2.1 Assistance Animals
Assistance Animals are trained animals (commonly dogs) that are placed permanently with a person with disability to help them achieve greater independence and confidence and to participate in various areas of personal and public life.
Assistance Animals have undertaken a Public Access Test and meet the standards for public access rights. Certified assistance animals by law have ‘full public access rights’, which means they can accompany their owners anywhere that members of the public are allowed to go.
Assistance Animals are:
- considered working animals
- legally allowed to enter all public spaces with their owner/handler
- often identified by a coloured jacket, a harness, or a brightly coloured collar and lead
- trained to perform specific tasks related to their owner’s needs
- trained to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for an animal in a public place
When necessary, staff can respectfully request evidence that an animal is an assistance animal and/or that it is trained to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for animals in a public place as per the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), s54A(5).
If no evidence is provided and there are valid concerns, such as visitor safety or the animal’s behaviour, staff will consult their supervisor and follow procedures relating to responsible conduct which may include asking the person to leave. Since each situation is different, staff will use their best judgement while prioritising staff and visitor safety.