Welcome to the 2022 International #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether Campaign

Time to read: Approximately 4 minutes

As working dogs who are trained to aid Handlers in their everyday lives, Assistance Dogs have a right to go everywhere their Handler goes, with very few exceptions. Despite having these rights, Handlers are often denied access to businesses or services which they rely on in their day-to-day life.

TravelPaws has launched the #WeDoTogether Campaign which aims to educate businesses, service providers and members of the public about the access rights of Assistance Dogs, with the hope of promoting awareness of the law and thereby increasing accessibility and inclusion. We aim to generate widespread public support globally for the importance and ease of opening doors to Handlers and their Assistance Dogs with a welcoming attitude.

We also hope to instil businesses and service providers with confidence to grant access so that instances of refusals, which impact so many Handlers in their everyday lives, are limited. Businesses and service providers should be able to trust that Assistance Dogs are well-behaved, under the control of their Handler, and working at all times. Their spaces need to be well respected.

Campaign Goals

By posting photographs of Assistance Dogs and their Handlers accessing different spaces, we will be communicating that we are inseparable eg.

1. 'If I go into this change room, my dog comes too.'

2. 'If I go into a taxi, my dog comes too.'

We aim to ask the questions, if a refusal of admittance should occur, who is the refusal aimed at? The Handler? The Dog? The Disability? What is the refusal based on? By bringing forward our dog’s personality, we will be communicating the impact of refusals on our dogs while they are working.

Red wooden door opened as Handler with Golden Labrador Assistance Dog walks through. Caption reads 'Open Up Doors For Assistance Dogs'. Adorned by TravelPaws logo with Hash tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether
Golden Labrador Assistance Dog Nixon, wearing his identifying harness, stands on a red carpet with his Handler, Nina. Behind them, there is a parked taxi with an open door. The caption reads 'we are not asking for red carpet treatment. We simply want a ride.'
Golden Labrador, Assistance Dog Nixon lying down in small change room. Head resting on his front paws. Very calm. Very relaxed. His Handler Nina’s feet beside his head. Adorned by TravelPaws logo. Caption reads 'Even a small changeroom can't separate us'

Other Hash Tags we will use

#Inclusivity #Disability #AccessForAll #Accessibility #AccessibleTourism #TaxiRefusal #RideShareRefusal #AssistanceDogs #GuideDogs #HearingDogs #WorkingDogs #Handler #SeeingEyeDogs #PTSD #ServiceDogs #Autism #Mobility #MedicalAlert #Veterans #HumanRightsCampaign

How To Get Involved

As an Assistance Dog Handler, we all know our dogs are silent partners in our life. Wherever we go, whatever we do, they are there with us. Always silent. Some doors are closed. Let us start opening those doors and let our dogs lead us through. Let us all enjoy what awaits us on the other side.

Don't keep all those pleasures to yourselves. Share your pictures with us on Facebook or Instagram using #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether to allow us to repost whether you are a Handler, any member of the Assistance Dog Community or Venue/Transport provider. Share them with as many people as you can so we can make a difference.

Don't forget to:

  • Ask for photo permissions.
  • Use our Hash Tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether
  • Tag venues/transport providers.
  • Alt text all photographs and include an image description as well.
  • Include your country.

We are inviting all Handlers to hop on board and get involved by posting photos of what doors have opened for you. What door have you walked through where you have received a warm and welcoming reception?

We are welcoming any member of the Assistance Dog Community to post photos that might support this initiative. Be as creative as you like.

We are inviting Businesses and Service Providers to join in too by sending in photographs showing how you opened your doors today with a welcoming attitude to people who have an Assistance / Service Dog because of their disability. We invite a creative flair here too.

The more this Campaign circulates around the world, the greater the awareness.

Golden Labrador Assistance Dog Nixon sitting in front of his Handler Nina who is sitting on a stool at the counter of a Cafe waiting for a coffee. Caption reads 'Cafe on Mornington Peninsula, Australia' adorned with TravelPaws logo, Hash tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether
Golden Labrador Assistance Dog Nixon sitting in front of his Handler Nina who is sitting on a stool at the counter of a Cafe waiting for a coffee. Caption reads 'Cafe on Mornington Peninsula, Australia' adorned with TravelPaws logo, Hash tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether
Golden Labrador Assistance Dog Nixon lying down in harness. Behind him Handler Nina is in front of a mirror trying on a beige jumper being helped by the Shop Assistant. Image adorned with TravelPaws logo, Caption reads 'Great service@Front Room, Cowes, Australia'. Hash tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether
Golden Labrador Assistance Dog Nixon lying down in harness. Behind him Handler Nina is in front of a mirror trying on a beige jumper being helped by the Shop Assistant. Image adorned with TravelPaws logo, Caption reads 'Great service@Front Room, Cowes, Australia'. Hash tags #TravelPaws #WeDoTogether

Join Our Handler Community

If you are part of the Assistance Dog family, we also invite you to join our Private Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelpaws where you can find the information and resources you need to travel with confidence & certainty across local and international borders and share your travel experiences with a network of Assistance Dog Handlers in numerous countries across the world.