CHINA PASSES NEW GUIDE DOG LAW - “Jenny is one of only eight guide dogs in Beijing. The total number in China is less than 40. Most of them are from the China Guide Dog Training Center in Dalian, Liaoning province.”
The State Council in China passed a new law which will make it easier for guide dogs to access public areas. There are only 8 guide dogs in Beijing and less than 40 in all of China. It appears that the use of guide dogs is still an emerging service, and owners often encounter difficulty while moving about in public. The new legislation should establish clear guidelines as to guide dog access. Here’s more from the China Daily:
Guide dogs will be allowed in public places in China when a new regulation passed by the State Council takes effect on Aug 1.
The regulation aims to provide more convenient facilities and services for people with disabilities.
Chen Yan has been left blind from congenital cataracts, but the 39-year-old still leads a full life…But Chen has also experienced hostile reactions to her guide dog, with Jenny denied access to buses, subways, parks, tourist sites and hotels in cities including Beijing and Nanjing…
“Some cities have greater awareness about guide dogs, such as Fuzhou and Xiamen (in Fujian province). I only need to book hotels and flights in advance and explain to them I have Jenny with me,” Chen said.
Chen hopes the new regulations will contain detailed rules regarding guide dog access. She said similar requirements allowing guide dogs in public places had been written into earlier government regulations but were poorly enforced.
The new law will make it easier for guide dogs to help their owners in China. Hopefully, public awareness in China regarding guide dogs and service dogs will spread. Click here for the full story.
