Michael Tomlinson MP helps open doors for guide dogs
Michael has helped raise awareness of the rights of assistance dog owners when they met the charity Guide Dogs at Conservative party conference.
The law gives assistance dog owners, including guide dogs owners, the right to access businesses and services.
But, according to Guide Dogs, 81% of guide dog owners have been refused access to a restaurant, shop or taxi at some point because of their dog. This has a significant negative impact on the confidence, independence and wellbeing of people who use guide dogs.
In response, Guide Dogs launched their Open Doors campaign earlier this year to raise awareness of the rights assistance dog owners have, and to urge the Government to strengthen the law so access refusals don’t happen.
Guide dog owners who experience an access refusal can report them to Guide Dogs via their app available on iOS and Android. Search “Guide Dogs” in your app store.
Michael, who is supporting Guide Dogs’ Open Doors campaign, said:
"Meeting Guide Dogs is always a highlight at Conference, and I'm delighted to raise awareness of their latest campaign. Those of us who have dogs as pets do not expect to take them everywhere - it is different for assistance dogs, and businesses and services need to understand the law"
Blanche Shackleton, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Guide Dogs said:
“Guide Dog owners have the right to access businesses and services but all too often they are challenged and unlawfully refused. This is a deeply harmful form of discrimination that impacts the daily lives of guide dog owners.
“That’s why we want to see the law strengthened on access rights for assistance dogs, to prevent access refusals and to open doors for guide dogs.”
