Law about guide dog.

sunshinerise

Hello, can restaurants refuse entry of guide dogs if the owner is not blind or partially blind. Many thanks.

GlasweJen

Tough one, it has to be a fully fledged guide dog and not a training puppy or a retired dog. Not sure why someone would have a guide dog like that unless they were visually imparied.

sunshinerise

Been told the dog owner is away therefore another person is looking after the dog. Thanks

Savvy_Sue

I think it's 'working' assistance dogs who are allowed in, not when they are off duty, IYSWIM.

nannytone_2

surely when a guide dog isnt 'guiding' it's just a dog?
and if dogs arent allowed in a restaurant theres no distinction between this dog and any other dog.

MrsManda

sunshinerise wrote: »

Hello, can restaurants refuse entry of guide dogs if the owner is not blind or partially blind. Many thanks.

When I read this I thought you were referring to Assistance Dogs - there are many reasons other than being blind when a person has a dog to provide assistance. These are also covered under the DDA and Equality Act so the refusal of entry for these dogs is contray to the law in most cases.

However as your later post states that the person is simply looking after the dog I agree with the other posters that it's perfectly acceptable to refuse it's entry because it is not working.

Though I do wonder why a person who needs an assistance dog would leave it behind unless they go into hospital. I also wonder why a person who does not need assistance and is simply looking after a dog would take it to a resturant in the first place. But that's just idle wondering rather than relevant.

umkownmystery

Also would the guide dog inquestion be in full harness as its shouldnt be if is not guiding its owner, which would be very obvious to the restuarant shop that obviously it wasnt guiding if it had no harness on.