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Blind woman, guide-dog 'chased' out of McDonald's

A blind woman and her guide dog were reportedly chased out of a McDonald's outlet in Pretoria on Christmas Day.

Die Burger newspaper reported on Wednesday that Sanet Gouws, 33, her mother, Tienkels Gouws, and her sister, Susan Botes, had wanted to buy a milkshake at the fast food outlet in Mayville.

Gouws was being guided by her two-year-old black Labrador, Grover.

“We ordered and Grover went to one side of the restaurant and sat down," Gouws senior said.

She told the newspaper one of the workers at the restaurant became “fidgety” about the dog and called another woman who was outside cleaning the floor.

"The woman came inside and said it was against McDonald's policy to allow dogs in the restaurant," Gouws senior was quoted as saying.

The more Gouws senior and Botes tried to explain that Grover was a guide dog, the less it appeared the woman wanted to listen. According to Botes they were told to drink their milkshakes outside.

“We would have, but there wasn't shade ... outside,” Botes said.

Grover had been wearing his special harness and tag to confirm he was a guide dog.

Gouws junior, from Worcester in the Western Cape, had been visiting her family for Christmas.

“It doesn't help any more to get angry. I just laugh about it."

The manager of the McDonald's refused to comment to Die Burger. McDonald's management was not available for comment.

"Everyone is on holiday," a company employee said.

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