Download the Public Access Test Form
Find a trainer or assessor
Register your accreditation and get your ID card
The ACT assistance animal accreditation framework
The ACT assistance animal accreditation framework is voluntary and clarifies and promotes the rights of access of persons with a disability who use an assistance animal.
This means that people who rely on an assistance animal to alleviate the effects of a disability will be able to have their assistance animal tested, accredited and registered as an assistance animal and issued with an Accredited Assistance Animal card (ID card) for a period of up to two years.
The ID card will give handlers, businesses and the community confidence that the assistance animal meets standards of behaviour and hygiene acceptable for public places.
Public access rights and businesses
Persons who use an assistance animal have rights of access to all public places that people are normally allowed access to. All users of assistance animals have public access rights under Commonwealth law, regardless of whether the handler has an ID card or whether the assistance animal is wearing a special coat or harness. It is not a requirement for an assistance animal to wear any form of identification to gain legal rights of access.
For more information about how to report access refusals, read the access refusals flyer (PDF 457.9 KB) . More information is also available about supporting organisations within the ACT Government which can accept access refusal complaints
A summary of assistance animal public access rights can be found on the assistance animal public access rights fact sheet for businesses (Word 234.8 KB) (PDF 500.4 KB) A summary of the legislation is available at the end of this page.
How to have your assistance animal accredited and registered
The first step is to have your assistance animal accredited by a registered ACT trainer or assessor using the ACT Public Access Test. If you are already accredited by another Australian jurisdiction or recognised organisation please see 'additional information' at the bottom of the page.
Once you have accreditation you can continue to step 2 and where you apply to register your accreditation and receive an ID card.
Step 1 - Accreditation through the ACT Public Access Test
ACT Public Access Test
Once your animal is fully trained you can take the ACT Public Access Test to achieve accreditation. This 2-3 hour test must be conducted by one of the ACT’s registered trainers and assessors listed below. The cost of the test varies depending on the provider, and must be paid whether the animal passes or fails.
Please refer to the ACT Public Access Test Form (PDF 385KB) to see if your animal is ready to undertake the test. The form includes a list of automatic fail conditions and examples of tasks you and your assistance animal will need to complete as part of testing.
Prior to testing please ensure that you:
- have evidence of a disability from a medical practitioner, and
- have a completed Veterinarian Declaration Form (PDF 62KB) to demonstrate your assistance animal meets the health requirements. This requires you to book an appointment with your vet and bring along the form.
Registered trainers and assessors
The following trainers and assessors are approved to conduct the ACT Public Access Test. This list will be updated as more trainers and assessors are registered.
Current registered trainers and assessors |
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Jody Harrington from IdaBoss Dog Training is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact on 0405 365 572 or jody@idabossdogtraining.com.au Please note Jody is based in Queensland. |
| Rebecca Hughes from Birubi Service Dogs is a registered assistance animal trainer. Contact at bexletterbox@hotmail.com |
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Izabela Lisiecka from Wooft Dog Training is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact at wooftdogtraining@gmail.com |
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Erin Mathieson is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact on 0410 470 202 or or erin@sithappens.com.au Please note Erin is based in Victoria.
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Eve McKenzie is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact on 0400 439 977 or emckenzie77@yahoo.com.au Please note Eve is based in NSW.
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Jessica McNamara-Rice from The Zen Den Dog Training is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact on 0404 779 351. |
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Laura Mundy from Laura Mundy Dog Training is a registered assistance trainer and assessor. Contact on 0412 732 771. Please note that Laura is based in Victoria.
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Lisa Robinson from Assistance Paws Australia is a registered assistance animal assessor. Please note Lisa is based in Queensland.
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Tessa Stow from K9 Support is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Please note Tessa is based in Victoria.
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Jessica Torrance from Assistance K9 is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Please note Jessica is based in Victoria.
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Jackie Trotter from Leading the Way Dog Training Services is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Contact on 0417 681 049 or Jackiectrotter@gmail.com |
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Emelia Wilmot from Paws for Assistance Dog Training is a registered assistance animal trainer and assessor. Please note Emelia is based in Victoria.
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For more information see how to apply to become a trainer and assessor.
Step 2 - Register and receive your ID card
Once your animal is accredited you can seek registration of an accredited assistance animal by completing the Assistance Animal Application Form* along with the following:
- evidence of a disability (from a medical practitioner),
- photos of the handler/s and the assistance animal (a face photo of each for your ID card), and
- evidence of the assistance animal’s accreditation which includes either:
- a completed and passed ACT Public Access Test form, including Veterinary Declaration, signed by a registered trainer or assessor, or
- evidence of accreditation from a recognised organisation or jurisdiction.
Upon successful registration you will be notified in writing and provided with an ID card with an assistance animal registration number. This registration will be valid for up to two years starting from the date of accreditation. If you received accreditation through another jurisdiction or organisation, the ID card will expire at the same time as the recognised accreditation.
To renew your registration you will need to repeat the accreditation process for your assistance animal. The only difference with applying for a renewal is you won’t have to supply your evidence of a disability again.
*If you are unable to access the smart form and wish to arrange an alternative way to submit your application, call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
Accreditation by other jurisdictions
Currently the only other jurisdictions in Australia with full assistance animal accreditation systems are Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
New South Wales (NSW) Transport Permits for assistance animals are NOT recognised under the Act assistance animals framework. If you have a NSW Transport Permit and wish to have your assistance animal accredited, you will have to contact a registered trainer or assessor in the ACT to undergo the ACT Public Access Test.
Persons with an accreditation under a recognised organisation or other jurisdiction may apply to have their assistance animal registered by providing evidence of the accreditation. This means an ACT Government ID card will be issued matching the expiry of the existing accreditation. Renewing the accreditation and ACT ID card must either be achieved through the previously used system or through an ACT registered trainer or assessor conducting the ACT Public Access Test.
Accreditations by recognised organisations
Assistance animals accredited by the recognised organisations below meet the ACT’s standards of behaviour and hygiene for public places, and the team has been assessed as being able to work together effectively and safely. Trainers and assessors associated with the organisation do not have to apply to be registered as independent assistance animal trainers or assessors under the framework.
Recognised organisations include:
- Assistance Dogs Australia
- Australian Support Dogs
- Guide Dogs Australia
- Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
- Guide Dogs QLD
- Guide Dogs SA/NT
- Guide Dogs TAS
- Guide Dogs VIC
- Guide Dogs WA
- Integra Service Dogs Australia
- mindDog Australia
- Seeing Eye Dogs Australia – Vision Australia
- Any assistance animal organisation, Australian or international, that is formally recognised by Assistance Dogs International and the International Guide Dog Federation and is not already listed above.
Persons with an accreditation under a recognised organisation or other jurisdiction may apply to have their assistance animal registered by providing evidence of the accreditation. This means an ACT Government ID card will be issued matching the expiry of the existing accreditation. Renewing the accreditation and ACT ID card must either be achieved through the previously used system or through an ACT registered trainer or assessor conducting the ACT Public Access Test.
Legislation
Under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992, persons with a disability may choose to use an assistance animal to help alleviate the effects of their disability provided the animal has been trained to meet the standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.
To support and clarify this overarching legislation, the ACT Government has developed a legislative framework within Part 5 of the Domestic Animals Act 2000 that allows for assistance animals to be accredited as meeting the ACT’s public access standards. Once accredited, the Registrar of Domestic Animals may register the assistance animal and issue the handler with an ID card for up to two years. The standards of behaviour and hygiene for assistance animals in public places is listed within the regulations for the Domestic Animals Act 2000.
The ACT assistance animals framework does not create new access rights. Under existing Commonwealth law people who rely on an assistance animal have the same rights of access as anyone else. The ACT framework clarifies the rights of access so that you have less risk of being turned away by businesses as they have assurance your animal meets standards of behaviour and hygiene for public places.
The rights of access for assistance animals which are accredited and registered under the ACT framework are further protected and promoted by a suite of penalties for businesses or individuals who refuse access. A business or individual who refuses a non-accredited assistance animal access to a public place may still be subject to repercussions under ACT and Commonwealth law.
Dangerous dogs and control orders
Please note dangerous dogs will not be registered under the ACT assistance animal framework. If you have had your dog tested and successfully accredited the Registrar for Domestic Animals will NOT register your accreditation or issue you with an ID card. You are responsible for any financial implications of obtaining accreditation for a dangerous dog.
Dogs that are or have been regulated under control orders may be refused registration at the discretion of the Registrar for Domestic Animals. For example, if a control order was the result of a previous owner not securing the yard properly, this does not suggest the accredited assistance animal is a safety risk to the community and so the Registrar may still choose to register the accredited assistance animal. However, if a control order was the result of aggressive behaviour, the Registrar may refuse to register the accredited assistance animal.
It is the responsibility of the handler/s to determine if the assistance animal will be refused registration once accredited. Registered trainers and assessors are not responsible if an animal they have accredited is later refused registration by Domestic Animal Services as a result of a control order or dangerous dog declaration if the control order or dangerous dog declaration was not known to the trainer or assessor at the time of accreditation.
Travelling interstate with your assistance animal
Domestic Animal Services accredits assistance dogs under the ACT Animal Welfare Act 1992 which only provides access to public places within the Australian Capital Territory.
If you are planning travel to other states and territories, you should contact the relevant state government for advice on how to comply with the local laws.
Accredited assistance dogs do not automatically qualify for in-cabin travel on aircraft. The laws which govern assistance dogs travelling via aircraft is covered under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, 256A
Each airline has their own policies relating to the standards assistance dogs must meet and whether they will accept dogs for in-cabin travel. If you are planning to travel with an assistance dog, you need to make enquiries with your airline before booking.
Travelling overseas with your assistance animal
The Australian Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulates the import and export of live animals to and from Australia. If you plan to travel overseas with your dog, you must comply with Australia’s import and export legislation, and the biosecurity requirements of the destination country and then Australia upon your return. You will need to ensure your dog complies with the necessary requirements, which generally include veterinary preparation and health certification of your dog, and obtaining import and export permits for both Australia and your destination country. Find more information about the requirements for exporting live animals from Australia and bringing cats and dogs to Australia, including for assistance dogs, or contact the department directly by phone 1800 900 090 or online query.
