What is an assistance animal?
An assistance animal is usually a dog that helps people with disabilities. These dogs are not pets. They are trained to help with everyday tasks at home or outside.
They are mainly used by people that are visually impaired, hearing impaired, have physical disabilities, or are significantly affected by conditions such as autism, epilepsy, or diabetes.
Before they can help, assistance dogs go through lots of training. This can take 6 months to 2 years. This starts with basic training, like a pet dog would do. Then they complete service training, learning special tasks to support you.
A task trained assistance dog is an ‘auxiliary aid,’ so classed as medical equipment and not a dog. These dogs wear special jackets or harnesses so people know they are working. They are legally allowed in all public places, even where pets are not usually allowed—like restaurants, schools, and taxis.
What are assistance dogs often used for?
Depending on the type of assistance required they may support physical needs such as:
- Turning on lights,
- Opening and closing doors,
- Loading or emptying washing machines,
- Picking up things. Such as: phone or clothes,
- Pushing buttons,
- Alerting to dangers like smoke alarms
- Navigating busy places
They may also help with medical support needs such as:
- detect changes in blood sugar levels and other hormone-related odour changes, seizures, or anxiety.
- warn you, get help and fetch any vital medical supplies.
You can find out more about service animals for different types of needs by going to Assistance Dogs UK.
See different assistance animals in action in the CBeebies television show Dog Squad.
Emotional support animals
An emotional support animal helps people feel better when they are sad, worried, or finding things hard because of a disability.
These animals don’t need special training like assistance dogs. They help just by being a kind and loving friend. Their owner feels better because the animal is with them. This can help with things like feeling more confident, or feeling less lonely.
Cats, or other animals such as birds, ferrets, gerbils, rabbits, snakes, lizards and so on, can also be used as emotional support animals. But dogs are often used, as they are easier to take out and about with you.
Emotional support animals do not have the same legal rights as assistance animals. Health and safety laws take priority over using an emotional support animal when accessing services.
Having any animal is a big responsibility. You need to feed them, keep them clean, take them to the vet, and pay for their care. You must look after them for their whole life.
Funding of assistance animals
Assistance animals are not managed or provided by the Local Authority or health service. There are no published NICE clinical guidance supporting the use of assistance dogs. You need to apply to a specialist organisation (for example Guide Dogs for the Blind or Medical Detection Dogs). Each charity has their own rules for who can get a dog and how to apply.
Usually, the person the dog is supporting will need to pay for looking after it (for example, food, vets’ bills). Dogs may need a special ‘Working Dog Insurance’. This is wider than Pet Insurance, and includes Public Liability Insurance for accessing public places. But you will need to be prepared for the cost of a dog over its lifetime.
There are sometimes grants offered by charities to support with training costs.