A news story has shown problems with access for hearing dogs are not limited to the UK.
The fast-food chain, Wendy’s, have received negative press following an incident at their Hamilton branch in New Zealand.
The manager asked Roger Drower to leave the restaurant after a customer complained about him entering with his hearing dog, Puzzle. The customer felt that the dog’s presence was ‘unhygienic’, despite the fact he was wearing a coat with ‘hearing dog’ printed on it.
“My wife went to the counter and I went to one of the windows in the corner and the dog just sits down and waits,” Mr. Drower said.
“All of a sudden the manager came over and says: You, get your dog and get out.”
The manager was shown an information card about the laws regarding hearing dogs, mobility dogs and seeing-eye dogs; all of which are allowed access where normal dogs might not be.
After reading the card, the manager apologised and Mr. Drower and his family finished their meal.
The marketing manager for Wendy’s, Faye Stretch, said the incident would remind staff at all of their restaurants how to serve people with assistant dogs.
Read the original report here.
Photo by Peter Drury
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LJ.
November 1, 2013
The dog could have been left outside as it was a restaurant. I can go into town for a whole day with hearing aid and cochlear Implant removed and manage quite well without a dog to assist. I think hygiene matters are important for all rather than just for one person.
Pauline Roberts
November 1, 2013
You have missed the point LJ. The man was entitled to take his Hearing Dog in Wendys by law. He and his wife were made to feel inferior because of their attitude. As for hygiene and the dog: don’t make me laugh, have you seen the state of toilets in Fast Food chains? Also often the state of the floors? You think that is preferable to a dog quietly lying down in a corner or under a table? I have experienced ‘Hearing Dog’ discrimination when with a friend a few years ago. it was horrible to witness and the friend told me that this had happened often, despite the laws.
Irene Winn
November 2, 2013
Hearing dogs are trained to just sit by their owner, so the dog would not have been wandering around the tables. That being the case, the dog was not a hygiene problem at all. People who don’t wash their hands after using the toilet are far more of a hygiene hazard.
Leah
November 2, 2013
Big fuss over nothing, they explained the situation & the shop manager duly apologised.
… and just why the dog was necessary when the man was with his wife anyway.
All in all ‘victim mentality’ springs to mind.
What are they after, compensation?
Naomi
April 27, 2018
being the wife of the man here, it was not our wish to go to the press with this, we were going to resolve this by talking to head office management and talk to Hearing Dogs about the incident and see what they could do. I was in the city for surgery with my eldest daughter therefore I was not with my husband the whole time we were in the city away from home, hence the need for the dog to be with us. The apology only happened after the media stepped in and spoke to store management about it. Now because of this there is better service in all nz wendy’s restaurants for ALL disability dogs, and as Irene said, the dog was sitting in the corner by the window, sleeping like she did in every restaurant/ cafe we go to. and we found out the customer was management from head office (Area Manager we think)