Assistance Animals
What is an assistance animal?
Dogs are the most common assistance animal, sometimes referred to as 'service animals'. These include guide dogs, hearing dogs and psychiatric service dogs.
It is important that members of the public do not pat or distract assistance dogs unless permitted by the owner.
Owners of assistance animals have full public access rights. This means certified assistance animals are permitted to accompany their owner where ever members of the public are allowed to go. This includes on all forms of public transport. The only exceptions may be areas where there is a public health risk. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone who is reliant on an assistance animal by denying them full public access rights. View the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
An assistance animal is legally defined under commonwealth legislation as a dog or other animal ;
a) accredited under a law of a State or Territory that provides for the accreditation of animals trained to assist a persons with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability; or
b) accredited by an animal training organisation prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph; or
c) trained:
i) to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability; and
ii) to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.
Lifetime Registration of Assistance Animals
To claim a reduced lifetime registration fee at Council for an assistance animal the following valid accreditation may serve as proof on entitlement (as according to the NSW Government's 'Assistance animals - Accepted types of valid accreditation')
Guide dogs - Appropriate harness or medallion and identification passport
Hearing dogs - Appropriate harness or medallion and identification passport
MindDogs - MindDog pass and vest
Resources and Contacts
Transport for NSW - access to public transport for assistance animals
Ph: 131 500
NSW Office of Local Government - Assistance Animals
Ph: 02 4428 4100
Email: olg@olg.nsw.gov.au
MindDog
Email: info@minddog.org.au
Assistance Dogs Australia
Ph: 1800 688 364
Email: info@assistancedogs.org.au
Guide Dogs Australia
Ph: 1800 484 333
Email: info@guidedogs.asn.au