Veteran says he was fired because of his service dog

APPLETON, WI (KTRK) -- A veteran in Wisconsin needs a service dog to help him with the PTSD he developed while serving his country, but he says he lost job because he needs to bring his service dog to work.

Shaun Kettner says his dog 'Sig' has been a lifesaver, helping him focus in daily life when the stress becomes too great.

Kettner told local station WGBA, "You have to look at him as, like, a wheelchair."

But the fight to bring the service dog to work has been caught up for weeks in its own legal battle between Kettner's former employer, L&S Electric and Veterans Affairs.

Kettner said, "They're saying they're not getting the proper paperwork, but the paperwork that they're asking (for has) borderline HIPAA violations, and the VA will not fill it out."

Kettner was placed on unpaid suspension in March, but last week, Kettner got a message from the company telling him he was terminated.

Kettner said, "They're telling me that I've resigned, but I've made many attempts to (show) that I've wanted to come back to work. But they won't allow me."

Kettner's wife, Becca Kettner, said she's hoping the struggle can educate other people about PTSD and service dogs. She said, "I have other friends in the area whose husbands have deployed, and come back with PTSD as well. They struggle too, and it's not just the veteran that struggles. It's the whole family."

Kettner says he's looking for work as the legal fight continues. WGBA reports Kettner says he's received the paperwork to file a formal discrimination charge against L&S Electric through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

WGBA says they reached out to L&S Electric's legal counsel, but have not heard back.