CUSTOMERS’ BEST FRIEND MOST WELCOME AT THE POST OFFICE
27 March 2026
It was a real ‘paws’ for celebration for An Post this week as the company announced its support for the Irish Guide Dogs (IGD) Show Your Paws for Access Rights campaign, reaffirming the legal right of Guide and Assistance Dog owners to access businesses and services across Ireland.
Marking the occasion, An Post hosted a canine-centred celebration at its flagship St Andrew’s Street Post Office in Dublin, where it also unveiled a new Working Dogs Policy designed to support staff and customers and ensure consistent, welcoming access for Guide and Assistance Dogs across the post office network nationwide.
All post offices nationwide will display “Show Your Paws for Access Rights” window stickers, demonstrating An Post’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion and helping raise awareness of the legal access rights of IDG clients.
The event also coincided with a significant milestone for Irish Guide Dogs, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is Ireland’s leading charity supporting people who are vision impaired and families of children with autism through expertly trained Guide and Assistance Dogs. With almost 400 working dogs currently in service nationwide, many clients regularly rely on post office services as part of their daily independent living.
An Post’s new Working Dogs Policy highlights the essential role of working dogs and provides clear guidance to staff and Postmasters, reinforcing existing accessibility commitments while ensuring customers accompanied by Guide or Assistance Dogs can confidently access services.
Welcoming the initiative, Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post Retail, said: “At An Post, we are committed to creating welcoming and accessible spaces for everyone in our communities. Supporting working dogs in our post offices reflects our belief that independence, dignity and inclusion should never face barriers and we’re proud to stand with Irish Guide Dogs and ensure customers accompanied by working dogs are always warmly welcomed.”
Tim O’Mahony, CEO of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, welcomed An Post’s support for the access rights campaign, saying: “We are delighted to see An Post supporting our Show Your Paws for Access Rights campaign and standing behind our clients’ legal right to access businesses and services. Unfortunately, more than 85% of our clients' report experiencing access refusals on a regular basis. Our clients have a legal right of access to go about their daily lives independently with their Guide or Assistance Dogs. Visible support and engagement from trusted national organisations like An Post plays a vital role in raising awareness and improving understanding.”
Under the new policy, post office staff will receive training to reinforce accessibility best practice and customer care standards, ensuring Guide and Assistance Dog partnerships are recognised and supported in every branch. Information materials highlighting the important role of Irish Guide Dogs will also be distributed throughout the An Post retail network.
Through this partnership, An Post joins organisations such as Aldi, Musgraves, Maxol, Dell and The Square Tallaght in helping to promote awareness of access rights and the life-changing impact of Guide and Assistance Dogs, supporting greater independence, inclusion and equality for individuals, their families and communities.
Access window stickers are available free of charge by emailing Access@GuideDogs.ie
