Trainers
Trainers who want to certify guide, hearing and assistance dogs must be approved under the new legislation. Trainers employed at approved training institutions can be approved by that institution.
The institutions that are currently approved under the Act are:
- Association for the Blind of Western Australia
- Guide Dogs Queensland
- Guide Dogs Victoria
- Guide Dog Associations of SA and NT Inc
- Lions Hearing Dogs Incorporated
- Royal Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Tasmania (Guide Dogs Tasmania)
- Seeing Eye Dogs Australia.
Approved trainers, employee trainers and puppy carers must carry an identification card to comply with the regulation. They must also ensure the certified dog is wearing the appropriate badge on a coat or harness.
Suitability for approval as a trainer
A person is suitable for approval if they are able to:
- train reliable guide, hearing or assistance dogs that are:
- able to perform identifiable physical tasks and behaviours for the benefit of a person with a disability
- safe and effective in public places and public passenger vehicles; and
- select dogs that are able to meet the individual needs of a person with a disability; and
- provide ongoing and regular support to the handlers of the trained guide, hearing or assistance dogs.
For an application form call 1800 210 976. All applications from trainers and training institutions must include relevant criminal history screening information.
Certification of guide, hearing and assistance dogs
A trained dog must pass a public access test to be certified. An approved trainer or training institution can only certify a dog for a person with a disability if the dog:
- is able to be used as an aid by a person with a disability for which the dog has been trained
- has passed a public access test conducted by the approved trainer or approved training institution within 7 days before being certified
- is not a restricted breed defined under the Local Government Act 1993
- is desexed and vaccinated
- has not been declared a dangerous dog under a local law.
Once a dog has passed the public access test, and meets the other eligibility requirements set out under the Act, the approved trainer or training organisation can certify the dog.
For more information about the obligations of an approved trainer, call 1800 210 976.
Last reviewed: 06 July 2009