Assistance/Service Dog Laws UK Explained (+ Coco Update)
Assistance/Service Dog Laws UK Explained (+ Coco Update)
Assistance Service dog laws UK explained (+ Coco update) – I’m explaining the laws about assistance dogs in the UK, and how the equality act applies. Plus an update on how things are going with my assistance dog Coco.
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Dogs provide such an amazing bond to a person that can help them so much and ground them.
I said today to a friend who has a pup I would love to have a pup to raise and train and wouldn’t it be great to be able to put a “service dog” title like the Americans can. (As a sufferer of severe depression, ptsd, anxiety, and recurrent depressive disorder) this would be amazing for me. But totally open to abuse.
This would open a massive abuse of having a dog any where any time with any (or zero) training.
I think all public facing staff and security personnel, as so many are in stores now, should have training that includes people with assistance dogs and also how to deal with people that have an issue with assistance dogs.
One of the biggest lessons I was taught as a young child was “Do NOT distract assistance dogs.” I just don’t understand why this isn’t more widespread knowledge. It’s so obvious…the dogs have literal instructions on their vests for heaven’s sake! XD
And as for people refusing you access: Shameful. I’ve made sure I’m mentally prepared to support a disabled person if that’s happening to them and I’m a witness, wielding my (almost certainly autistic) interest in the relevant laws.
Is assistance dog the same as service dog from a legal standpoint? Can one fly with an assistance dog?
I have own dog skye 🙂 she my autism service dog . No place train get things in ni . She does go to training regularly helps me a lot goes to shops and hospitals with me
It’s exciting that I don’t have to work with a charity or carry ID. I’m very good at self advocacy and that means I’ll be able to argue back at people with knowledge on the laws. I want to train my own dog to work with ME best, to know ME fully. I want to do it on my own or with an independent trainer at most.
When I was very young I asked to pet someone’s service dog, they said no she’s working.
After that I have never asked anyone again.
When other people say to me they are about to pet someone’s service dog, I tell them no don’t do that, the dog is working.
Some people are not aware of this
I’ve seen harnesses with something like "I’m a service dog. Don’t pet me, I’m working!" or something of the sort. Maybe that will help?
Thank you very much for making this video. I also have a dog and i do that of putting him on my chest, i am autistic, i did not know it was a recognized support dog activity. Yet, i am not keen on facing that rejection that you describe and have a permanent struggle educating people about law and equality, will consider it though.
I did owner training with my German Shepherd as I have Autism and Anxiety as well but my boy is 9 now and been doing it for years. He’s used to all sorts now and we witnessed a fake service dog steal steak off the plate at a restaurant. My boy does the same as what CoCo does only he lays across my lap and shelters me by walls because that’s my safe space.
This has been so helpful, thank you, I am looking at getting an assistance dog for my son so we can have some more freedom. He’s autistic and as he’s gotten older and stronger it’s become increasingly difficult to go anywhere or do simple things like going to a supermarket or getting on a bus or going to a museum because he struggles to cope, but was unsure if we’d be allowed to access these places and have found it very difficult to find information on this. I know animals have a calming effect on him so would be a life changer for us. Thank you so much for doing this video.
Hi, this was a good video but I am a highschool student with anxiety and depression. If you know, would I be able to get an ESA dog and maybe even take it to school as I’ve seen in America (service dogs) are allowed into schools.
Thanks
Hi. I’m 99% sure that I’m autistic but when I went to my first appointment the doctor did an IQ test with me and he said I did exceptionally so he didn’t even want to give me the ABAS test. I’m worried that means he won’t diagnose me and was wondering if there was anything I could do about that. because I know that IQ has no effect on whether I’m autistic or not but I’m not sure he knows this.
Thanks for this very informative video, Ella!
This is so helpful!
I’m looking to owner train my dog for my anxiety and to do tasks as!
Dpt
alert me before panic attack
Stopping my legs from shaking etc…
as I have low frustration tolerance
I get angry easy so that could be a helpful task to stop me before
I hurt my self such as hitting things
I don’t really know if these are good reasonable
reasons to get a service dog!
If you could give me some feed back that would be Awesome to
It’s not a service dog if it’s in the uk there is no assistance/service dog it’s just assistance and if you owner trained you’re assistance dog then there is no ID
If helps anyone I run one the Facebook assistance dog groups
From the USA and used to ADA law. Thank you very much for the overview as I am here for uni
Very important points!
My dogs aren’t assistance dogs but I dislike it when people don’t ask before trying to pet them. It’s rude. They wouldn’t touch my child so why do they think they can touch my dog?
Ik this is an old video I am considering
getting a psychiatric assistance dog in 2024 to help my autism and anxiety. I am 13 right now will be 15 when the puppy is home and 16-17 when it’s trained enough to go into a non pet friendly public area.
I am okay with talking to people about not touching my dog because I am very good at saying no to people
Does anyone know if Scotland gets these support dogs i have autism and other mental illnesses bpd etc
On to it but annoying
I agree that having a service dog is an ongoing learning process. I’ve been a service dog handler for 7 years and still learning things every day!
Hi, I’m new here
would you mind explaining service dogs for autism and some of the charities supporting them??
I have bad autism and I’m thinking about getting one but I want to understand more before I bring it up
Love having my little cat sat on my chest!! Animals are awesome!!
Hey, would someone mind explaining what the uk laws for assistance dogs in training I would be extremely grateful. Thank you :))
It very hard having a assistant dog I have dog called coco
Thank you for making this video it’s good to know that the laws regarding assistance dogs in the UK are pretty much the same as the laws regarding service dogs in the US
Can you have assistance dogs for ADHD?
Hi! I am a autistic person who Is waiting for my assistance dog to be trained and I was wondering if there is a law that states you have to wear a certain jacket/vest to be a assistance dog? I am so greatful for my assistance dog but I would love to be able to put a different jacket/vest on him as the one he comes with will break easily and I can’t get a new one. this video is really helpful thank you so much!
Assistance dogs do not require a dog licence in NI either.
Now this is great
Heck, I’m autistic and definitely ‘have’ to interact with every dog I pass, but even I don’t distract professionals while they’re working with their humans.
Did you pay for the training course? I have complex PTSD so a service dog would allow me to go out in public with less stress but Just looked at the applying document and it has a lot of difficult rules in my opinion to say if it was a 12 week old puppy to apply
Thank you for the really excellent video i’m going to add some thoughts, but may I say that I really do appreciate the effort and time you put into this excellent piece
There is a definition of assistance dogs in relation to camps and taxis, and it’s defined under section 173 of the equality act 2010 one of the difficulties is that sometimes come out when people trying to work out what an assistance dog is in UK law, or at least for the equality act in England and Wales, as the bits about Cabs does not apply in Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, it’s the disability discrimination act 1995, they use the definition of applies to Cabs, but I believe it is an error in law to do so because these relate to the criminal offence in England and Wales in this instance, a dog, trying to guide a blind person, for example, or adult trained by a prescribed charity would definitely count as such, but many dogs to you, and I may consider to be completely legitimate may not be covered in law one of the challenges is in relation to the civil law, as the equality act in England, Wales and Scotland place has a duty on businesses and service providers to make, as you say a reason adjustment.
Recent adjustments are distinct to the laws on assistance dogs in relation to taxis and private hire in England and Wales, as refusing access to an assistance dog as defined under section 173 is a criminal offence, and therefore there is a definition, which of course many people don’t think it’s fair enough
You are probably aware that there is some work on going with SEN technical committee for 5 to which attempts to introduce standards there is another organisation called ADAA which seeks to provide accreditation for only train dogs, but such a system does not exist at the moment
Very specifically, just to take your point on, the issue that you raise is that it may well be likely that a County Court in England and Wales would agree that your dog is an assistance dog. As you know, and equality act claim must first establish the first is covered by the equality act. If you are registered blind, you are definitely already covered, otherwise they may request other then they would look at your disability, the circumstances and necessity for such a mobility aid i’m personally not aware of any case we are many different types of assistance. Dogs have been recognised, but part of the problem is that the County Court is not a court of first record, in other words, you could take them to court tomorrow and the judge could rule totally in your favour, and you could take something else to court months down the line or 10 years down the line and the ruling in your court case would not count which seems weird
In relation to Cabs, as far as the criminal elements are concerned, the medical exemption must be issued by the local licensing authority, who grant them their license to be a cab driver, and not just a medical certificate Will get a bit complicated but it’s best to think of it like this. The criminal applies to Cabs and you can look that up at section 168 and 170. Assistance dogs are defined absolutely in section 173 but this does not mean that I County Court would not decide that a dog not covered in that criminal elements of the law would not be covered for the civil wrong
Hopefully not too many typos in my dictated message. Please do come back and I shall reply. As you gather, I have a little bit of knowledge in the area for professional reasons.
Speaking personally, I am a supporter of the owner trained dogs. I am between dogs at the moment, but I normally work with a dog that most people would recognise as a well-known type of assistance dog. keep the content coming and best of luck
Hi can you help me to get my 1st service dog
I have some questions but I don’t want to ask them publicly. I’ll try be vague..
Does a service animal require any official documentation?
There’s doesn’t appear to be a need for it on a legal basis. However there are expected skills a dog must have. I think it would be irresponsible to not follow those rules. This is what being a service dog means.
I suppose what i take from this is, train your dog on your own if you are able to. Don’t take shortcuts and don’t be a nuisance to other people.
You don’t need to own an ID badge in the UK , but you do own a responsibility. Please someone correct me if I’m wrong.
I got told that only veterans could get dogs in the UK. I have PTSD for rape and abuse.
There is nothing for ppl like me.
Childhood and as an adult.
How do you choose what is capable of assistance dogs.
This really interesting. I never realized how similar the UK and US Service dogs laws were.
I am moving to the UK with my service dog from the US. Could you share any information that would help me in the move?
This happened to me the other day. I was harassed and cornered by 2 security guards because apparently I’m was lying and breaking the law by not having her ID book with me. I was shouted at called a prick a liar. I have reported it to the police because I was humiliated as there was about 40 people people watching and not 1 person tried to help me. My dog pulled me away from the situation and they kept shouting abuse at me.