Trainers

Individual trainers and employee trainers of training institutions who want to certify guide, hearing and/or assistance dogs must be approved under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (the Act).

Training institutions currently approved under the Act

Approved trainers, employee trainers and puppy carers must carry an identity card and ensure trainee dogs wear the appropriate badge on a coat or harness when access public places.

Suitability for approval

The Act sets out clear criteria on whether a person or entity is suitable for approval as an approved trainer or training institution. A trainer or employee trainers will be assessed by experienced technical assessors as suitable for approval if they are able to:

• train reliable guide, hearing or assistance dogs that:
  1. can perform identifiable physical tasks and behaviours for the benefit of a person with disability
  2. are safe and effective in public places, public passenger vehicles and places of accommodation
• select dogs that meet the individual needs of a person with disability
• provide ongoing and regular support to handlers of trained guide, hearing or assistance dogs
• demonstrate they have qualifications, knowledge or experience in dog obedience training
• demonstrate they have qualifications, knowledge or experience in understanding the needs of people with disability
• show membership of a recognised guide, hearing or assistance dog industry body or institution, such as International Guide Dog Federation or Assistance Dogs International, that promotes standards of dog training
• maintain sound recordkeeping procedures
• maintain policies and procedures for confidentiality, privacy and complaints
• return clear criminal history screening results to demonstrate they are suitable to work with people with disability and animals.

Apply for approval as an individual trainer, or a training institution (corporation) by completing the following forms and sending them to ghad@qld.gov.au.

• Approved trainer or training institution application form
• Criminal history screening form
• Criminal history disclosure/change form

Your responsibilities as a trainer

Trainers and training institutions must be certified to ensure they can provide a consistently high standard of dog training services for people with disability. All trainers are also subject to a criminal screening process to ensure they are suitable to work with people with disability and animals.

To be approved as a guide, hearing and assistance dog trainer or training institutions, you must:

• be able to train reliable dogs that are able to safely perform identifiable physical tasks and behaviours for the benefit of a person with a disability in public places and public passenger vehicles
• be able to select dogs    that are able to meet the individual needs of a person with a disability
• be able to provide ongoing and regular support to the handlers of the dogs you trained
• have qualifications, knowledge or experience in dog obedience training
• use appropriate training methods to train dogs
• be a member of an institution that promotes standards of dog training
• have qualifications, knowledge or experience that demonstrates an understanding of the needs of people with a disability
• be able to carry out the Public Access Test and certification.