These are the stories people have shared with us. Being blind or having low vision shouldn’t mean you’re turned away at a café, left stranded by a taxi, or forced to risk your safety just to cross the street. And yet, these things continue to happen.
That’s why we created the Stand Up for Your Rights: Public Spaces Safety and Travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog guides, to give you the tools to challenge discrimination and demand safe, equal access in your community.
The challenges people face out and about
When you’re out and about, you expect to feel safe and welcome. But people who are blind or have low vision often encounter barriers such as:
- Being refused entry to cafés, hotels, taxis or rideshares when travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog,
- Service providers asking for extra fees for your dog,
- Airline booking issues and lack of space for assistance animals,
- Cracked pavements, missing tactile indicators, or bins and scooters blocking walkways, or
- Pedestrian signals without audio or vibration features.
These aren’t just minor frustrations, but they’re unsafe and seen as discriminatory. You shouldn’t have to put up with them.
How Vision Australia supports you
Through our advocacy guides, we help you take control of these situations with confidence. The Travelling with a Seeing Eye Dog and Public Spaces Safety walk you through:
- Your rights under the law: The Disability Discrimination Act and state legislation protect your right to access public spaces and travel freely with your Seeing Eye Dog.
- Responding on the spot: How to explain your rights calmly and effectively when you’re refused access or face unsafe conditions.
- Escalating concerns: Knowing when to ask for a manager, when to contact council, and when to lodge a formal complaint.
- Using practical tools: Templates, sample emails and suggested wording to help you act quickly and clearly.
- Reporting hazards: How to log issues like damaged footpaths or missing tactile indicators through tools such as Snap Send Solve.
These guides aren’t about theory. They’re about giving you the confidence to act in real moments, with the support of ready-made tools behind you.
Real-world advocacy in action
Denied access: A motel refused entry to a guest with their Seeing Eye Dog. Using one of our complaint templates, they were able to set out their rights clearly and achieve a resolution.
Unsafe streets: A client reported cracked pavement and missing tactile markings to their local council. Within weeks, repairs were made and the path became safe to use again.
These stories show what’s possible when you know your rights and have the right words at your fingertips.
Tools to help you advocate
The guides give you confidence to:
- Speak up in the moment when your rights are challenged,
- Document what happened and keep a clear record,
- Contact the right person, from a café manager to a transport authority,
- Decide when and how to escalate an issue, and
- Share experiences with your community to build awareness.
Taken together, these skills help you move through public spaces with confidence instead of hesitation.
You have the right to safe, equal access
From footpaths to flights, restaurants and rideshares, you and your Seeing Eye Dog are entitled to fair treatment and safe travel, no exceptions.
