BC service dogs to be accredited and carry ID
Posted March 12, 2015 6:42 pm.
Last Updated January 15, 2016 12:07 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Guide and service dogs in BC will have to comply with new guidelines, if a new act is passed.
The Guide Dog and Service Dog Act is meant to standardize training and cut down on fraud.
The act will require all service dogs to be trained by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) – both of which are internationally recognized training standards.
Under the new system, a certified dog will have a tag or a card for its vest to prove to businesses it is indeed a service dog.
Bill Thornton with BC Guide Dog Services says unfortunately less-than-honest people are getting their dogs into places, thanks to dog jackets that simply read “Service Dog.”
“I’ve seen these jackets around. I know they can be purchased online at a variety of sites. Dog-owners go to a hotel and a restaurant with their dogs wearing these jackets. People at these establishments are very uncomfortable challenging dog-owners to ask ‘Is your dog really allowed here?'”
A licenced dog, under the new act, will be easily identifiable for business and transit staff.
“Dog-owners will have their own government-issued ID. When people have the dog in a restaurant, for example, the other guests can be assured that the dog-owner is legitimate and the dog will be well-behaved,” says Thornton.
The act will also clarify the rules for landlords and stratas around tenancy rights for guide dogs, regardless of bylaws restricting pets.
