Frequently Asked Questions - Service Dogs Act
- What are service dogs?
- What rights are awarded to individuals with disabilities accompanied by service dogs?
- How can I distinguish service dogs from other dogs or pets?
- What makes a service dog different from a pet?
- Who uses service dogs?
- How many service dogs are there in Alberta?
- What if someone claims their dog is a service dog but it's not?
- I understand the role of service dogs, but what about individuals who fear dogs, have allergies, or do not want to be near dogs due to cultural and/or religious beliefs?
- Does the Act extend to other assistive animals?
- Given that individuals accompanied by service dogs have full public access, do the owners have responsibilities for how the dog behaves and appears in public?
- Who is responsible for any potential damages and or injury that may be caused by a certified service dog?
- What are the fines listed in the Service Dogs Act?
- Can service dogs that have not been trained by an Assistance Dogs International, Inc. accredited school be qualified?
- For more information
What are service dogs?
Service dogs are specially trained to assist individuals with disabilities with everyday activities such as carrying or retrieving items, ringing doorbells, assisting with balance and stability, alerting or responding to seizures or diabetic episodes, and other tasks.
For over 75 years, assistance dogs have worked successfully in public and won the public's acceptance by achieving high behavioural and training standards, which set them apart from pets. The training of a service dog is approximately six months. During this time they train daily and receive between 120 and 360 hours of training.
What rights are awarded to individuals with disabilities accompanied by service dogs?
Individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by qualified service dogs must be allowed access to restaurants, taxis, buses or any other location where the general public is allowed. It is an offense to deny access to public places to individuals who use qualified service dogs.
How can I distinguish service dogs from other dogs or pets?
It can be difficult to identify a service dog as they may not wear a harness or a vest that identifies them, and they can be of various breeds. Identification cards will be available to owners of qualified service dogs. The identification cards display the Alberta government logo and a picture of the owner and service dog.
If in doubt, you may ask the owner to show his/her Government of Alberta identification card. This card verifies that the individual and his/her service dog are qualified for the purposes of the Act.
What makes a service dog different from a pet?
Service dogs are trained by a school accredited by Assistance Dogs International, Inc. Service dogs are working dogs and they should not be treated as pets by members of the public. Speaking to them or petting them without the permission of the owner can disrupt their concentration, potentially causing harm to the owner.
Who uses service dogs?
Individuals with various disabilities use service dogs. Some owners have disabilities that are not readily apparent to the public.
How many service dogs are there in Alberta?
Although it is estimated there are between 80 and 100 service dogs in the province, currently the exact number assisting individuals with disabilities is not known. The identification card program available through the Government of Alberta will assist in creating a registry of service dog handlers in the province.
What if someone claims their dog is a service dog but it's not?
It is against the law for someone to claim they have a disability when they do not in order to bring their dog, which is not a service dog, into a public place. A fine can be issued to someone who commits this offense.
I understand the role of service dogs, but what about individuals who fear dogs, have allergies, or do not want to be near dogs due to cultural and/or religious beliefs?
The rights of all Albertans must be considered in a respectful and tolerant manner. Make your allergy, fear, or concerns known to an appropriate authority responsible for the business, facility or service and ask that an alternate arrangement be made.
Given that individuals accompanied by service dogs have full public access, do the owners have responsibilities for how the dog behaves and appears in public?
Owners of service dogs are responsible for the behaviour of the dog when they are out in public. Protection under the Act does not apply if the owner does not control the behaviour of their service dog.
Who is responsible for any potential damages and or injury that may be caused by a certified service dog?
The owner is responsible to address the damages caused by their service dog.
What are the fines listed in the Service Dogs Act?
Fines outlined in the Act mirror those in the Blind Persons Rights Act and include:
- Up to $300 for falsely claiming that the Act applies to a person when it does not;
- Up to $3000 for not providing access to public places to a person with a disability who is using a registered service dog.
Can service dogs that have not been trained by an Assistance Dogs International, Inc. accredited school be qualified?
Assistance Dogs International, Inc. has been working since 1987 to develop and set training and industry standards for service dogs and their handlers.
Seniors and Community Supports is in the process of establishing a public safety challenge test to determine if dogs trained in other ways can be qualified for the Act. The challenge test will assess the dogs for public safety and appropriateness for public access.
For more information:
Email: servicedogs@gov.ab.ca
Phone: 780-427-9136. To call toll-free, dial 310-0000 first.
