Tom and Jerry lend a paw to people with a disability

Tom and Jerry – two golden Labrador dogs – today helped promote planned new laws providing right of entry to public places for people with a disability who rely on assistance dogs.

Disability Services Minister Warren Pitt foreshadowed changes to Queensland legislation that will give assistance dogs the same access to public places that guide dogs and hearing dogs now have.

Currently in Queensland, guide dogs and hearing dogs have legislated entry rights to public places – such as shops, supermarkets, restaurants, movie theatres, libraries and public transport.

However, assistance dogs are not recognised under Queensland legislation in the same way.

Mr Pitt said assistance dogs were becoming more popular, and more people with a disability were seeking to have their assistance dogs accompany them into public places.

“Assistance dogs perform a range of activities to help people with a disability in their day-to-day living,” Mr Pitt said.

“They open and close doors, turn light switches on and off, and help with shopping or fetching items beyond their human companion’s reach.

“People with conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes can use assistance dogs to alert them to the onset of an epileptic fit or seizure, or to alert other people that they are in difficulty.”

Mr Pitt said the proposed legal right of access to public places would only apply to dogs that had been trained, tested and certified by an approved trainer.

Dogs would need to pass a public access test and be certified by a trainer. This would test the dogs for basic obedience and control, recall, skills for embarking and disembarking from public transport, response to sudden noises and ability to work in busy public places.

Handlers of assistance dogs would be required to carry an identification card and ensure their dog wore an identifying coat or harness when seeking entry to public places.

As is currently the case for guide dogs and hearing dogs, certain places will be out of bounds to assistance dogs including food preparation areas and sterile areas in hospitals.

Mr Pitt said the current penalty of only $75 for refusing to provide access to a guide dog was far too low. It was proposed to increase the maximum penalty for refusing access to either a guide dog, hearing dog or assistance dog to $2625.

Subject to further consultation and government consideration of the draft legislation, it is expected that the new laws will come into force mid next year.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3235 4280