A campaign to highlight the importance of welcoming assistance dogs and their owners to town centres across Dudley borough has been praised by a national charity.

Dudley Council has produced a short video detailing the role assistance dogs play in society, and how they support their owners on a day-to-day basis. Window stickers are also being delivered to businesses across the borough so they can display their ‘assistance dog friendly’ status with pride.

Both the council and local businesses are keen to improve accessibility for people who rely on assistance dogs for support. These canines are highly trained to assist people who have various medical conditions or disabilities. From guide dogs and hearing dogs to medical alert dogs, they benefit, and sometimes even save, the lives of their owners.

Guide Dogs UK shared the video online and declared it an ‘amazingly educational video.’ The post has been shared with thousands of followers on social media. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

"Assistance dogs perform such a vital role in society and it is only right that we make our town centres as accessible as they can be. The video sets out very clearly, how assistance dogs are used and why they perform such a vital role. I’m delighted that our work has attracted high praise online."

Assistance dogs support people with essential tasks such as using public transport, crossing roads, opening gates and doors and fetching prescriptions. Shirley Morgan from Guide Dogs UK added:

"We are so pleased that Dudley Council is promoting equal access, because we know that every week Guide Dog users across the country are turned away from shops and restaurants or have a bad experience on public transport in our towns and cities.

"The cause is almost always a lack of understanding, but can cause deep distress to those involved, so this video and the window stickers will really help everyone. Assistance dogs of all kinds are life-changers – and we think they should get a warm welcome.

"Huge thanks to Dudley Council for taking the initiative and highlighting this."