Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, has supported a campaign to tackle discrimination against guide dog owners at an event in Parliament organised by the charity Guide Dogs.

More than a hundred guide dog owners from across the country converged on Westminster Hall to share their experiences of being turned away by businesses because of their dog and Justin spoke to some of them about the lasting impact of these refusals.

Justin said:

“It is against the law to refuse access to a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog except in the most exceptional circumstances.  Despite this, a new Guide Dogs survey found that three out of four assistance dog owners had been turned away because of their dog.

“It was disturbing to hear how common these incidents of discrimination are for assistance dog owners.  No one should be turned away on their local high street because of their assistance dog.

“I support Guide Dogs’ Access All Areas campaign to tackle the ignorance that causes access refusals, and make sure businesses are held accountable when they occur.”