Understanding “Service” Animals

At Pawsonality we are often asked about people training their pets to become Service Animals. There can be a lot of conflicting language and information, especially between different countries.
It can be a tricky area to negotiate so let’s look at the three types of Service Animals in Australia and their purpose and parameters. For the purposes of this blog, “Service Animal” is the umbrella term for three separate types.

Assistance Animal

An Assistance Animal is one that is to be task trained to help the individual handler with something for their condition and or disability, whether the disability is visible or not. If this task is required for the person all the time & in public, they need to meet the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) requirements for public access and can do the Public Access Test (PAT) so they can accompany the person everywhere without question. Assistance Animals on task usually wear an identifying vest so as not to be distracted by anyone from their work. The classic example of Assistance Animal is a Seeing Eye Dog.

While Pawsonality can assist training some individual tasks, the general training of assistance animals is not something we offer.

You can find more information on the Disability Gateway Government Website

Emotional Support Animal

An Emotional Support Animal, sometimes called a Companion Animal, is one that provides emotional support to the individual handler, to alleviate the symptoms of the handler’s emotional condition. Emotional support is not considered a task, and thus is not usually applicable for the Public Access Test (PAT). Emotional Support Animals are allowed anywhere pets are normally permitted, or by specific private arrangement if in a location pets are normally not allowed. To avoid distraction and to assist with training, an Emotional Support Animal’s owner may wish to put an identifying vest on them. An example of an Emotional Support Animal is a dog that alleviates a handler’s emotional distress and has an arrangement to attend the workplace with their handler.

Pawsonality can help you with any behavioural concerns or goals you might have for your prospective Emotional Support Animal. Training with us is not considered any kind of certification or endorsement.

Therapy Animals

A Therapy Animal is one who provides emotional support & spreads good cheer to groups or individuals as facilitated by the handler. These are by private arrangement – nursing homes, courthouses, medical institutions, schools, etc. To our knowledge there is currently no “certification” for this, though we are aware of organisations that provide guidelines. An example of a Therapy Animal Organisation is Nepean Therapy Dogs who regularly visit Nepean Hospital to lift the spirits of patients and their families.

Again, Pawsonality can assist with any behavioural concerns or goals you might have for your prospective Therapy Animal. You would then need to pursue private arrangements for Therapy Locations or align yourself with a supporting organisation (such as Nepean Therapy Dogs).