Sarah and her beautiful guide dog Nyssa get a warm welcome at places like Nowra's The Deli on Kinghorne which she finds to be liberating.

However, some venues are not so welcoming.

Confronting, embarrassing and humiliating is how Sarah described being refused entry to a public place or service because she has a guide dog.

Sarah has been refused entry over the years, most recently with Nyssa.

As part of today's International Guide Dog Day (April 24) she wants people to know how hurtful this treatment can be.

"Guide Dog denial is no fun for anyone," Sarah said.

"However, when access laws are followed correctly, it is liberating and we as guide dog handlers are afforded an equal footing with our sighted peers.

"It's unparalleled for dignity, and makes the sheer joy of working with a guide dog that much better."

Sarah loves when the rules work smoothly.

"I've just returned from a holiday where I had the most amazing experiences with airlines, taxis, accommodation and restaurants," she said.

"Everyone was accommodating and understanding, and made my holidays such an enjoyable experience and this is how it should be all the time."

Meanwhile, according to a recent survey, one in two guide dog handlers, in the past two years, across Australia say they have been refused entry to a public place or service because of their guide dog.

Some people have been refused entry or service more than 10 times.

The survey was carried out by Guide Dogs Australia for today's (April 24) International Guide Dog Day.

Cafes and restaurants were the main offenders, with 71 per cent of survey respondents reporting a refusal of entry, followed by taxis and ride-shares (58 per cent).

Motels, theatres, office buildings and hospitals were named as other locations that handlers experienced discrimination.

An overwhelming 70 per cent of handlers, in addition to outright refusals, said they had to prove their legal right to enter with their guide dog, by showing an ID card after initially being denied access.

Guide Dogs Australia's new advocacy and education campaign 'Access All Areas' aims to remind businesses, industries and community members that a person with their guide dog in harness is legally allowed to enter all public places.

It is an offence to deny or charge a fee for the entry of a person with their guide dog.

The ongoing implications of refusals can leave guide dog handlers seriously inconvenienced - arriving late, missing out on events completely, or incurring cancellation/late fees.

Worryingly, half of the survey respondents (48 per cent) said they had changed their routines or avoided trouble areas as a result of refusals.

Guide dog handlers also report being denied access leaves them feeling frustrated, angry, upset and humiliated, especially when in groups of friends.

The majority of handlers surveyed (68 per cent) believe a lack of understanding around guide dog access rights is the main reason they continue to experience discrimination, and that public education and greater accountability by key service industries is key to making a change.

Chief Executive Officer of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Dale Cleaver said while the public generally does the right thing, guide dog handlers continue to face many barriers when going about their daily lives.

"Imagine how you'd feel if you weren't allowed into a café or taxi, or told you couldn't stay at a particular hotel," Mr Cleaver said.

"Guide dogs are not pets. They are highly trained to open up the world for people who are blind or vision impaired, not close it down, which is effectively what denying access does.

"Guide dog handlers are being refused access to locations and services because of the very dog that is there to help them lead an independent life."

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Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has partnered with the NSW Police Force to raise awareness of the illegal and fineable offence of denying people with a guide dog access to public premises.

NSW Police Force Corporate Sponsor for Vulnerable Communities, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell, said police officers would respond to reports of discrimination from guide dog handlers and issue fines where appropriate.

"It's a crime to refuse entry to a person with a guide dog," said Assistant Commissioner Mitchell.

"The NSW Guide Dog access laws have been in place for more than 30 years and like all forms of discrimination, there's no excuse for it."

To empower guide dog handlers to stand up for their rights, NSW Police and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT are re-issuing an updated 'Guide Dog Access Rights' card, outlining the relevant laws and fines.

It states that NSW Police officers can issue on-the-spot fines of $165 and penalty notice of up to $1100 for refusing entry to a guide dog handler.

"It's really worrying that so many Guide Dogs handlers are still being denied access when this is a recurrent topic amongst our community awareness campaigns," Mr Cleaver added.

When a guide dog is in a harness, it is working and assisting a person who is blind or vision impaired to move around safely and independently.

In NSW, a person with a guide dog in harness is legally allowed to enter all public places (except for an operating theatre and the zoo) under the:

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Section 9)

NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 (Sections 14 & 59) and

Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Chapter 3, section 24 (1) b).

Public places include shops and supermarkets, cafes and restaurants, pubs and clubs, hotels and motels, hospitals, medical practices and dental surgeries.

Guide dogs can also travel on all forms of public transport, as well as taxis and ride-shares and planes.

It is an offence to deny or charge a fee for the entry of a person with their guide dog.

NSW Police officers can issue on-the-spot fines of $165 and penalty notices of up to $1100 for refusing entry to a guide dog handler.

A guide dog undergoes extensive training where it is taught how to behave in public areas.

For example, when the guide dog is taken to a restaurant or café, it will usually sit under the chair or table its handler is sitting at, so it will not be in the way of staff or other patrons.

Just like a regular restaurant or café patron, a person using a guide dog will not enter the food preparation area of a food service business.

On transport, guide dogs are taught how to safely lead the person with vision impairment on and off the particular mode of transport, as well as how to behave in the vehicle while it is travelling.

International Guide Dog Day celebrates the important role guide dogs play in changing the lives of, and enabling people who are blind or vision impaired to be safe and independent in their communities.

International Guide Dog Day is held each year on the last Wednesday of April.

There are currently 270 guide dog handlers in NSW and the ACT and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is working hard to increase the number of dogs available, due to growing numbers of people having trouble getting around as a result of sight loss.