'Wetherspoon staff refused to serve me when I brought my assistance dog into the pub'They were refused service after being unable to provide identification to prove Paisley was an assistance dog, despite this not being a legal requirementView 3 Images Sarah and her assistance dog Paisley (Image: Sarah Holdroyd-Madsen)A woman has been left frustrated after she was refused service at a Wetherspoon pub when staff asked for proof that her dog was an assistance animal. ‌Regarding the incident, a spokesperson for Wetherspoons said: "Wetherspoon’s policy is to only permit guide dogs, and assistance dogs with accredited training by ADUK (Assistance Dogs UK) member organisations, in our pubs. ‌According to Assistance Dogs UK, in the last year 79 percent of people who are partnered with an assistance dog were denied access to a public place. The organisation states that there is an "urgent" need for clearer definitions in law of assistance dogs, alongside consistent standards for training and welfare that all working assistance dogs can aim to meet. "While it may be the case that some individuals misrepresent poorly trained dogs as assistance dogs, disabled people partnered with trained assistance dogs should not bear the consequences of that misuse – misuse which is only possible because of the ambiguity of the law."

Source: Daily Mirror February 28, 2026 17:31 UTC