Banham Zoo apologises for turning guide dog away

Jon Petty's guide dog Dixon was not allowed into Banham Zoo in Norfolk

Joanne Stone Jon Petty with his guide dog — Jon Petty's guide dog Dixon was not allowed into Banham Zoo in Norfolk

A zoo has apologised for not allowing a blind man to take his guide dog into its attraction and said the policy was to prevent "distress" to its animals.

Jo Stone said her father Jon Petty was unable to visit Banham Zoo in Norfolk and was told they should have notified the zoo when ordering tickets online.

She said he was left "angered" by the incident, adding: "It's not acceptable to turn someone away."

The zoo said it was finalising plans to allow assistance and guide dogs in.

Ms Stone, from Fornham All Saints near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said her father, who lives nearby, was asked if his five-year-old dog Dixon had been specially booked in before he was refused entry.

"We were a bit shocked as it's not something we've ever had to do," she said.

"We've never been refused to anywhere as it's a legal requirement to let guide dogs in - it wasn't something we checked."

Banham Zoo has more than 100 animals from giraffes to tigers, leopards, meerkats and red pandas

Banham Zoological Gardens A red panda cub at Banham Zoological Gardens in Norfolk. — Banham Zoo has more than 100 animals from giraffes to tigers, leopards, meerkats and red pandas

Josh Hunter-Harl, from Banham Zoo, said: "Due to the risk posed by the unpredictable nature of interaction between dogs and zoo animals, like many other zoos across the UK, our current visitor policy states that we do not currently allow any dogs on site, including assistance dogs."

But he said the zoo, including sister zoo Africa Alive in Suffolk, was "in the final stages of finalising our assistance dogs policy to allow guide dogs on site".

He said dogs would be allowed if visitors gave 48 hours advanced notice to allow "us to make the reasonable adjustments".

The zoo has apologised to the family, refunded their visit and offered a free trip for when the policy is in place, he added.

Mr Petty's daughter Jo said her dad was left "angered" by the zoo incident

The charity Guide Dogs said: "Zoos are not exempt under the Equality Act in terms of being able to turn guide or other assistance dogs away, but we recognise that each business and service is unique and there may have been some areas of the zoo where an assistance dog may not have been suitable.

"We would hope that all service providers, including zoos, would review their no dog policy to make reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010."