In regards to the Discussion paper: Assistance Animals, the disability Discrimination Act and health and hygiene regulations, I am replying to the section on trained assistance animals.
My name is Andrew Biggs, National Program Manager of Assistance Dogs for Independence. The following is information on our organisation;
- Assistance Dogs for Independence (ADFI) was established as a non-profit organisation for charitable purposes in August 1996. Its mission is "to obtain, train and maintain dogs in community settings to assist people with physical disabilities achieve a greater level of independence".
- The project was developed after careful research and collaboration with Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), an American based organisation that successfully pioneeed and for over twenty years has trained dogs to assist people with physical disabilities. The project is an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International, which has a stringent Code of Ethics and dog training standards.
- Having an Assistance Dog relieves the loneliness, social isolation and physical immobility often associated with a disabling injury or illness; and being able to perform these tasks independently leads to greater self-esteem and an enhanced quality of life.
- Assistance Dogs are trained to perform a number of tasks including retrieving items off floors, turning light switches on and off, opening and closing doors and other tasks that are difficult or near impossible for a person with physical disabilities confined to a wheelchair. From a wheelchair, these tasks are more complex and time consuming, often leading to frustration and anxiety for the person with a disability.
- The program has five main elements: breeding/puppy acquisition, foster puppy raising, intensive dog training, "team" training and annual handler/dog accreditation.
- Assistance Dogs has negotiated a training and support arrangement with Canine Companions for Independence, recognised world-wide as the pre-eminent training organisation for assistance dogs. National Program Manager Andrew Biggs spent three months at CCI and Steve Austin, one of Australia's most skilled animal trainers, is one of the directors.
Since the program was implemented in August 1996 we have placed a number of fully trained Assistance Dogs to people in the community. In regards to the discussion paper, I do understand the concerns that people have, involving the standard of training that Assistance Dogs receive and how they are accredited. As mentioned in the above our organisation is a member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), which is an organisation that regulates codes and ethics to Assistance Dogs programs around the world. The following is information on ADI and it explains the standards that each organisation has to abide by to become a member.
ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL, Inc. (ADI)
Assistance Dogs International, Inc. is a coalition of members representing organisations and individuals training and placing Assistance Dogs. The purpose of ADI is to improve the areas of training, placement, and utilization of Assistance Dogs. Members of ADI meet annually to share ideas, attend seminars, and conduct business regarding such things as educating the public about Assistance Dogs and legal rights of disabled people partnered with an Assistance Dog. Setting minimum standards and guidelines for the training of these dogs, and improving the utilisation and bonding of each team is also involved. ADI also publishes a quarterly newsletter for members and subscribers. If you are a provider of Assistance Dogs.
ADI's MISSION
The objective of Assistance Dogs International, Inc. is to:
Promote standards of excellence in all areas of Assistance Dog programs facilitate communication and learning among member organisations educate the public to the benefits of these programs.
ADI MEMBER PROGRAM STANDARDS AND ETHICS
Standards And Ethics Regarding Clients
In keeping with our purpose of helping people with disabilities achieve greater independence and/or improve the quality of their lives, the member organisations of ADI believe the following ethical criteria are essential to ensure that this mandate is reasonably and responsibly met.
1. Applicants have a right to be considered to receive an Assistance Dog regardless of race, sex, religion or creed.
2. Applicants, students and graduates have the right to be treated with respect and dignity at all times in their dealings with the member organisation's personnel and representatives.
3. The student has a right to receive a sound educational program to learn how to use his or her Assistance Dog most effectively at home or in public.
4. The student has a right to receive appropriate education on his or her role as a user of an Assistance Dog in the community.
5. The graduate has the right to receive regularly scheduled team evaluation and follow-up support programs.
6. The graduate has a right to receive information on or ask for assistance in the following matters:
- Additional training for the dog that is needed due to a change in the graduate's functional level
- A behavioral management problem with the dog.
- A major veterinary problem.
- Legal problems pertaining to the use and access of the Assistance Dog as allowed by law.
7. Applicants, students and graduates have a right to expect that personal files will remain confidential and will not be disclosed unless they have given express prior permission.
8. The community has a right to expect an Assistance Dog to be under control at all times and to exhibit no intrusive behavior in public.
9. The community has a right to receive information concerning ADI Program Standards and Ethics.
10. The community has a right to receive education on the benefits received by a person with a disability through the use of an Assistance Dog.
11. No applicant, candidate, or graduate shall be required to participate in fund raising or public relations activities without their expressed and voluntary permission.
12. Each individual training agency or individual trainer is responsible for their own policies of funding, including but not limited to donations, designated dollars, general funds, restricted dollars. However, each such agency will be accountable for the ethical issues involved with acceptance of those dollars.
Standards And Ethics Regarding Dogs
ADI also believes that any dog the member organisations train to become an Assistance Dog has a right to a quality life. Therefore, the only ethical use of an Assistance Dog must incorporate the following criteria.
1. An Assistance Dog must be temperamentally screened for emotional soundness and working ability.
2. An Assistance Dog must be physically screened for the highest degree of good health and physical soundness.
3. An Assistance Dog must be technically and analytically trained for maximum control and for the specialised tasks he/she is asked to perform.
4. An Assistance Dog must be trained using humane training methods providing for the physical and emotional safety of the dog.
5. An Assistance Dog must be permitted to learn at his/her own individual pace and not be placed in service before reaching adequate physical and emotional maturity.
6. An Assistance Dog must be matched to best suit the client's needs, abilities and lifestyle.
7. An Assistance Dog must be placed with a student able to interact with him/her.
8. An Assistance Dog must be placed with a student able to provide for the dog's emotional, physical and financial needs.
9. An Assistance Dog must be placed with a student able to provide a stable and secure living environment.
10. An Assistance Dog must be placed with a student who expresses a desire for independent living and/or an improvement in the quality of his/her life through the use of an Assistance Dog.
11. An ADI member organisation will accept responsibility for its dogs in the event of a graduate's death or incapacity to provide proper care.
12. An ADI member organisation will not train, place, or certify dogs with any aggressive behavior. An assistance dog may not be trained in a way to stimulate his prey instinct for guard or protection duty. Non-aggressive barking as a trained behavior will be acceptable in appropriate situations.
Standards And Ethics Regarding Organisation
Member organisations of ADI also believe that the following tenets are necessary to ensure that the member organisations will continue to produce a quality product and to protect applicants, students and graduates from feeling exploited or demeaned.
1. Any individual holding a major staff position, that requires specialized people/canine skills must have not only an affinity for people and excellent communication skills but also canine knowledge and experience to ensure that the member organisations will be able to maintain established standards of service to people with disabilities through their applicant/student/graduate selection, training and follow-up protocols and their canine production, selection, training and team matching methods.
2. All Board members of ADI member organisations must receive orientation and be provided with appropriate educational materials about their respective programs. The materials should include but not be limited to the following:
- History of Assistance Dogs and the history of their respective programs
- ADI's established Standards and Ethics
- Board of Director functions such as funding, resource identification, solicitation and raising of funds
- Ongoing and planned Programs and Services
Minimum Standards For Training Assistance Dogs
These are intended to be minimum standards for all Assistance Dog centres that want to be affiliated with ADI. All centers are encouraged to strive to work at levels above the minimums.
1. A minimum of one hundred twenty (120) hours of training over a period of no less than six (6) months, must take place under the supervision of a program's trainer. During that time at least thirty (30) hours of regularly scheduled training must be devoted to field trips and public exposure.
2. Basic obedience skills the dogs must master with voice and/or hand signals are: sit, stay come, down, heel and off leash recall.
3. The dog must show social behavior skills of no aggression, no inappropriate barking, no biting, no snapping/growling, no inappropriate jumping on strangers, no begging and no sniffing of people.
4. The Assistance Dog must be trained to perform at least three physical tasks.
5. The training time with the student prior to placement must be a minimum of no less than thirteen (13) days. This is both public and private. All graduates must be given a solid education in appropriate behavior of the team. The dog should stay as invisible as possible and not interfere with people.
6. The training facility must require the recipient to complete a follow-up progress report once a month for the first six months following the placement. Personal contact will be done by qualified staff or program volunteer within twelve to eighteen (12-18) months of graduation and annually thereafter.
7. Identification of an Assistance Dog will be accomplished with a laminated ID card with a photo of the dog and partner and names of both recipient and dog. In public the dog must wear a harness, backpack or slicker with a logo that is clear and easy to read and identifiable as an Assistance Dog.
8. The staff of the training center must demonstrate knowledge of the disabilities of the clients it works with. Organisation shall make available educational material on different disabilities.
9. The recipient must agree to abide by the Minimum Standards for Assistance Dog Partners.
10. At the onset of training, every dog will be spayed or neutered and will have a thorough medical evaluation to determine that the dog does not have any physical problems that would cause difficulty for a working dog.
Assistance Dogs for Independence recommendation for this discussion paper is;
- Any organisation that trains and places Assistance Dogs in Australia is to be a member of Assistance Dogs International.
- The organisation has to follow ADI's code of ethics, training standards and accreditation procedures.
- The accredited Assistance Dog Team needs to clearly show identification, including the organisations contact phone number.
- In regards to people who have a disability and already have a dog that assists them on a daily basis, they need to contact a qualified organisation(an organisation that trains Assistance Dogs and is a member of ADI) and organise an appointment to be assessed and to complete ADI's accredited public access test. A fee will be required for these individuals who want there dog to become accredited.
If you require any further information or you would like to organise a meeting to discuss any of these issues, please don't hesitate to contact me on (02)9548 3355, abiggs@hanrob.com.au or PO Box 455, Engadine, NSW 2233. Could you please forward a reply to these issues, to keep me informed.
Thanking you,
Andrew Biggs
National Program Manager
