Guide Dogs and other assistance/service dogs

[candykane25]

Next month my dual purpose guide dog comes to live with me and I am excited beyond belief.it won't be easy, there's a lot of work involved in being a guide dog owner (GDO) and no doubt I'll be sharing my journey in various posts around the site!

The below petition has been set up by Guide Dogs (the organisation, not cyber dogs ;) ) and it is about Access All Areas. Unfortunately 49% of GDOs have been refused access in the last year.

Here is how one GDO described it

“Each refusal is crushing, confidence shattering, rejecting, and traumatic. I always feel that I don't want to go out after - but work dictates I must.”

Personally I know how hard it is to step outside with a disability and get through the day and face numerous barriers and hiccups and misconceptions. GDOs are challenged on a regular basis and really, just want to get on with their day. Here is the link and any question, I'm happy to have a go at answering.

www.guidedogs.org.uk/supportus/campaigns/access-all-areas/how-can-i-help-the-access-all-areas-campaign#.VxCjHkV4XCQ

[candykane25]

purple
Taxi drivers are able to get an exemption certificate to say they are allergic.
GDO alert the taxi company when booking a taxi. Black cab drivers can have an exemption certificate is necessary.
But just randomly refusing is not o, just as refusing a wheelchair would not be ok.
GDO use several strategies to minimise inconvenience to others, some carry blankets for the dog to sit in. Also, guide dogs are trained to make themselves very small and still when using transport.

[WannaBe]

Also it's possible to compromise. E.g. I have encountered drivers who are uncomfortable with the dog being next to them in the passenger side. In that instance I will sit in the back with the dog on the floor, or if the car is appropriate will put the dog in the back where there's more space for him anyway.

but there are exceptions sometimes. I went to Battersea recently to adopt a cat. I called in advance to see what the protocol was on bringing a guide dog, they were very understanding of my need for the dog, and I've since discovered from a VI journalist friend who has done filming there that they would look after the dog, however they did say that it might be preferable not to bring him 1, because I was going into the cattery, and 2, because they have kennel cough on sight which they wouldn't want to be passed to him. So he stayed home.

[candykane25]

flora I don't have statistics in increase in refusals, but I do think we are reading more about it due to social media. Guide dogs are the most recognisable of assistance dogs I would imagine and it would be interesting to read the experience of other service dog owners.

[candykane25]

wanna I've been meaning to find that group on FB, you've just reminded me, thank you!

[WannaBe]

GDO alerting taxi companies is controversial because it does in fact enable discrimination if e.g. The taxi company asks whether a driver will carry a guide dog and they refuse for any other reason than an allergy which needs to be logged with the company beforehand.

Legally a taxi driver cannot refuse a guide dog, and sometimes the problem arises that if you alert beforehand of the dog the company can simply say they have no cars and then it doesn't count as a refusal.

If I'm in a rush then I'll advise, if not then I won't, and will have the discussion with the taxi driver if need be.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Signed. It saddens me that people still do not know that service dogs are allowed in places other dogs are not. Yours is beautiful by the way

[shadowfax07]

Happily signed and shared.

[candykane25]

Ah wanna that is interesting! It shows how people with disabilities are always on high alert for having to explain and fight for our rights by law. It's bloody exhausting!
I do have a fantastic relationship with a local taxi firm and I'll be hopeful they'll be supportive.
I've read that the Muslum Council of the U.K. has stated that guide dogs are not to be refused on religious grounds.

[candykane25]

Big thanks to everyone signing and the compliments to DGD

[glasgowlass]

Signed Candy
All the best with your new DGD, the new lease of life & independence the dog will give you will be immeasurable.
My FIL & his brother both lost their sight completely in their early teenage years, both are GDO. The dogs are a huge part of our family. I think they have had some issues with admittance to places over the years but they do challenge & discuss then also report to GDA.
Unfortunately ignorance re assistance dogs can be inexcusably high.

[Micah]

Out of interest what does "dual purpose" mean in this context?

Good luck with your dog :)

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Really delighted for you, Candycane - and yes of course I'll sign

The post about taxi drivers' exemption certificates re dogs is interesting, as we have a massive problem in our area with refusal to carry them. Apparently they're being handed out like sweets here, to the point where almost all drivers claim to have one

Since I wouldn't have thought dog allergies are that widespread, I have to wonder why that is

[bonnie1981]

I have another type of assistance dog. Fortunately I rarely get refused access but members of the public do see my dog as a pet rather than a working dog and always try to pet her. They associate yellow coats with assistance dogs (thinking only guide dogs are assistance dogs).

There are a lot of fake assistance dogs though but fortunately I've yet to see one in my area.

[candykane25]

mcah
Dual purpose means the dog has been training to serve two needs.
With my DGD, she is trained by Guide Dogs and Hearing Dogs because I have a visual impairment and a hearing loss (known as DeafBind) but dual purpose could mean something different to someone else.

[candykane25]

puzzled that is a shame.
I would hope most taxi drivers understand that they might have minor inconvenience for the duration of one journey however the inconvenience caused to the person with the assistance dog is much greater.
I am sure most DGDs and other assistance dogs are a lot better groomed, and better behaved than the chucking out crew at weekend nights!

[candykane25]

Ooh bonnie fake assistance dogs???
My goodness. That has really tickled me. I have all sorts of images in my had of dogs wearing counterfeit clothes. Why? To let the pet dog come shopping with them?

[QueenArseClangers]

This happened to a lad in our village
[http://m.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/14265536.Taxi_driver_convicted_of_refusing_to_take_blind_man_and_guide_dog_home/]

[QueenArseClangers]

m.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/14265536.Taxi_driver_convicted_of_refusing_to_take_blind_man_and_guide_dog_home/

[SecretNutellaFix]

Yes, exactly that.
I heard someone in the shop I work in, in the next aisle over, talking to someone on the phone complaining that they had had to leave their partner outside with the dog and she was going to try and find a harness to pretend the dog was a Guide dog. I hope she was joking, but with a lot of people in the past few years I'm finding you can't actually discount the possibility they were deadly serious.

[candykane25]

Blimey secret that is appalling!

When I had my pet dog she was fine sitting outside with the lead knotted to the dog hooks provided. I trained her to sit quietly and wait. And wouldn't be long in the shop.

Being in charge of any dog is a responsible thing, it's a shame it's not always taken seriously.

[candykane25]

queen that is so sad that he had to give his dog up. This does happen and unfortunately people with disabilities are more likely to have depression and anxiety too. It takes a lot of confidence to be up and at em every day.

[spiderlight]

Signed and shared. DGD is goooorgeous!

[candykane25]

She is spider , her nose is like caramel, I could kiss it all day. Not biased, not at all ;)

[NotCitrus]

Also if a blind person is told by a driver they have an exemption certificate, most likely the blind person can't see it to know it is true and can't see the reg number to report the driver. If a blind person has their dog refused by a shop or restaurant, at least they can report it easily.

So if you are at a taxi rank and see anyone with an assistance dog getting refused, please report it.

[WannaBe]

I know personally of that case in Bolton, and although the prosecution and the taxi refusal was genuine there is unfortunately more to the dog being removed than his having to give it up so that element is probably better not talked about here. although it is fair to say that taxi refusals do often lead to a loss of confidence.

The first time I was refused I'd been a guide dog owner for around fourteen years and had never been refused before. The refusal happened outside my house. I went in and rang the company who backed up the driver and said they would no longer do business with me. I burst into tears at that point. It is humiliating to be refused access to anywhere, and if it happens in a public place you can almost see people looking on and not saying anything.