Assistance dog

Key facts

Assistance dogs (service dogs) are specially trained to help people living with disability.
They can perform tasks like guiding, alerting their owner to sounds and responding to medical emergencies.
Assistance dogs must meet strict training, behaviour and hygiene standards to be certified.
Owners of assistance dogs have the right to take their animals to public places.
States and territories have specific accreditation rules for dogs and their handlers.

What is an assistance dog?

An assistance dog is a specially trained dog that helps a person living with disability in their daily life. They are also called assistance animals.

To be considered an assistance dog, they must meet Australian disability laws (Opens in new tab). They also need to follow international training and behaviour standards (Opens in new tab). If a dog meets these standards, the owner (also called a handler) and the dog must have full access to public places.

States and territories may have different requirements to maintain accreditation for you and your dog.

Assistance dogs are also sometimes called service dogs.

What should I do when I meet an assistance dog?

You shouldn't pat or call an assistance dog without permission from the owner. They are aids for their owners. Interacting with an assistance dog can distract it, causing delays, stress or embarrassment for the handler. It may also interfere with the dog's work and training.

What jobs can assistance dogs do?

Assistance dogs can be taught to do tasks. They may be called by other names based on their specific jobs, such as:

guide dogs — help people with vision loss navigate their surroundings
hearing dogs — alert people with hearing loss to sounds, such as a doorbell or alarm
mobility dogs — help with tasks, such as opening a door or bringing items
psychiatric assistance dogs — support people living with mental health conditions
medical alert animals — respond to medical emergencies

Types of animals that provide support but are not assistance animals

Some animals help people but are not classified as assistance animals. These animals do not meet the same training standards to help with a specific disability. Because of this, they may not have the same public rights. They include:

emotional support animals — offer comfort and may help with symptoms of mental health conditions
therapy animals — provide comfort, often visiting hospitals, schools or nursing homes
companion animals — pets that offer emotional benefits and companionship

Who uses assistance dogs?

Assistance dogs can help people living with disability or a chronic condition to support their daily lives. They may be able to help you if you have:

vision loss
hearing loss
physical disability
mental health condition — for example post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or autism
episodic and serious medical emergencies — for example epilepsy or changes in blood sugar

What dog breeds are assistance dogs?

Labradors and Golden Retrievers are common breeds for use as assistance dogs. This is because of their high intelligence and stable temperament.

How can a dog become an assistance dog?

For a dog to become an assistance dog, they must get special training.

Law, training and behaviour standards

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 laws describe an assistance dog:

may be certified under a state or territory law
may be certified by an animal training organisation that certifies assistance animals
are trained to help a person living with disability and meet high standards of hygiene and behaviour in a public place

Assistance Dogs International (ADI) explains an assistance dog:

is individually trained in obedience
can perform tasks that ease disability
can pass a public access test (PAT)

You can find out more about assistance dog training in your state and territory from the Australian Government's Disability Gateway website (Opens in new tab).

Can I take my assistance dog into public places?

You can take your assistance dog to public places and use public transport. An assistance dog helps you just as a wheelchair helps a person with mobility challenges, and can go with you anywhere you need to go.

There are a few exceptions, they include:

if your dog has an infectious disease that could risk public health or other animals
if allowing access would cause unreasonable difficulties or costs
if a flight operator believes the dog could affect flight safety

To avoid issues, make sure your dog wears its assistance dog coat in public. Carry your handler ID card to show you are the dog's certified handler.

States and territories have their own laws relating to assistance dogs. Find out more about the law and assistance animals (Opens in new tab) in your state or territory.

How can I get an assistance dog?

To get an assistance dog, you must meet specific requirements and go through an application process. The application process includes:

referral — your healthcare provider must complete a referral form and provide supporting documents
home visit — a contracted dog supplier visits your home to check its suitability and your readiness for training
training and matching — if approved, a dog will be trained and matched with you, you also need to commit to the training program
certification — after training, you and the dog must pass a Public Access Test (PAT) (Opens in new tab) to confirm the dog's ability to assist and behave in public

If you're a serving or discharged member of the Australian Defence Force, you can apply through The Department of Veteran's Affairs (Opens in new tab).

If you are living with disability, you can access funding through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This funding may help cover the costs of owning an assistance dog.