Psychiatric Assistance Dogs Charity
Psychiatric Assistance Dogs Foundation (PADs) opened its online application and user platform to applicants in May of this year (2023), allowing them to begin the journey to having a dog registered as a trained assistance dog. Assistance dogs for psychological conditions have grown in popularity in recent years, but support, availability and understanding of them are still in short supply, all of which inspired the creation of PADs.
“Thousands of people in the UK rely on an assistance dog to help them with day to day activities that many people take for granted. Assistance dogs carry out a variety of tasks for people as well as supporting their independence and confidence” – Equality and Human Rights Commission
On 19 June 2020, PADs Foundation was involved in a successful County Court discrimination claim (Seward v Matadar) in Manchester, in which the court found that an assistance dog owner had been discriminated against on the grounds of disability and denied access to a service due to their assistance dog.
The claimant lives with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Bipolar Disorder and relies on their assistance dog for support when away from home. In 2018, the individual and their assistance dog were refused entry to a news and souvenirs shop in Manchester, despite attempts to explain their legal rights and the dog’s role as an assistance dog. Access was ultimately denied despite police attendance at the scene.
The case considered the application of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to access rights for an assistance dog team trained through a combination of handler-led and qualified trainer input, and was found in the claimant’s favour.
The court found that the refusal constituted discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
Where a dog is fully trained in public access behaviours and task mitigation, assistance dog teams are generally entitled to access services and public premises under the Equality Act 2010, unless there is a lawful justification for refusal.
It is estimated that thousands of people in the UK rely on assistance dogs, and many may encounter similar barriers in accessing public spaces. PADs Foundation hopes that increased awareness of this case will help improve understanding of the law among businesses and members of the public, and support individuals who have experienced disability-related discrimination to feel more confident in asserting their rights.
“We hope this case will raise awareness of the legal rights of assistance dog owners and highlights the fact that not all disabilities are visible and not all assistance dogs are affiliated with larger organisations.” Zoe Norquoy (PADs Co-Founder)
About the PADs Foundation
The PADs foundation was set up to improve the quality of life and independence of those with psychological conditions through utilisation of assistance dogs. As well as allowing owners to regain independence, assistance dogs alleviate pressure on the NHS by reducing the need for carers.
Psychological assistance dogs in other countries have been used by people with a wide variety of diagnoses, including: Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, PTSD, and Schizophrenia.
The purpose of the Psychiatric Assistance Dogs Foundation is to relieve those in need as a result of having a psychiatric disability by:
- Education or training persons with a psychiatric disability in the proper and safe use of their psychiatric assistance dog
- Raising public awareness of psychiatric disabilities and the benefits of assistance dogs to persons with such a disability;
- Otherwise supporting persons with a psychiatry disability in particular with their ownership and use of an assistance dog with a view to promoting their independence in society.
The PADs Foundation website contains more information about assistance dog owners’ rights as well as information about registering dogs and training them.
Website: pads.foundation
Registered Charity Number: 1173512