Blair Young always loved the food at Swiss Chalet, but he now calls the restaurant his favourite dining spot for another reason: respecting his human rights.
In 2022, Blair, a resident of Saint John, New Brunswick, was matched with his first guide dog, a black lab named Kelly. After completing formal training in Ottawa, Blair and Kelly returned to Saint John to begin their new life together as a working guide dog team. 
A first-time guide dog handler, Blair learned quickly that not everyone in his community understands the access rights of guide dog teams. Service providers often questioned him before allowing him access, and Blair became apprehensive about entering restaurants, fearing that he’d have to explain himself to everyone he encountered.
That is until Blair and his wife visited a Swiss Chalet restaurant in east Saint John.
Expecting to be stopped and questioned at the door, Blair was pleasantly surprised by a welcoming staff member who, upon entering the restaurant, asked him where he’d like to be seated and offered him a bowl of water for Kelly. For the first time since returning from Ottawa, Blair felt comfortable in a restaurant, knowing he was being treated the same as any other customer. Staff understood basic guide dog etiquette, like not talking to or interacting with Kelly, and Blair was able to truly enjoy his dining experience.
When Blair later revisited the Swiss Chalet for a social function, he was met with the same quality of service from a different staff member. The staff made him feel comfortable and offered him a table with ample space for Kelly to settle on the floor and a bowl of water. When Blair commented about how welcome he felt in the restaurant, the server replied, “You deserve to be here just as much as anyone else.”