Blind woman told her guide dog isn't allowed on bus because he's black

One of the hardest things about having any kind of disability is getting around on your own, particularly if your disability is physical but isn’t immediately obvious.

15 year-old Megan Taylor suffered a head injury, which caused her to suffer hearing difficulties and “episodic blindness”, a condition which causes a sudden loss of sight. When she loses her sight, she can feel dizzy and bump into things, so she uses an assistant dog to help her with daily tasks just in case her sight disappears.

Megan, who is now 22, experienced an uncomfortable situation while riding public transportation with her guide dog Rowdie. Because Rowdie is black, not the stereotypical golden guide dog colour, a passenger rudely objected to the dog being on the bus.

Megan says that a woman confronted her and said:

Why is there a f***ing dog on the bus? Get it off.

When Megan tried to explain that Rowley is her guide dog, the woman responded:

Guide dogs are yellow labradors and your dog is black.

Megan told the Liverpool Echo:

I tried to explain to her that guide and assistance dogs can been any colour and don't have to be labradors, although Rowley is.

She told me I was wrong. I decided at this point there was nothing I could say to educate this woman and that it wasn't worth my time. I instead chose to ignore her while she continued to talk nonsense.

Rowley gives Megan confidence to go about her day without worrying about an episode of blindness, but sadly she’s had to get used to ignorant assumptions about the colour of her dog.

I don't think I've ever had a stress-free trip on public transport, that's why I'm so nervous when using it now.

On other occasions I have been spat at, stepped over, pushed out of the way and accused of being 'another drunk youth' when losing consciousness due to my heart condition and neurological disorder.

Despite having so many negative experiences, I know that these people are the minority. Most people are good and kind.

H/T: Liverpool Echo / VT

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