Guide dogs are incredible animals who can assist humans in so many ways. And while the classic image people think of when imagining a guide dog is a golden retriever, there are many more types of dogs that can do this work.
A black lab named Rowley is the perfect example of this.
Many of us take the things that guide dogs assist with for granted – crossing the street, walking into an elevator, or hearing a doorbell. So many people rely on these extraordinary dogs to simply live normal lives – like 22-year-old Megan Taylor.
Recently, Megan stepped onto the bus with her trusty guide dog, Rowley.
It wasn’t long until a rude passenger piped up and commanded her to get her dog off.
Many people are ignorant about guide dogs – how they should be treated or what they’re used for. This particular passenger, however, seems to be one of the most ignorant folks we’ve come across.
The passenger didn’t believe Rowley was her service dog because he was a black Labrador – she was convinced they could only be yellow Labs.
Megan, from the UK, said that as soon as she was on the bus, a woman approached her and rudely asked her why there was a dog on the bus. She told her to get the dog off and also cursed at her.
Megan, understandably in shock, tried to calmly explain to the ignorant woman that Rowley was her assistance dog.
The woman snapped back and said that she was a liar. “Guide dogs are yellow Labradors and your dog is black,” were her ridiculous words.
“I tried to explain to her that guide and assistance dogs can been any color and don’t have to be Labradors, although Rowley is. She told me I was wrong,” Megan told the Echo. “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.”
Megan relies on Rowley because she suffers from ‘episodic blindness’ – a condition she’s dealt with since a traumatic head injury at age 15.
In addition to her episodic blindness, the 22-year-old also deals with several other medical issues including hearing loss, frequent fainting, and dizzy spells.
Rowley has been her helper to get her through these problems.
“I suffered multiple fractures to my skull in the incident which left me with multiple disabilities. I can temporarily lose my sight without warning at any time, which is truly terrifying,” she explained. “Even when I can see I become so dizzy and disoriented when walking that I bump into obstacles and trip over things.”
Rowley the black Lab is her second service dog. Her first dog, Ruby, has retired. Rowley helps Megan with many of her daily tasks, everything from emptying the dishwasher to helping her untie her shoes.
Rowley will even call for help if Megan goes unconscious – she’s so much more confident with him by her side.
“People should know assistance dogs come in many shapes and sizes and are trained to support people with a range of disabilities,” she told the Echo.
What’s even more shocking than the woman’s appalling behavior on the bus, this isn’t the first time that Megan has encountered rudeness toward her and her service dog.
Megan says she gets anxiety when she takes public transport because of the rude and confrontational people she’s encountered.
“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,” Megan says. “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.”
Megan tries her best to stay positive when dealing with ignorant and vulgar people. She says that she’s not ashamed of her disability and despite all of these negative encounters, Megan says that she realizes this is not the majority of people.
“Most people are good and kind.”
It’s important that people understand that guide dogs are working dogs. It’s best not to approach them while they’re with their handler and to let them do their job.
We’re glad Megan and Rowley are doing well, and we hope they haven’t encountered any more people like the woman on the bus. If you want to keep up with them, check out their Facebook page.
If you want to see an adorable video of Ruby and Rowley, check it out below!
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