- Advocacy & Rights
- Policy & Legislation
WA handlers say untrained pets posing as assistance dogs are disrupting working animals
Key points4 points
- Assistance dog accreditation differs across Australian states and territories, with WA recognising dogs trained by prescribed organisations under legislation.
- Handlers report untrained dogs wearing service markings are causing public disruption and distress to working animals.
- Advocates are calling for a national identification system, with Queensland's card cited as a model that verifies rights without excessive burden.
- Concerns about dog behaviour in public should be raised with local government, while denied access can be pursued under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Summary
South West WA assistance dog handlers report that untrained pets dressed as service animals are distracting working dogs in public and eroding public trust in legitimate teams.
Trainers note that properly prepared assistance dogs take around 18 months to reach required standards, and that differing organisational vests and harnesses add to public confusion. A University of Queensland law professor suggests a national identification scheme, modelled on a Queensland card, could help, while warning that any reform must not add barriers for genuine users. WA authorities directed behaviour complaints to local government and pointed handlers denied access to Disability Discrimination Act complaint mechanisms.