A woman in Bath has described the difficulty she faces when she is refused access to businesses due to having a guide dog with her.
New research released by Guide Dogs has revealed that 37% of people in the South of England polled think the UK Government is not doing enough to tackle the issue of access refusals experienced by guide and other assistance dog owners.
Guide dog owner Karolina Pakenaite, who is studying at the University of Bath, says she has had several “distressing encounters”.
The Guide Dogs charity is now calling on the Government to take action to strengthen the law and to end illegal access refusals.
Research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Guide Dogs, also revealed that 84% of people polled said they would have a negative view of a business or service if they witnessed an access refusal.
Many of those questioned said they were “shocked”, “appalled” and “disgusted” to learn of Guide Dogs’ latest data on access refusals, which found the majority of guide dog owners (81%) has been refused by a business or service because they were with their guide dog.
An access refusal is when a guide or assistance dog owner is told they cannot enter a business, access a service, or is challenged about their entry because they have their assistance dog with them.
Karolina said: “Reassuringly, I seem to experience fewer refusals than a few years ago. However, when it does happen, it never gets any easier at all.
“It drains your energy as you try to educate them, often completely disrupting your week after such distressing encounters.
“Once complaints are sent, it’s incredibly frustrating when some businesses choose to ignore them, leaving you feeling alone and wondering if any action is worth taking.
“It can be extremely difficult to accept that these businesses face no consequences when you need to focus your energy on other life commitments.
“A stronger solution is definitely needed to eradicate access refusals altogether.”
Eleanor Briggs, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Guide Dogs, said: “Guide dog owners deserve to be able to live the lives they want and feel confident, independent, and supported in the world.
“However, too many guide dog owners continue to face discrimination and are turned away because they have their guide dog with them.
“That’s why we are calling on the Government to take action to strengthen the law to end the unacceptable discrimination experienced by many guide dog owners when they are turned away for having their guide dog with them.”
Last year the charity launched their Open Doors campaign, with a new free-to-use app that allows guide dog owners to easily and quickly report illegal access refusals.