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Guide Dogs Queensland Calls for National Action After Global Report Reveals Widespread Access Discrimination

A newly released global survey has revealed that assistance dog handlers – both in Australia and around the world – continue to face serious and widespread access barriers in everyday life, despite legal protections.

The report, Paws for Access: A Global Survey on Assistance Dog Rights, was developed by the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) and Assistance Dogs International (ADI), based on responses from over 1,000 assistance dog handlers in 20 countries.

Among its key findings:

• 58% of Australian respondents reported being denied access to a public space in the past year.
• Globally, 43% of handlers experienced refusals, particularly in cafes, hotels, medical facilities, and rideshares.
• 40% of handlers said these experiences made them consider avoiding public places altogether – rising to 59% in Australia.
• 65% of respondents had been questioned about the legitimacy of their dog, often due to confusion caused by fake or undertrained service animals.
• 56% faced refusals in rideshare services like Uber or taxis.

The emotional toll of repeated refusals is also significant, leading to anxiety, stress, and feelings of exclusion – particularly among people with invisible disabilities or non-traditional assistance dog breeds.

The report clearly defines assistance dogs as animals trained to perform tasks directly related to a disability – such as guiding, alerting, retrieving, and medical response. Emotional support animals, which are not task-trained, are excluded from this definition.

To address the challenges, the report recommends five key global actions:

1. Public education campaigns to reduce misinformation;
2. Standardised definitions and regulation of assistance dogs;
3. Improved identification tools (e.g. vests and ID cards);
4. Small business training to support legal compliance;
5. Legislative reforms to strengthen and enforce access rights.

Guide Dogs Queensland’s Call to Action

Guide Dogs Queensland is supporting the report’s recommendations and is calling on the Australian Government to take immediate steps toward reform. This includes:

• National consistency in identification and access rules;
• Better enforcement of anti-discrimination laws;
• Stronger penalties for fraudulent assistance dog claims;
• Greater alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Access refusals are not just frustrating – they’re discriminatory. This is a systemic issue that demands a national, coordinated response,”
a spokesperson for Guide Dogs Queensland said.

By improving public understanding, tightening regulations, and enforcing existing laws, Australia can take a meaningful step toward a more inclusive future for people with disability and their assistance dogs.