Blind man berated by activist claiming 'using guide dogs is cruel'
A blind man has revealed he and a friend were verbally abused by an animal rights activist who claimed having guide dogs was “cruel”.
Dr Amit Patel was enjoying a beer with a blind friend at a hotel bar in the English coastal city of Portsmouth early on Sunday morning when he said the two men and their resting guide dogs were approached by a disgruntled woman.
Dr Patel, a disability activist, took to Twitter to reveal the incident which he said left them feeling uncomfortable.
“Last night two blind guys and our dogs at a bar, having a quiet drink,” he explained.
“We then get accosted by an aggressive women screaming that we’re cruel for having Guide Dogs.
“Not only was she in our faces but at one point I thought she‘d get physical.
“Not a comfortable position to be in.”
Just hours earlier, Dr Patel had been giving a speech at the Animal Star Awards about the grief assistance dog owners receive from a small minority of the public – an issue he says is on the rise.
Dr Patel explained to Metro that the woman unleashed a lengthy tirade where she compared having a guide dog to “people who have dogs for fighting”.
“She had a go at us for our dogs lying on the floor of the bar and saying how cruel it is, saying “when was the last time they ran free?”
I rely so much on Kika to keep me safe, just her presence gives me comfort. So it’s great to see that she can turn to me for comfort too 🧔🏽🐶❤️👌🏾 @Kika_GuideDog
[video shows Kika resting her head on Amit’s knee whilst they are on a noisy train] pic.twitter.com/FYiHRiBNP8— Dr Amit Patel (@BlindDad_Uk) October 16, 2019
Dr Patel said he tried to explain to the woman, a self-proclaimed animal activist, that he’d taken his guide dog Kika to the beach that morning but she quickly walked off.
He later took to Twitter to reiterate that guide dogs are well cared for and that there is a stringent process to ensure the right dogs are paired with the right people.
“Our dogs are so loved, well cared for and love their jobs,” he explained.
“If they didn’t they wouldn’t work.”
He insists Kika, who he has had for five years, loves being a guide dog, as she is by his side most of the day. He revealed she was even present for the birth of his children.
Earlier this year, guide dog experts explained to Yahoo News Australia the dos and don’ts when around assistance animals.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
