Vision-impaired singer and guide dog refused Uber ride
An Uber driver is under fire for refusing service to vision-impaired South Australian singing personality Rachael Leahcar and her guide dog.
The 25-year-old is legally blind, yet overcame the odds to forge a successful singing career as a contestant on The Voice.
On Sunday she was told her guide dog, Ella, couldn’t travel with her in an Uber.
The distraught singer said she tried to explain to the driver her golden retriever was a guide dog and had to accompany her.
“I opened the door and started taking Ella’s harness off and the driver said ‘no, I can’t take your dog’,” she said.
“I tried to say it a few times in case he didn’t hear me, but he flat out refused.”
She ordered another Uber but the experience has left the young woman upset and shaken, adding that this was the second time she and her assistance animal had been denied access.
Ms Leahcar shared her ordeal on social media, drawing hundreds of supportive comments from the community.
The vision-impaired woman said drivers need to be better educated to help those like her with a disability.
“It’s just human kindness,” she said.
“Ella is my eyes.
“I can’t get around without her and to refuse someone like me access to something that everyone has access to – it is about equality, human decency.”
Uber driver refused me service today coz of Ella. I explained she is a guide dog & it’s against the rules to decline. He still said no, too expensive to clean the car. UNBELIEVABLE!!! @Uber were quick to respond to my report but not sure what’s stopping him from doing it again.
— RACHAEL (@rachaeleahcar) March 3, 2019
In a statement to Today Tonight, the ride share company said: “Uber has a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination on our platform.
“Under Uber’s Assistance Animal Policy, driver-partners are advised of their legal obligation to transport passengers with assistance animals.
“As explained in Uber’s Community Guidelines, driver-partners who engage in discriminatory conduct can lose access to the Driver App.
“Our aim is to always educate driver-partners on their legal obligations to riders with assistance animals.”
The ride share service could not confirm to Today Tonight if the driver was still partnered with the app.
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