Guide Dogs with their owners at an event

Riannon Chaplin

Guide dogs can change people’s lives, but there is a darker side. Four guide dog owners told Empoword about the devastating impact of illegal access refusals. 

When Samantha Raife became seriously ill, she did something most of us wouldn’t think twice about: she ordered a taxi to get to the hospital.

But the driver cancelled the ride when he read she had a guide dog.

“Because of his actions, it took longer for me to receive treatment I desperately needed,” explains Samantha, 32, who has had her guide dog Bailey for six years.

It’s shocking – but not uncommon. According to Guide Dogs’ 2022 Let’s Open Doors report, 81% of guide dog owners have experienced an access refusal.

“74 per cent and 53 per cent of respondents respectively had been refused in a food and drink outlet or a shop”

Under the Equality Act 2010, it’s illegal for service providers to deny entry to a disabled person because of an assistance dog. Some refusals are lawful, such as in certain controlled areas of hospitals, but this is rare.

Food and drink outlets, taxis and shops are the worst offenders according to the 2022 report. Fourteen years after the Equality Act, how do access refusals affect guide dog owners – and why are they still so common?

The Transformative Role Of Guide Dogs

Kelsey Trevett uprooted to Brussels last summer for an internship without ever having visited the city before. The 22-year-old Oxford graduate doesn’t think they would have done this without Lacey, their guide dog of seven years, by their side. “There’s a lot of confidence that comes from learning to trust her. There’s a feeling that things are a lot more attainable.”

“My three guide dogs have had a transformative impact on my life, beyond words”

Siobhan Meade, a freelance journalist and social media content creator, agrees. “My three guide dogs have had a transformative impact on my life, beyond words,” the 40-year-old explains.

Guide dog Yashika is the reason PhD student Riley Yeomans has excelled in education. She’s graduated with him twice since they matched in 2016. Riley, 27, hopes she’ll also be with him when he receives his doctorate. “She’s basically turned my life upside down but in the best way possible.”

Taxi Refusals Because of Guide Dogs

This independence makes access refusals all the more frustrating, with service providers often citing hygiene concerns.

Siobhan and Kelsey, like Samantha, say taxis are a particular issue. They are far from alone: over 60 per cent of respondents in the 2022 report said they had experienced a refusal in a taxi or private hire vehicle. This is only legal if the driver has a valid medical exemption certificate, such as for an allergy.

Even when a service is eventually provided, guide dog owners can be left feeling exhausted and unsafe. In May, a taxi driver attempted to leave after seeing Siobhan’s current guide dog, Marty. He became rude when she said she’d report him to the council. Taxi drivers can be fined up to £1,000 and private hire drivers can lose their licence for refusing guide dogs.

“The journey was short but felt interminably uncomfortable. I felt deeply upset and distressed,” Siobhan explains. “It not only ruined my day but also made me feel like a second-class citizen.”

Shopping Guide Dog Refusals

For Riley, shops and restaurants are the main culprits. The Guide Dogs report found 74 per cent and 53 per cent of respondents respectively had been refused in a food and drink outlet or a shop in the previous 12 months.

At one clothing store, Riley and his partner were shouted at by a security guard who told them dogs weren’t allowed. After Riley and several members of the public explained the law, the couple realised the guard was following them around the shop.

“Each refusal chips away at my very existence”

“The entire situation was so uncomfortable and unnecessary,” Riley explains, adding he was so anxious he asked another member of staff to intervene. “I don’t like confrontation. I’d rather leave the place I’m being refused access to and not return for some time, but I’m slowly learning to be more confident.”

The Real Impact Of Illegal Access Refusals

The 2022 report found almost half of respondents reported changing their plans or restricting visits to some places due to fears about refusals. Riley says his anxiety can be “completely off the scale” and he has had panic attacks over them.

Samantha, who has a three-year-old son, avoids some shops due to embarrassment after an access refusal. She relies on taxis to get to work but says the anxiety is constant. “It’s always there in the back of your mind – what if?”

But she’s become more confident since her first refusal. “It sparked something in me that made me think, no, I’m not putting up with this. It’s not fair. It’s not right and it’s against the law, and I will stand my ground.”

However, many factors influence whether a guide dog owner feels safe to assert their rights. Kelsey says they are “hyper-aware” at night. “It’s one thing being refused by a taxi when it’s bright daylight, and another when it’s dark and this is your only option.”

Siobhan emphasises how draining this constant battle is. “Each refusal chips away at my very existence. The sense of exclusion is profound and it makes me feel like an outsider in my community.”

What Can Be Done About Access Refusals?

Guide dog access refusals are not recorded by the Home Office, so data is limited. However, service providers can be fined when taken to court. In 2023 a restaurant was fined £2,000 for refusing access to a guide dog owner.

But Kelsey says such action isn’t always viable, particularly given the scale of the problem. “It adds another layer of admin, and it sort of re-traumatises you. It’s emotionally draining to constantly remind yourself you’re being discriminated against.”

Samantha, Kelsey, Siobhan and Riley all believe tougher legislation and better education are needed. The message is clear: fourteen years on from the Equality Act, responsibility for improving access shouldn’t lie solely with guide dog owners.

“Responsibility for improving access shouldn’t lie solely with guide dog owners”

In a statement, Guide Dogs said it is “calling on the Government to take action to strengthen the law to end this unacceptable discrimination”. The 2022 report also recommends businesses improve staff training and have a policy in place for when access refusals occur.

Months on from her illness and taxi refusal, Samantha wants to see more than what she believes to be a “slap on the wrist” for service providers who break the law. “Most people are absolutely amazing and do whatever they can to help you, so it’s even more of a shock when you get an access refusal. It’s almost a slap in the face.”

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Featured image courtesy of BBC Radio Lancashire via Flikr. Image licence found here. No changes were made to this image.

Riannon is a trainee journalist from Essex with a degree in History from Cambridge University. She is especially interested in social affairs, particularly education, disability and health and wellbeing.

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