A STRANDED motorist was left fuming when seven taxi firms refused to pick him up – because he had a dog.

James Taylor, 33, was taking his mother Kath, a Kirklees councillor, to work in Crosland Hill on Sunday when the clutch went on his car.

James, of Mirfield, also had family pet Henry, a pure-bred shih tzu, with him.

Kath, a Tory councillor for Mirfield, was only a mile or so from work so decided to walk.

But James, Henry and the Ford Fiesta were stranded nine miles from home.

Clr Taylor’s colleagues at Lowdhams Leisure caravan firm, rescued them, managing to limp the stricken car to their premises in second gear.

Clr Taylor then rang seven local taxi firms but all refused to take Henry.

James, a Mirfield town councillor himself, said: “My mum got a list of local taxi firms off the internet and rang them.

“They were all happy to take me to Mirfield until she mentioned Henry. Then they all refused. It’s outrageous.”

Getting the bus would have meant a three-hour trip and several changes so bosses at Lowdham offered to let Henry stay with receptionist Clr Taylor while James got a £17 taxi on his own.

The taxi firms didn’t offer any kind of explanation as to why dogs were banned and James decided to investigate.

He found regulations for hackney carriage and private hire drivers under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 which say that cabbies should not refuse to take dogs without a “reasonable” excuse.

The Act says: “Guide dogs, all assistant dogs and all domestic pets, adequately restrained and controlled, other than dangerous wild animals as defined in the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, must be carried in the vehicle unless there is a reasonable excuse for not carrying the animal (s). Each animal to be accompanied by a keeper.”

James said: “All these taxi firms are technically in breach of this law and the people of Kirklees are being denied a service.

“Henry is only a little shih tzu and is so friendly and placid.

“He is a rescue dog and about four-years-old. He is lovely.”

James said he believed there were cultural or religious reasons why some Asian taxi drivers may not like dogs in their cars.

He added: “I wasn’t given any sort of choice. I could have wrapped Henry in a blanket and kept him covered but that wasn’t an option.”

James then phoned around a few local taxi firms himself and hit more refusals from Huddersfield firms.

Both Mirfield companies he rang said they had no problem picking up dogs.

James added: “I’m sure there are many dog owners who don’t have cars and what would they do if their dog had a heart attack or became seriously ill and needed urgent veterinary treatment?

“Many of us love our dogs and I just can’t believe this.”

Clr Taylor has written to Kirklees Council’s licensing department seeking answers.

Mr Akooji Badat, of the Kirklees Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association, said all drivers would take guide dogs but the decision on whether they transported other dogs was left to the individual driver.

“Personally I would not have a problem if the dog was clean and tidy and wouldn’t dirty my seats,” he said.

“But drivers are self-employed and can make their own decision.”

Mr Badat, who is also chairman of Snowden Street Mosque in Batley, said the only problem Asian drivers would have with dogs was if they were licked by the animals.

“If we got the dog’s saliva on our hands, face or clothes we would have to wash before we went to pray,” he said.