A Visit to the Presidential Palace

The President of Estonia, President Kersti Kaljulaid, had invited representatives from the conference to meet her at the presidential palace to explain the issues facing guide dog handlers and the steps we are taking to address them.

Board Members David Adams, Sean Dilley and Finn Hellman, Executive Director Judith Jones, together with Estonian host Christel Sogenbits went to the presidential palace along with their four guide dogs.

It was an interesting and exciting experience.  They were met on arrival and were led through the building to a comfortable reception room where they had tea with the President.

The President was very interested in hearing about the challenges faced by owners of assistance dogs.

The visit coincided with a luncheon the President was hosting for all the European ambassadors in Estonia.  David Adams and Christel Sogenbits were invited to tell the ambassadors about the EGDF conference and its aims. 

David explained the links to between EGDF and Assistance Dogs Europe, the European Blind Union and the European Disability Forum.

He emphasised the need for establishments to accept properly qualified dogs, and the wider benefits to the economy resulting from improved access to shops, restaurants and by helping people into work.

If assistance dogs are sufficiently well-behaved to be able to go into a presidential palace to meet a room full of ambassadors, how can anyone justify denying them access to other places?