TheBlindJournalist: A Dogged Campaign For A Doggy Cause

A Dogged Campaign For A Doggy Cause

TheBlindJournalist reports from Herefordshire.

Blind man seeks legal change to involve police in guide dog access issues.

Stephen Anderson BA, 25, a politics graduate from Harrow has launched a campaign, in the form of an online petition, to improve legal protection for guide dogs and other service dogs.

Pending the success of the campaign, Stephen hopes to give the police the powers to instantly sanction businesses, buildings and taxi companies/ddrivers whom do not provide access to guide dogs and their owners.

Although, the current legislative provision works in theory, the practice is very different. As seen by a recent report carried out by the Guide Dogs Organisation, which stated that three quarters of all guide dog owners have been denied access somewhere.

Mr. Anderson BA feels that the government should implement the example of countries like France and the Republic of Ireland.

Stephen was galvanised to take action after continuously coming across incidents of guide dogs being refused at point blank.

Stephen said:
"If you go onto Google or YouTube and search ‘guide dog refused’, the numbers are pretty constant and all follow a similar pattern – bouncers and/or business owners claim that they didn’t know guide dogs had to be allowed in. If the police were involved, nobody would dare try their luck."

Other countries like the Republic of Ireland and France have made this simple change and in both countries guide dog owners have seen a real difference.

People who experience discrimination can currently take those who refuse a service dog to county court under the Equality Act, often at their own expense, which can be a long  and stressful process.

Mr. Anderson wants the police to become involved when a guide dog owner is denied access to a public place or business, issuing on the spot fines which rise for repeat offences. 

"If I could have one hope for this campaign it is to shine a light on the constant discrimination that guide dog owners face on a daily basis. The status quo doesn’t work and the Equality Act doesn’t do what it says on the tin. It’s time to make a simple legislative change to give blind and partially sighted people more piece of mind when going outside, trying to live life like everyone else. Parliament has nothing to lose by making this change, but we have so much to gain from it." furthered Stephen.

The petition is published on HM Government’s petition website and can be signed here - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/119134