Regulations
Many training centers around the world are members of Assistance Dogs International, Inc. (ADI), which is a governing body for service dog training facilities. To become a member, the center must meet the ADI standards. They have minimum standards for who trains the dog, how the dog is trained, and how programs are run (Assistance Dogs International 2012).
In Canada, the service animal laws are provincial. In B.C. we have the Guide Animal Act. This act is focused on the blind, and their dogs, but also encompasses people with other disabilities (BC Guide Animal Act 2012). In Alberta there are two acts, The Service Dogs Act and the Blind Person’s Rights Act. In both provinces, the disabled person may not be discriminated against because of his or her dog and the person has the same rights when accompanied by the certified service dog as he or she would have without it. There are also laws which make it an offense to touch, interfere with, or feed a service dog without lawful excuse or authority. A person committing such an offense may be fined up to $10,000, depending on the offense (BC Guide Animal Act 2012) (The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba 2012).
The laws in the United States are taken care of by the state. Their laws seem to be similar to those in Canada. There is also a federal law in the Americans with Disabilities Act which defines service animals and where they are allowed (U.S. Department of Justice 2010). The United Kingdom has a similar law, giving people with disabilities the same rights with their dogs as they would have without. There are, however, some exemptions. People with allergies can be exempt from letting the dog into their business, for example a cab driver, if they have proof from their doctor (Assistance Dogs UK 2012). Dogs may have to be removed from a facility if they are causing a disturbance, for example barking in a movie theater (Ogden 1992).
People with service dogs are issued ID cards to identify their dogs as certified service dogs. It is up to the person with the disability to enforce and politely explain the laws to those who are ignorant of them (Ogden 1992). If the laws are not adhered to, it becomes a human rights issue. Once this is the case, the business in question can be sued. Although most places do comply with the laws, in some cases lawyers must become involved.