MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — A Santa Claus in a Southern California mall was given a lump of coal and a pink slip after allegedly turning away an autistic girl because he was afraid of her pit bull service dog.

Abcde Santos and her service dog, Pup-Cake, apparently were told there would be no sitting on Santa’s lap for pictures because of the dog. Santa also apparently told the girl “those dogs eat people.”

The mother said she offered to take the dog out of the mall and asked if the not-so-jolly Santa if he would wave and smile at the dog. But Santa said, “No, because they support those dogs,” the mother said.

When told the laws about service dogs, the Grinch suddenly claimed he was allergic.

The mother said her daughter wanted to ask Santa what he wanted for Christmas so she could make it for him.

The Noerr Programs, which provides photos with Santa in shopping centers across the country, apologized in a Facebook post by CEO Judy Noerr.

The family released a statement that said the issue was resolved, and that Santa and his elf were fired.