аЯрЁБс>ўџ UWўџџџTџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџьЅС[@ јП,Bbjbj44 TViVi*:џџџџџџˆBBBBBBBVZZZ8’І,VƒЖоєєєєєєє$9R‹P(BЙєєЙЙ(BBєє=ЙŽBєBєЙЄП:SoBBжєв ЯХwч{УZGЪТ і S0ƒЬ л л жVVBBBBл Bж єЬоЄ‚7єєє((VVZ VVZ Monday 15th September 2003 Disability Rights Unit Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission GPO Box 5218 SYDNEY NSW 1042 RE: ASSISTANCE ANIMALS UNDER THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT (DDA) As outlined in your discussion paper that has also come to our attention in the past 2 years, is the assessment and accreditation of Assistance Animals. Assistance Dogs Australia was founded in August 1996 and we have placed a number of fully trained Assistance Dogs to people in the community. I have put together this document in response to the request for the Federal Government to be able to provide a clearer regime for determining which assistance animals should be recognised for the purposes of the DDA. In regards to the discussion paper, I do understand and share the concerns that people have involving the standard of training that Assistance Dogs receive, and subsequently how they are accredited. 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. Our program and testing methods follow those set out by Assistance Dogs International, and we have had great success with our dogs placed here in Australia. We follow all guidelines for training, testing and follow up, and have found this to be the ‘recipe for success’ for assistance animals. We currently train and place three different types of assistance dogs, these are: SERVICE DOG Definition: A service dog is trained over a two year period to assist physically disabled individuals by accomplishing multiple tasks, such as retrieving items, activating light switches, pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors and many other tasks specific to the needs of each individual. These dogs increase the independence and self-esteem of the individual and are trained to provide home support, community support and community access support. Intended for: These dogs are trained to support their recipient in their home and community environments. They are trained to travel on public transport and support the recipient in public settings. COMPANION DOG Definition: A companion dog is placed with individuals who would benefit from the emotional and physical therapy of having a well-trained pet, and would like the companionship of a dog, but cannot raise and train a dog of their own. Intended for: These dogs are trained to support their recipient in home environments. They are not trained to support the individual for community access, therefore, are not trained to travel on public transport and support the recipient in public settings. FACILITY DOG Definition: A facility dog is placed in housing, group homes and hospitals for children and the elderly, to benefit the residents with emotional and physical therapy. Intended for: These dogs are trained to support residents in the home/facility that they are assigned to. They are not trained to support the residents for community access, therefore, are not trained to travel on public transport and support the recipient in public settings. Our service dogs are the only ones trained for public access and have to meet the standards of Assistance Dogs International. Companion and Facility Dogs should not be provided with public access due to the training requirements for such dogs. The following is information on ADI and it explains the standards that each organisation has to abide by to become a full 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 Australia 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, and must then be accredited by the ADI represented organisation in Australia. Assistance Dogs Australia is currently self assessing the criteria to become an accreditated organisation. Once this is complete and international representative will assess our organisation. Organisations that have been providing Assistance Dogs for more than 5 years should be able to accredit their own dogs. Only service dogs should be allowed public access. 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. The dog must wear a service dog coat, and must be on lead at all times. In regards to people who have a disability and already have a dog that assists them on a daily basis, they need to meet the same standards that ADI has set out. Local councils could be trained by the ADI recognised organisation (an organisation that trains Assistance Dogs and is a member of ADI), and then perform the public access tests themselves (please see attached the public access document). A fee will be required for both accreditation training and for those individuals who want there dog to become accredited. Only service dogs would be eligible for this, as we feel there is no need for other companion animals to have public access. We strongly recommend a working committee to assess all avenues, which are viable and fair to people who are affected by this discussion paper. Through our expertise and background in this matter we would be willing to provide support to form such a committee. 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, HYPERLINK "mailto:abiggs@hanrob.com.au"abiggs@assistancedogs.org.au or PO Box 455, Engadine, NSW 2233. Could you please forward a reply to these issues, to keep me informed. Yours sincerely, Andrew Biggs Chief Executive Officer Assistance Dogs Australia   …ЪО Ъ ж •Ѓ\]^xVdY]jv!()*ЂЄЮЄГя№Акa#†#ў*++0602 2C9Š9 A!AHAќїќђќъунунунунунуъунунунђиќЬТЬГІТЬ™Т™Т™ТЬТъТ‹Т|ТjhФWVB*CJUphhФWV0J5B*CJphhФWV56B*CJphhФWV6>*B*CJphhФWV56>*B*CJphhФWVB*CJphhФWV5B*CJph hФWV6 hФWVCJ hФWV5CJhФWVOJQJ hФWV5 hФWVH*hФWV06dqƒ„…ЪЫ— ˜ Н О Ъ ”•]^lVWZ[\§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ћієієєієієє$a$*B+B§§\]j)*ЂЄЮЄЅГ№АБ”Nцgе<Ÿ§ћі§і§єђђђіі§§§§§§іііііііц $ & F„ ^„ a$$a$ŸЮыEћ† ш y!%"a#b#†#^$Т$2%У%C&ъ&J''(„(B)г)ў*џ*++&,ѓѓѓюююююююююююююююююююююююю$a$ $ & F„ ^„ a$&,./K/s/м/0080ѓ02 2g3И3ш46F7 8f8C9D9Œ9;‹;О;%<ъ<њњююююњњњњьњњњњњњњњъъххххх & F $ & F„ ^„ a$$a$ъ<s?t?гAдAцAчAшAіAB(B)B*B+B,Bњєђэээээшцђђђђ$a$$a$„h^„h & FHAIAJAfAgAіA(B*B+B,BюпзпЭЩУЩУ hФWVCJhФWVhФWVB*CJphhФWV0JCJjhФWVB*CJUph"jhФWVB*CJUph Аа/ Ар=!Аn"Аn#‹$‹%АЉDаЩъyљКЮŒ‚ЊKЉ рЩъyљКЮŒ‚ЊKЉ 8mailto:abiggs@hanrob.com.auœ8@ёџ8 Normal_HmH sH tH D@D Heading 1$@&5CJOJQJ@@@ Heading 2$@& 5OJQJB@B Heading 3$$@&a$B*CJ8@8 Heading 4$@&CJDA@ђџЁD Default Paragraph FontVi@ѓџГV  Table Normal :V і4ж4ж laі (k@єџС(No List 4@ђ4 Header  ЦрР!4 @4 Footer  ЦрР!,X@Ђ, Emphasis60U@Ђ!0 Hyperlink>*B*NB@2N Body Text$a$B*CJOJQJmH sH u:P@B: Body Text 2B*CJ<>@R< Title$a$5CJOJQJ@V@Ђa@ FollowedHyperlink>*B* <Q@r< Body Text 3$a$CJ,:Tџџџџ6dqƒ„…ЪЫ—˜НОЪ”•]^lV W Z [ \ ] j   ) *   Ђ Є Ю ЄЅГ№АБ”Nцgе<ŸЮыEћ†шy%ab†^Т2УCъJ „ B!г!ў"џ"+#&$&'K's'м'((8(ѓ(* *g+И+ш,.F/ 0f0C1D1Œ13‹3О3%4ъ4s7t7г9д9ц9ч9ш9і9:(:):*:-:<;0<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€<;0€0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜ 0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€(0€€80€€˜0€€˜0€€<;0D›HA,B")\Ÿ&,ъ<,B#%&'(+B$ 9I9f9,:X”џ•Œџџщ;д!ъ;,"ы;ь"ь;ь"э;ФЖю;\шя;#№;4Эќё;dјђ;Єm#ѓ;„5є;T)єѕ;єyі;ФA ї; Ÿ ј;œњљљ;Œf њ;ЄOќћ;ь(ќ; hhqqжжЋЋT1T1Ч1Ч1H2H2k9k9w9::-:     kpwwппВВ]1]1а1а1Q2Q2q9u99':':-: 8*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€City€:*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€Street€;*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€address€8*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€date€B*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€country-region€9*€urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags€place€ €15€2003€9€Day€Month€YearќЅЊ-”ŸK'P'z((Ѓ2Џ23 3н3т3З8П8w99-:q|€„JR•ўW Ќ  | zЃфчloУг„ • # #((++W8b8Ш9б9-:3333333333333333-:џџADFIHanrobHanrobHanrobHanrobHanrobHanrobADFIADFI david masonўџџџџџџџџTJл{ џ*„h„˜ўЦh^„h`„˜ў.ўџџџ8У№TJл{џџџџДн№ @h „а„˜ў^„а`„˜ўOJQJo(З№џџџџџџџџхU8ФWV-:џ@€№,:P@џџUnknownџџџџџџџџџџџџG‡z €џTimes New Roman5€Symbol3& ‡z €џArial"qˆ№а”С{y&Ž‚yFЎ|1iЎ|1i‰#№ЅРДД€24d : :№ппH(№џ?фџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџU8џџ„Since the program was implemented in August 1996 we have placed a number of fully trained Assistance Dogs to people in the communityADFI david mason  ўџр…ŸђљOhЋ‘+'Гй0мˆ ,<H\ p| ˜ Є АМФЬдф…Since the program was implemented in August 1996 we have placed a number of fully trained Assistance Dogs to people in the communityrincADFI thDFI Normal.dotr david mason5viMicrosoft Word 10.0@4т0@NюZF{У@”lmч{УЎ|1ўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎDеЭеœ.“—+,љЎДp hp€ˆ˜  ЈАИ Р QфADFIai :{ …Since the program was implemented in August 1996 we have placed a number of fully trained Assistance Dogs to people in the community TitleИ 8@ _PID_HLINKSфAp:Smailto:abiggs@hanrob.com.au  !"#$%&'()*ўџџџ,-./012ўџџџ456789:;<=>?@ABCўџџџEFGHIJKўџџџMNOPQRSўџџџ§џџџVўџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РFћЬwч{УX€Data џџџџџџџџџџџџ+1Tableџџџџ3я WordDocumentџџџџTSummaryInformation(џџџџџџџџџџџџDDocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџLCompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџjџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9Вq