Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie's refusal to drive 'diabetic dog' sparks call for taxi drivers to brush up on canine rules

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... g-16452406

Taxi drivers have been urged to bone up on guide dog rules after claims a diabetic assistance pooch was denied entry to a cab in Stockton

Taxi drivers have been urged to bone up on guide dog rules after claims a diabetic assistance pooch was denied entry to a cab.

Brief details of the case heard at the latest Stockton Council licensing committee were revealed at Tuesday’s Home Safety Association during discussions about guide dogs (June 18).

Cllr Mohammed Javed said he’d only recently found out about the existence of dogs for diabetes.

The deputy mayor said: “I’ve just come across a case where a lady tried to get into the taxi (with the dog) but they were refused.

“But they are not aware of the rules - I spoke to a lot of taxi drivers who said they were just not aware of it.

“They were aware of the blind guide dogs, not for those for diabetes.”

Medical response dogs for diabetes are trained to respond to signs that an owner may be experiencing low blood sugar levels.

The dogs use their keen sense of smell to pick up on subtle changes of odour to detect blood glucose.

They respond to hypoglycemia by warning the owner, fetching the owner’s blood test kit or pressing a specially installed alarm in their owner’s house.

The Equality Act 2010 states taxi and minicab drivers must carry assistance dogs unless they have genuine health reasons not to.

Councils can provide a driver with an exemption certificate, for severe allergies for example, if they give proof from an appropriately qualified medic.

These certificates should then be available to show to an assistance dog owner on demand.

Stockton Council lists cab guidelines written up by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on its website.

They state a guide dog owner has responsibilities to ensure the dog is clearly an assistance dog using a harness or identification card.

But they add it is not acceptable to refuse fares “due to religious or cultural beliefs”.

Cllr Julia Whitehill said the problem was flagged up in a taxi drivers’ newsletter and told the committee there was work lined up to raise awareness of the rules.

“We’re trying to publicise it a bit more,” she added.

Stockton Council’s general licensing committee was held last week.

The public and press are excluded from these taxi licensing hearings with names of drivers redacted from the minutes of meetings.

A number of Teesside taxi firms were contacted about guide dog policies.

The council has been contacted for comment on diabetic assistance dog rules.

Not something I've ever needed to think about, but who defines what qualifies as an assistance dog, and how is the driver to know this?

I think it should say on the dogs coat, or lead.

But drivers should be informed, as how can you be accused of refusal if you don't actually know what you are being accused of refusing?

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IDFIMH