Local campaigner June Lochhead will take to local shops and businesses to highlight the rights of assistance dog owners during Guide Dogs’ High Street Heroes event next week.
June, from Monreith, is a volunteer puppy raiser with the charity and is currently looking after her fourth pup, Labradoodle Sophie.
Accompanied by Sophie and a friend, June will be talking to local shops, services, and businesses about access rights for guide dog owners and asking them to display an “assistance dogs welcome” window sticker.
June said: “I’ve been volunteering with Guide Dogs for four and a half years now and generally businesses in the area are fantastic for allowing assistance dogs in.
“I know a couple of guide dog owners here who thankfully haven’t experienced access refusals. But it does happen all too often elsewhere so I want to do anything I can to help raise awareness.
“I’ll be taking the window stickers out and about with me and chatting to businesses as and when I visit.”
Hundreds of campaign volunteers across the UK are set to take part in Guide Dogs’ High Street Heroes week, which takes place between Monday 7th November and Sunday 13th November.
During High Street Heroes week, local businesses will be reminded of their legal responsibilities and asked to think how they can help welcome guide dog owners. This will help reduce the number of access refusals and increase the confidence of guide dog owners in going out to local shops.
An access refusal is when a guide dog owner is told they cannot enter a business, access a service, or is challenged about their entry because they have their guide dog with them.
The law gives assistance dog owners, including guide dog owners, the right to access businesses and services without discrimination, but just last month Guide Dogs revealed the majority (81%) of guide dog owners responding to a recent survey have been illegally refused entry to a business or service because they were with their guide dog. 73% of these people said they experienced an access refusal at least once in the past 12 months.
Being refused access to a business or service has a significant impact on the confidence, independence and wellbeing of people who use assistance dogs.
The ‘Let’s Open Doors’ report revealed access refusals are not isolated to one particular industry, with guide dog owners reporting access refusals at food and drink establishments and shops, as well as having issues with taxis and private hire vehicles.
Being denied access to a business or service, or challenged about entry, because of a guide dog has a negative impact beyond the moment the refusal takes place. Almost half (49%) of guide dog owners responding to a question in the survey said they change their plans or restrict visits to certain places because they are worried about being refused entry or being challenged.
Helen Honstvet, Senior Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs said: “Guide dog owners deserve to be able to live their lives the way they want and feel confident, independent, and supported in the world. The law is clear, and yet guide dog owners continue to experience access refusals, which are almost always illegal.
“As part of High Street Heroes, our campaigners will be having thousands of conversations with shops and businesses about how they can support assistance dog owners. We know that many businesses welcome guide dog owners but being refused access to a business or service has a negative impact beyond the moment the refusal occurs. That is why businesses and services need to do more to ensure they have open doors to guide dog owners.”
For more information about the Open Doors campaign or to sign the petition in support of stronger legislation in this area, please visit the Guide Dogs website.
