Blind Woman Wants Guide Dog On Bus

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 18

Blind Woman Wants Guide Dog On Bus

A request by a blind woman that she be allowed to take a guide dog on Christchurch Transport Board buses was discussed by the board at its meeting yesterday. Although several members said they were sympathetic to the request, which would mean altering the board’s by-laws to allow the carrying of a dog, the board decided to make further inquiries and to ask the chairman (Mr J. R. Smith) and the general manager (Mr J. F. Fardell) to submit a report to the works and traffic committee. Mr Fardell said the request was made by the woman to enable her to take her guide dog on a bus to and from her jol in Addington. The woman said she had previously carried the dog in buses run by a private company. The dog was well behaved—it behaved far better than many passengers, the woman said. She said her affliction restricted her ability to earn a living, and it was necessary for the dog to accompany her to work. Auckland Dispensation Mr Fardell said the board’s by-laws did not allow animals to travel on its buses. From inquiries he had made, he had found that city transport undertakings in other centres had not had to face this subject except in Auckland, where a few years ago two blind persons were granted permits to carry guide dogs. The requests were made on behalf of these persons by the Blind Institute. Mr Fardell said that the Auckland Transport Board granted the two permits subject to the persons concerned travelling at off-peak periods. “The request here would involve travel to and from work, in peak hours,’’ said Mr Fardell. Mr H. E. Denton said that

the board was very sympathetic to the request, but he asked whether it could make any decision on behalf of one person without making it applicable to all blind persons. “It would have to be applicable to all blind people, and whether we are prepared to go as far as that I don’t know,” he said. Mr Smith said the by-laws could be altered, but the decision was not one which could be made at that meeting, or next month. “Terrified of Alsatians” The guide dog was an Alsatian, and whether it was very quiet was beside the point, he said. The fact was that many persons were terrified of Alsatians. “I am very sympathetic to the request, but I am afraid we may be driving a lot of people off the buses,” Mr Smith said. Mr R. H. Stilwell urged that the request be given favourable consideration. "I think this is an isolated case and on inquiry it might be found this is one case which should be given such dispensation.” he said. Mr R. G. Brown said that Alsatians were not toy dogs Although he was sympathetic to the request he said the board had to consider the big majority of its passengers. Mr E. J. Bradshaw said the matter was a difficult one but the board would be wrong in refusing the request out of hand. The case was an isolated one, with a blind person using a guide dog to go to and from work. “I am not very impressed by the fact that if is against the by-laws, because they can be altered.” Mr Bradshaw said. He recommended that further inquiries be made into the application.