In Australia, anyone accompanied by a Seeing Eye Dog, or Seeing Eye Dog in training, has the right to travel on public transport or in a taxi, eat in a restaurant or shop in any retail outlet. However, even today, people who are accompanied by a Seeing Eye Dog, are being refused access to these places.
To help combat this, Vision Australia has designed a series of Stand up for your Rights self-advocacy guides that provide information on what can be done if people encounter barriers to participating in the community due to blindness or low vision, and barriers when travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog or Seeing Eye Dog in training.
For Benalla-based Di, when she was matched with Seeing Eye Dog Kenya, her independence increased greatly as she felt supported in her efforts to get out and about. But very quickly she had to respond to misunderstandings that Kenya wasn't allowed into shops or to travel with her.
"Three months into having Kenya, I went to a hardware store and was confronted by an employee who said that dogs weren't permitted. I felt belittled and I wanted to walk away, but I knew I had to deal with it," Di said.
"I explained to the employee that Kenya was a Seeing Eye Dog and she had the right by law to go anywhere, provided she was guided by me. I proceeded to enter the store and told him, 'if there was a problem, I wanted to speak with management'."
After the incident, Di emailed the store and received an apology and the company's commitment to enhance its staff training to ensure that everyone was aware of the rights of individuals with a Seeing Eye Dog.
Di explained that although there's no guarantee as to how an establishment will respond to feedback, there are some instances when a company will take great measures to display their regretful actions.
"This one time, I was with my friend in Daylesford for my birthday. We visited a spa and I was refused entry with Kenya. My friend wrote a letter to the business and we were provided with a sincere apology, a free two-course meal and free spa treatment. The owner made it clear that he was aware of the impact their error had on me," said Di.
If you encounter instances where companies haven't provided a favourable response, there are further avenues you can pursue, all are listed in the guides. It could be contacting the Human Rights Commission or turning to social media.
At a minimum, Di said that knowing the law is on your side is important and provided the following advice to others, "Always be upfront about the fact that the law is on your side and remember your Seeing Eye Dog can go anywhere by law - except in an operating theatre or to a zoo.
"It's important to be confident with your words. I even suggest role playing with someone where you use these words, it will build your confidence," said Di.
Sadly, Kenya passed away suddenly in December 2016 but Di is looking forward to being matched with another Seeing Eye Dog in the future, and continuing her plight against discrimination.
To discover the most effective ways to respond to discrimination and barriers as a result of being travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog or Seeing Eye Dog in training, we can help.
Click here to learn more about Vision Australia's Stand up for your Rights guides in the areas of employment, education, travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog or Seeing Eye Dog in training and web accessibility.