Assistance
Dogs UK (Registered Charity No: 1119538) comprises of five charities
- Canine Partners, Dogs for the Disabled, Guide Dogs for the Blind
Association, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Support Dogs.
They have designated 2008 to be the Year of the Assistance Dog,
campaigning for the rights of guide dog and other assistance dog
users and promoting the rights of access to services for assistance
dog users.
www.assistancedogs.org.uk
|
"Our
aim is to remove discrimination to ensure that guide dog and
other assistance dog users enjoy a warm welcome and appropriate
service in public places, such as supermarkets and restaurants,
and aboard public transport." |
Dog
Star Awards
In coming months, assistance dog users will nominate retailers,
leisure facilities,
public premises, and transport operators for similar Dog Star awards,
giving
service providers an incentive to make their premises assistance
dog friendly.
Dog Star Awards will be symbols of excellence, given in recognition
that
premises and services meet the needs of all assistance dog users.
For example,
provision of Braille menus for blind and partially sighted people,
induction loops
for customers with hearing impairment, wheelchair access, and of
course - water
bowls for the assistance dogs.
If you are an Assistance Dog owner and would like to nominate a
business, place or facility that you feel has gone 'that extra mile'
in providing access for you and your dog; they invite you to get
in touch:
You can complete the online nomination form by visiting www.guidedogs.org.uk/dogstarquestionnaire
Assistance Dog Owners go to Downing Street
Five guide and assistance dogs, with their owners, visited Downing
Street on 6th February 2008, campaigning against the discrimination
they face from service providers; despite the Disability Discrimination
Act.
Alan
Brooks, Chairman of ADUK, explains: "Although there are
many examples of good practice, assistance dog users continue to
encounter problems accessing a variety of environments from shops,
hotels, pubs, and restaurants, to public transport and high street
pedestrian areas.
This discrimination is both unacceptable and against the law,
so by highlighting
good practice, we hope it will become the norm, and that in future,
our vision of
doors always being open to all assistance dog users will become
reality." |
