Imagine the reactions I get ...

... when I phone up a hotel and ask where the nearest grass is! "What sort of grass ma'am"? "Well, the lawn type of grass, it's usually green, or a bush or some shingle or other soft surface ..."

The conversation usually degenerates into laughter when the person on the other end of the phone realises I need somewhere for my assistance dog to relieve himself! During the day it doesn't really matter as I am quite resourceful in finidng a park or somewhere else for him to have a run, but first thing in the morning and last thing at night we need somewhere close.

It surprises me how often the person on the end of the phone can't immediately think of what grass is nearby! I often find myself asking something like, "I can see from Google Earth you have some greenery on the far side of the hotel car park, can you tell me if that is accessible or fenced off please"?

Coincidentally, assistance dog relieving areas came up in at least two of my meetings recently, the whole thing isn't as simple as one might think, soft surface, wheelchair accessible (for pick up), safe so the dog can releieve off lead and so on ...

I suspect increasingly, under the new Disability Equality Duty we shall see dog relieving areas at major venues. Which will only be a good thing :o)