[nagdu] Canada: Saskatoon man gets apology from transit department over guide dog mistake. File / Global News

[Ginger Kutsch]

Canada: Saskatoon man gets apology from transit department over guide dog
mistake. File / Global News 

http://globalnews.ca/news/825560/man-gets-apology-over-guide-dog-mistake/

 

SASKATOON - A legally blind Saskatoon man says he's received an apology from
the city's transit department after a nasty exchange with a driver of a
public bus.

 

Mike Simmonds says he went to get on a downtown bus this week with Graham,
his 20-month-old seeing-eye dog, when the driver told him the dog wasn't
allowed.

 

Simmonds says he's ridden city buses many times without a problem, and
informed the driver that working dogs are allowed on public transit.

 

But he says the driver resisted until another passenger stepped in and
informed the man that guide dogs are allowed.

 

Simmonds says the exchange left a bad taste in his mouth so he went to the
media with his complaint.

 

He says a short time later, he was contacted by the city's transit service
department and was offered an apology and an invitation to come talk to new
drivers in training in an effort to avoid future situations.

 

Simmonds has been blind for 17 years but was matched with Graham just eight
weeks ago.

 

Thursday was the first time anyone has given him a problem.