What is an Assistance Dog?

Assistance dogs are specially trained to help people with disabilities or long-term medical conditions by performing specific tasks and alerts. Examples include a guide dog that helps a visually impaired person navigate, a medical alert dog that warns someone of an oncoming medical episode, or a support dog that reminds a person with a psychiatric condition to take their medication.

To be effective, assistance dogs must be well-trained in different environments so they remain calm, confident, and do not cause a disturbance in public spaces.

Not all assistance dogs are trained by an AADSA-affiliated charity. However, no matter who trains them—whether it’s a recognised charity, a professional trainer, or an individual—these dogs must meet high training standards.

While many people associate assistance dogs with Labradors guiding visually impaired individuals, they can actually come from a variety of breeds.

Watch the AADSA animation ‘What is an Assistance Dog’ to learn more. You can also find more detailed information, including expected behaviours, in our AADSA Quick Guide: Welcoming Customers with Assistance Dogs.

Assistance Dogs and the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act clearly outlines the rights and protections for people with disabilities when accessing private hire transport in South Africa. In relation to this, an assistance dog is described as any dog that has been specifically trained to aid individuals with various disabilities. According to the act, an assistance dog includes:

(a) A dog that has been trained to guide a blind person, assisting them in safely navigating their surroundings;
(b) A dog that has been trained to assist a deaf person, helping them respond to sounds or alerting them to important noises, such as alarms or doorbells;
(c) A dog that has been trained by a recognised charity or organisation to assist a person with a disability, particularly those with epilepsy or conditions that affect a person’s mobility, manual dexterity, physical coordination, or their ability to lift, carry, or handle everyday objects. This includes individuals with impairments that impact day-to-day functioning;
(d) A dog that falls into a prescribed category and has been trained to assist a disabled person with a disability of a specific kind, excluding the conditions mentioned in paragraph (c), but still addressing significant mobility or physical limitations.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has also provided guidelines regarding assistance dogs, clarifying that they:

• Are highly trained to perform specific tasks and functions for their owners
• Do not roam freely or behave disruptively in public spaces, as they have been trained to remain calm and controlled
• Will sit or lie quietly on the floor next to their owner, without causing disruption or inconvenience to others, and are generally well-behaved in social settings
• Are trained to relieve themselves on command, ensuring they do not foul in public places; this reduces the risk of hygiene concerns when they accompany their owner in various public areas or transport
• Many assistance dogs are easily identifiable by the harness, vest, or special jacket they wear, which may be marked with identifying symbols or text. While wearing such identifying clothing is not a legal requirement in all cases, it is a widely accepted practice to help others recognise the dog’s role and the support it provides to its owner

This law and these guidelines are in place to ensure that people with disabilities, particularly those requiring the assistance of a dog, can travel and access services without unnecessary barriers or discrimination. It is important for all members of the public, including businesses and transport services, to be aware of these rights and to support individuals who rely on assistance dogs.

Article written and sourced by Iron Edge Design