GP clinic wins legal stoush over patient’s ‘menacing’ dogs
The man said the two German Shepherds were assistance animals, but they had a history of biting people and the practice had a duty to protect its staff: Vic tribunal
A tribunal has found in favour of a GP clinic after a patient complained he was discriminated against when denied entry with “assistance animals”, two dogs with a history of attacking people and other pets.
The patient alleged the Melbourne practice breached the Equal Opportunity Act when it refused entry to him and the canines when he attended for flu vaccination in May 2020.
He told the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal he had mental health issues and the German Shepherds were his assistance dogs.
The man provided two letters from a doctor and a psychologist variously stating his “support dogs” bring an “ambience of calm and friendship” and were always “impeccably behaved”.
