Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, has pledged his support to all people living with vision impairment through Guide Dogs’ Open Doors campaign.
At a parliamentary event hosted by the charity Guide Dogs, Dr Neil Hudson MP met guide dog owners about their experiences of being illegally turned away because they had their guide dog with them. The only vet sitting in the House of Commons, Dr Hudson takes pride in his strong record on animal welfare and understands how special assistance animals are for those living with disabilities.
Recent research conducted by Guide Dogs found that 81% of guide dog owners have been refused access to a restaurant, shop, or taxi at some point because they were with their dog. And of these people, almost three in four (73%) said they experienced an access refusal at least once in the past 12 months. These refusals have a significant negative impact on the confidence, independence and wellbeing of people who have guide dogs.
Guide Dogs’ launched their Open Doors campaign aims to raise awareness of the rights assistance dog owners have, and the need for better enforcement and clearer laws.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
"Thank you to Guide Dogs for such an informative session and to those who spoke about their experiences being refused access to businesses due to their guide dogs. It was quite shocking and shameful to hear about this happening in modern Britain.
"The charity has my full support on this issue, and I want to make it clear that nobody should ever be refused entry because they need assistance. Turning people with guide dogs away is unacceptable, and not to mention very often illegal, and I hope through educating businesses we can see an end to the practice.
“Guide Dogs do an amazing job supporting people with their amazing dogs, many of whom I have met over the years. I am passionate that they should be supported in all of their endeavours."
Chris Theobald, Senior Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs added:
“Guide dog owners have the right 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.
“That’s why we’re working to make sure everyone knows that guide dog owners have the right to access businesses and services with their guide dogs. We also want to see the law strengthened on access rights for assistance dogs, to prevent access refusals and to open doors for guide dogs.”
