with her brother over their father's estate and a claim of assault. The National Arts Club is located in Gramercy Park and has reportedly hosted notable members such as Mark Twain and Martin Scorsese.