Use of Service Animals and Support Persons

Glossary:

• "guide dog" means a guide dog as defined in section 1 of the Blind Persons Rights' Act
• "service animal" means a service animal for a person with a disability
• a dog or an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability:

• if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
• if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
• "support person" means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties, except where required by law such as the food preparation kitchen area of the Peer Resource Centers.  In these areas, we will offer people with service animals a safe place where their animals may wait during food preparation and cooking activities.

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Examples of where service animals can wait may include: 

• The service animal waits in another room 
• Weather permitting, the service animal is safely leashed outdoors
• The service animal safely leashed in another room away from food preparation area.

We will work with consumers who use service animals to determine if there are ways to make the facilities more welcoming to people with disabilities who are accompanied by service animals.  We will ensure health regulations concerning service animals are posted in any area where food is prepared and served

The following food regulation will be posted:

• “At times, this area is used for food preparation.  For that reason it must be kept clean, according to local health standards.When this area is being used for food preparation, only designated personnel are allowed in the area, until further notice.   Animals are not permitted in the area at any time.  If you require clarification, please do not hesitate to approach staff with your questions.”

We will ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.  Staff will show the owner where a service animal can relieve itself outside and provide the use of a garbage container for refuse.

Tips on Interacting With Service Animals

• Treat service animals as working animals, not pets.
• Do not touch, feed, make eye contact or otherwise interact with a service animal without asking first for the owner’s permission.  Distracting a service animal may endanger the owner.
• Familiarize the owner with an area for walking a service animal.
• Offer to provide water for the service animal if a client with a service animal will be on the premises for some time.
• Provide a garbage container and show the owner where a service animal can relieve itself outside.

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Examples of where service animals can wait may include: 

Balancing competing needs and rights

There may be times when the needs or rights of a client with a service animal compete with the needs or rights of other clients.  For example:

• a person may have severe asthma and cannot be near fur or feathers
• a person may have a strong phobia about birds, monkeys or other service animals
• Islamic tradition sees dogs as impure and contact with the saliva, snout or tongue of a dog requires purification of the body and clothing

Most people with disabilities or special needs have experience handling these situations and should be asked for their ideas.  Training staff to collaborate with disabled clients to develop successful accommodations commensurate with the severity of their condition and respectful of their Human Rights is a good policy.

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Use of Support Persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter the Branch’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises. Fees will not be charged for support persons for admission to the Branch’s Activities and Workshops. Clients will be informed of this by a notice that will be posted to the Branch’s registration forms and to our web-site. 

Support Person– May also be called “support professional”, “caregiver”, “interpreter” or “friend” to name a few.  A support person is a person who assists an individual with a disability to lead a self-directed life and who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or access to goods or services.  This may be a professional, relative, volunteer or friend.

Additions to support person’s policy might include:

• If food is served at an event, determine what your organization will charge the support person for food.  Some organizations charge 50% of the regular price.
• If your organization arranges outings for your clients or consumers, make it a practice to verify what the policies are for admission for support persons at the places being visited.
• There may be implications for privacy and consent when a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person.  Be aware of your organization’s obligation under privacy laws and professional codes of behavior and take them into consideration.  If your organization offers group counseling, you may require participants to keep group discussions confidential and may ask the support person to meet this requirement as well.
• Include support person in any orientation or intake process where he or she would learn about the rules of your organization and understand when those rules apply to him or her.

Tips on interacting with a consumer who has a support person

• A consumer with a disability might not introduce his or her support person.  If you are not sure which person is the consumer, take your lead from the person using or requesting your services or simply ask.
• Once you have determined who your consumer is, speak directly to him or her, not to his or her support person.
• Be familiar with your organization’s policies, practices and procedures about providing accessible customer service.
• Be sure to have a client’s consent before discussing the client’s disability or other health matters with his or her support person.

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Examples of functions performed by support persons

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