1 week Ago
A disabled woman says she feels "humiliated" and "hurt" after being turned away from a Wetherspoons pub in Suffolk because her assistance dog did not meet the company's animal policy. On January 25, Carol Dowds tried to enter The Willow Tree in Stowmarket with her assistance dog Honey to get a cup of tea, but she was turned away. The staff at the pub told her that she was not allowed in as her assistance dog was "in training" and therefore did not meet criteria set out in the company's policy.
After more than half an hour of negotiations, Ms Dowds says she left the pub and went home as the manager had "made it very clear" she wouldn't be let in. The J D Wetherspoons pub is located on Ipswich Street in Stowmarket. (Image: Contributed) She said: "I just felt totally humiliated.
"As somebody with disabilities, it took a lot of guts for me to go in there in the first place, so to be refused access, it was just horrific. "I tried to explain to them that I need my dog to mitigate my health circumstances, but they just ignored it. "I was so upset, and I couldn't understand why they would do this? "It took a massive toll on my mental health, but now I'm just worried that this could be happening to other people across the country.
" The Suffolk mother says her dog has changed everything for her and is essential for her everyday life. (Image: Contributed) The 62-year-old has a form of PTSD and anxiety that can cause her to suddenly pass out in stressful situations, sometimes leading to injuries. Honey has been with Ms Dowds for just over six and a half months and she says the Labrador has "changed everything" for her.
For example, in an incident at Asda in Stowmarket on Wednesday, she says Honey was able to alert staff to the fact that she was becoming unwell, preventing her from collapsing and hurting herself. Honey is 12 months old and has been with Ms Dowd for five months now. (Image: Contributed) In response, JD Wetherspoons said: "We realise that our policy may seem quite strict, but our pubs are busy, with families and children present, and we serve a lot of food.
"Even well-trained dogs can behave unpredictably – and some customers are frightened of dogs or may be allergic to them." Their policy also says they welcome fully trained assistance dogs which support people with disabilities or long-term medical issues. A spokesman for the organisation also said it was looking into the incident.
Leanne Milburn-Turner, who runs The Ipswich Dog Trainer, says Honey is vital for Ms Dowds' everyday life and restrictions should not have been put in place by the pub. (Image: Big Fish Photography) Leanne Milburn-Turner, who runs The Ipswich Dog Trainer and helped train Honey, said: "Ms Dowds needs Honey because she can pick up on medical complications before she even knows they are happening. "She is able to alert her that her adrenaline and cortisol levels are changing.
"So if she hasn't got Honey with her, she could faint and hit her head, and it could be really dangerous.".
