Everyone has the right to travel safely and with respect, including passengers who use assistance animals. These animals aren’t pets, they are trained working animals that help their handler move through the world with confidence.
If you’re a driver, it’s important to understand their role and your responsibilities. Here’s what you need to know.
Your responsibility
In Victoria the law is clear: drivers are required to transport assistance animals along with their handlers.
Refusal for any reason is not permissible or legal.
Drivers who refuse a passenger with an assistance animal may face enforcement action including suspension or cancellation of their accreditation, a fine or prosecution.
What do assistance animals do?
Assistance animals are specially trained to help people living with a disability, from vision impairment to epilepsy or even diabetes.
- Assistance animals come in all different shapes, sizes, and breeds
- Some assistance animals wear a jacket or badge to identify them as working animals, but not all of them do
- Assistance animals go through rigorous safety and relationship training from when they are very young
- They are clean and trained to be quiet, well-behaved and obedient at all times
- Their extensive training means they will not bite, lick or jump on you
- Legally, an assistance animal can go anywhere to support their handler