Dog serious about access
PAULSHOF – The South-African Guide-Dogs Association has launched the Working Dog Access Programme to educate the public that working dogs cannot legally be denied entry to public places.
Both the South African Constitution and a 2018 ruling made by the Equality Court have established that it is illegal for working dogs to be banned from public spaces.
Why, then, do people with these animals still get barred from moving around freely?
On 3 October, the South-African Guide-Dog Association (GDA) officially launched its Working Dog Access Programme, which was created in order to educate companies, communities and other stakeholders on the legal rights of working dog owners who enter public places. As an organisation, the GDA is well aware of the challenges that working-dog owners face in being denied access to places that they have every right to enter.
There are four types of working dogs in South Africa: guide dogs which are used by visually impaired people to travel independently (and can be identified by the fact that they wear a leather harness with a metal handle), service dogs which are used by people with disabilities (and can be identified by the fact that they wear red vests with reflection strips and the GDA logo), autism support dogs which are used to support and help children with autism (and also wear the red vest) and finally, puppies-in-training which are being trained by volunteers to one day be working dogs (and can be identified because they wear a blue collar and jacket with the GDA logo).
“I don’t have to tell the owners of working dogs, their families and those raising puppies the difficulties we face when going into public,” explained Pieter van Niekerk, who works for the GDA and is one of the people behind the programme.
“I was tasked with putting this programme together, which will raise awareness about the rights of owners of working dogs.
“Our target is to reach out to all public facing organisations that need this information – including restaurants, hotels, shops and security guards.”
The aim of the programme is to educate industry bodies and key organisations about the issue and their legal responsibilities to working dog owners. This is being done in a number of ways by the GDA, who is focusing on training and educating organisations who get in contact with the association in order to learn about working dogs.
Dierdre Venter, an attorney who argued the case in the Equality Court last year which legislated that working dogs are welcome everywhere was a special guest speaker at the launch. Venter herself encountered the difficulties owners face when she and a puppy she was raising for the GDA a few years ago were denied entry to a public place.
“I myself came across access issues,” she told attendees. “And so I decided to take on the issue pro bono [to the Equality Court].
“Once [we contact the companies to explain the law] we do get apologies, but we’re tired of apologies. Apologies are not good enough anymore – you cannot deny us access.”
For more information about the Working Dog Access Programme, contact Pieter via email on PieterV@guidedog.org.za
Related Article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/174222/sa-guide-dogs-ready-to-welcome-new-litter-2/
