Mum and guide dog allegedly refused from Sydney barber
A mother trying to get her son a haircut has lashed out after a Sydney barber allegedly turned her away for one infuriating reason.
A mother with “very low” vision and her guide dog have allegedly been refused entry while taking her son for a haircut at a Sydney barber.
Marilena Osborne spoke to 7 News about the alleged incident two weeks ago at Stylish Cutz 4 Gents in Jannali.
“I was deeply shocked, saddened and insulted,” Ms Osborne, who has “very, very low vision”, said.
“I felt as though we were treated like second-rate citizens.”
When approached by 7 News, one worker at the barbershop said: “We were scared of the dog”.
“A couple of weeks ago some dog bit my leg,” a second worker said on camera.
But Ms Osborne described her guide dog Hamilton as “very calm and quiet when he is working”.
“There is nothing scary about this dog,” she said.
She added: “He has been specially trained to just pretty much guide me around the place.”
Ms Osborne said she felt “hurt, rejected and extremely inconvenienced”.
It is illegal to refuse entry to a person with a guide dog in NSW.
NSW Police officers can issue on-the-spot fines of $330 and penalty notices of up to $1650 for refusing entry to a guide dog handler.
In a survey in the lead up to International Guide Dog Day last year, more than a third of guide dog handlers across Australia reported being denied access to a public venue or form of transport.
Guide dog mobility instructor Ryan Jones said the survey showed the frightening flow on effects when a guide dog handler is refused their legal access rights.
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“They also told us that being left in an unsafe or dangerous situation, makes them feel anxious or scared in the aftermath,” he said in a statement at the time for Guide Dogs NSW. “Shockingly, two fifths of handlers survey said they have changed travel habits because of an unsafe incident; a quarter stopped going out as much or at all after the event.
“This is the exact opposite of the freedom and independence a Guide Dog is meant to bring into someone’s life.”
NSW Police told news.com.au they were aware of the incident involving Ms Osborne and her guide dog at the Sydney barber and were “conducting inquiries”.
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