Caroline was refused entry to a Morrisons Daily store with her guide dog (Image: SWNS)
A blind grandmother was refused entry to a Morrisons Daily store with her guide dog – because the owner is “allergic”. Caroline Kennelly, 54, was left on the verge of tears following the incident at the branch in Wincheap, Canterbury, Kent, on Thursday (February 27).
Under equality law, Ms Kennelly has the right to enter all shops with her assistance dog Dougie. However, three signs in the store window warn that dogs are not allowed, with one referring to the owner’s “severe pet allergies”.
And while Morrisons bosses have claimed the incident “should not have happened”, the local manager has doubled down – insisting they will continue to ban guide dogs.
Ms Kennelly, who has just 3 per cent of her vision due to a degenerative condition, said she had been looking forward to visiting the store for the first time.
She hoped it would be a safer option for her – as other stores require her to cross the busy traffic in Wincheap. She said: “I told Dougie to go forward through the door and as I walked in, the man behind the counter said, ‘no dogs’.
Morrisons Daily store in Kent (Image: SWNS)
“Dougie was in his full harness and working equipment, and I said, “No, I’m not leaving.'”I stood there in disbelief. I’m saying to him, ‘You are breaking the law. You are not allowed to deny me access here.’ And he wouldn’t listen.”
Despite Ms Kennelly telling the employee that Dougie was legally allowed into the store, he stood firm and asked her to leave. She said: “I was nearly in tears, but I was trying to hold it together.
“You can stand your ground and say ‘I’m not leaving’, but inside you are in pieces because it’s intimidating and it’s discriminating. I’m a very strong person, but when things like this happen, it really does affect you. I wonder if I’m going to get another refusal somewhere else. It dents your confidence.”
In the end, a friend stepped in and was able to buy Ms Kennelly the things she needed. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says employers should take reasonable steps to ensure that workers with allergies have minimal or no contact with dogs.
But it also adds: “Reasonable steps are unlikely to include banning all assistance dogs.” Ms Kennelly has been registered blind since 2003 as she has a disease called retinitis pigmentosa – which causes loss of vision.
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The store refuses all dogs to enter (Image: SWNS)
She was first diagnosed when she was 11 and now has been left with no peripheral vision. But she says having a guide dog has been a huge confidence boost.
“It sounds really cliche, but when I got Dougie six years ago, he changed my life,” Ms Kennelly said. “He gave me back all my independence, to be able to go and do what I wanted to do, and just be my best mate really.”
Ms Kennelly has been in contact with the access team at the Guide Dogs Charity, who reiterated that it was illegal for a shop to deny entry. Clive Wood, lead policy and campaign manager (regions) at the charity, said: “We are very disappointed to hear of yet another business refusing access to a visionally impaired person because they were accompanied by their guide dog.
“Every access refusal experienced by a guide dog owner is devastating and chips away at their confidence.” The charity said that a survey it carried out last year revealed 88 per cent of guide dog owners have been refused access from businesses and services – despite this almost always being illegal.
Mr Wood added: “Assistance dogs are classed as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ in the law, as they help people with disabilities carry out day-to-day activities. Refusing to make a reasonable adjustment is against equality law across the UK and Northern Ireland.”
Morrisons have apologised for the incident – but the store’s manager has doubled down. A spokesperson for the supermarket chain said: “Everyone is welcome at Morrisons and so we have followed up with the store directly as this should not have happened.
“We are also reaching out to the customer directly to apologise. The Morrisons Daily store in Canterbury is a franchise store and we are working closely with the team there to find a solution.”
However, the shop’s manager reiterated that Ms Kennelly would not be allowed in with Dougie because of the owner’s allergies.They claimed that a staff member would do her shopping for her if requested.