The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has produced a card for guide dogs and other assistance dogs’ owners to show when visiting food premises.
The new card has been endorsed by Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Officers (CIEH) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
New Card for Guide Dog Owners
The card gives the message that guide dogs and other assistance dogs should be allowed entry to restaurants, food shops and other food premises. Their very special training means that they are unlikely to be a risk to hygiene in these premises.
Obligation of Proprietors
The reverse of the card contains information about the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1996.
This Act places duties on all service providers, including owners and operators of cafés and restaurants, not to discriminate against disabled people and to make reasonable adjustments to their services and premises to enable disabled people to access them.
Entry to disabled people and their assistance dogs would be deemed a reasonable adjustment under this legislation.
It is a common misconception that restaurants cannot let dogs in on food safety grounds. The risk that a guide dog poses in an eating area is absolutely minimal.
Guide dogs are trained for up to two years and are checked regularly by vets. Owners are told how to maintain their dog’s cleanliness.
Find More Information
For a copy of the card and further information about access rights for guide dogs call the Guide Dogs Association’s freephone hotline on 08000 131717 or visit their website.
