For International Guide Dog day Orange’s Matt Bryant and his guide dog Bronco, are encouraging hotels and motels to ‘take the lead’.
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The campaign Mr Bryant is leading in the Central West is aimed at raising awareness in the accommodation industry to assist guide dog handlers.
Mr Bryant, who is legally blind, has been guided by Bronco for 4.5 years.
“He’s changed my life, I can get around independently, I go to work every day on the bus, he brings me to work without him, I would have to rely on too many people,” he said.
While Mr Bryant hasn’t had a bad experience when choosing accommodation, he said a third of guide dog handlers had been challenged when seeking accommodation in hotels, motels and caravan parks.
He said some had been refused or even asked to pay extra for the guide dog.
“I haven’t had a bad experience, but it does still happen,” Mr Bryant said.
Aside from the legal aspect – guide dogs are permitted where any member of the public is, Mr Bryant said guide dogs were well behaved.
“They might be animals, but Bronco is cleaner than some people. I don’t let Bronco jump all over the bed, they’re highly trained animals,” he said.
“He has his own bed, when staying somewhere else, the home rules still apply, he can’t just go wandering around into bathrooms and onto beds.”
He said during an earlier work trip to Mudgee, the hotel staff couldn’t do enough to accommodate himself and Bronco.
“What’s the difference between myself and Bronco at arriving at a hotel and a person in a wheelchair?” Mr Bryant asked.
“The wheelchair isn’t asked to stay outside, so why should Bronco?
“There’s only two places that guide dogs aren’t allowed, the operating theatre and the zoo.”
Mr Bryant said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT’s website had advice for motel owners and operators on dealing with guide dogs and their handlers.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT CEO Graeme White emphasised guide dogs were not pets.
“They are highly trained to open up the world for people who are blind or vision impaired, not close it down, which is effectively what discrimination does,” Dr White said.