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A hotel in Queensland has come under fire after a visually impaired woman was told to leave by a staff member because she had a service dog with her.
Janice Whittle said the row erupted when management at the National Hotel in Toowoomba found out about her guide dog, Keegan.
The 53-year-old had only just put her bag on her bed when she heard a knock at the door.
“I am being kicked out of the National Hotel, which I have just paid for the accommodation,” Whittle said as she filmed the interaction.
An employee told Whittle in the video that she could request a refund.
“You didn’t state that you had a service animal and if you did we would have refunded it before,” an employee said.
Whittle said she produced her three-year-old guide dog’s identification but that didn’t change their stance.
“Eventually she came back and said that she did it through Policelink so the police will not be attending but I will be getting charged,” she said.
Under Queensland law, handlers and certified dogs have access rights to public places and places of accommodation, which includes hotels and motels.
Whittle said she was often refused entry to places and was fed up with the constant discrimination.
“We are talking cafes, restaurants, hotels, accommodations, retail outlets,” she said.
“People just don’t seem to understand guide dogs are legally allowed anywhere that I go.”
The National Hotel in Toowoomba said in a statement the young staff member informed senior management of what happened and was told she had made a mistake.
The hotel apologised and informed Whittle she would be welcome to stay in the venue but she declined.
The hotel said it had always been inclusive of all disabilities and will continue to be moving forward.
