IN THIS SECTION WE HAVE COLLATED A LIST OF CHARITIES THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE DOGS IN THE UK AND THE RELEVANT DISABILITY REQUIREMENTS AND EXCLUSIONS (LISTED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Visually impaired
Guide Dogs UK
All ages
The Seeing Dogs Alliance
Unknown criteria
Hearing impaired
Hearing Dogs for Deaf people
Aged 18 or older
Physical disability
Autism Spectrum
Support Dogs
Aged 3 to 10
(limited to 2 hours distance of their Sheffield training centre)
Dogs for Good
Aged 3 to 10
Medical Alert
Medical Detection Dogs
Type 1 diabetes, Addison’s, severe nut allergy, and PoTS. They also consider individuals with other life threatening conditions.
Age limit 5 to 75.
All the organisations listed below (excluding the unknown knowledge on Seeing Dogs Alliance) require any dog placement not to be left alone for more than 4 hours a day.
Guide Dogs UK
Guide dogs for visually impaired of all ages, no upper or lower limit.
- You must have been a resident of the UK for the last 12 months and must have the right to residency for a further 18 months at the start of the application.
- You must be able to walk the dog for 40 minutes each day, with or without a single walking aid (crutch, walking stick). If you use a wheelchair it must be electric.
- Must be a smoke-free home. With indoor and outdoor areas for a dog.
- For the full criteria on applications, please click here.
The Seeing Dogs Alliance
Guide dogs for visually impaired of unknown ages, location, or any further information. Their website is uninformative with outdated blog entries.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Hearing dogs for hearing impaired of 18 or older.
- You must be able to walk the dog for 1 hour each day.
- You must not have any pet dogs under the age of 10 at home and no more than 1 dog.
- There is further criteria but this is found out through applying for an application.
Support Dogs
Seizure alert dogs for epilepsy aged 16 or older.
Autism dogs for people diagnosed with ASD (ASC) aged 3 to 10 in the Sheffield area.
Seizure alert criteria:
- Must have a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.
- You should have at least 10 major seizures per month. Major seizures are defined as tonic clonic/atonic or complex partials-not including nocturnal seizures.
- You should keep accurate seizure diaries.
- You should have a carer available through the training process.
- You should be able to provide or have adequate support at home to ensure the dog’s needs can be met at all times.
- You should not have any changes to either your medication or vagal nerve stimulator, six months prior to attending the information day and throughout the assessment and training period.
- It is not always possible to place a seizure alert dog in a home where there is another household member who also has epilepsy.
- It is not possible to place a seizure alert dog in a home where there is already a pet dog.
- You cannot have your own pet dog trained.
- You must have the ability to solely care for a dog without the help of another person.
- It is not always possible to train a seizure alert dog to alert if the applicant has a vagal nerve stimulator.
- It is not possible to train a seizure alert dog to alert if the applicant has nonepileptic/pseudo seizures.
- If accepted onto the programme they ask that if the applicant has any children, the youngest must be at least 12 months of age prior to applying.
You’ll find the full online criteria here, there may be further requirements upon application.
Autism Dogs criteria:
- The child must have a clinical diagnosis within the autistic spectrum.
- The child must be aged between 3 to 10 years.
- You are to live within a two hour radius of the Sheffield Training Centre.
- It is not possible to place an Autism Assistance Dog in a home where there is a household member who has uncontrolled epilepsy.
- It is not always possible to place an Autism Assistance Dog when the child has uncontrolled epilepsy.
- The child must not exhibit any fear towards a dog and is happy to make physical contact with one. They are to show the willingness and ability to interact with a dog to form a relationship with one.
- The child must not exhibit any inappropriate behaviour towards the dog during the interaction. The parent/guardian must be willing and able to fully supervise all child and dog interaction ensuring it is appropriate.
- There must be a ‘child free zone’ within the home. This is an area where the dog can go if it feels the need to have some space. The parent is to ensure the child does not follow them into this zone.
- The parent/guardian must be willing to complete written diaries recording their child’s behaviour and development prior to and throughout the training of the Autism Assistance Dog. This may include video footage.
- There must be one parent/guardian who is willing to be trained as the dog’s main handler; this person will be required for all assessments and training of the Autism Assistance Dog.
- You cannot have your own pet dog trained.
- It is not possible to place an Autism Assistance Dog in a home where there is already a pet dog.
- Other children within the household must understand that they are not to interact with the Autism Assistance Dog until the child and dog have established a relationship. The other children are to exhibit appropriate behaviour around a dog and not display any inappropriate interaction.
- If accepted onto the programme they ask that if the applicant has any children, the youngest must be at least 12 months of age prior to applying.
You’ll find the full online criteria here, there may be further requirements upon application.
Dogs for Good
Non-weight bearing mobility dogs (except for forward momentum pulling) for physically disabled of 16 or older.
Non-weight bearing mobility dogs for physically disabled between 7 and 16 years old.
Autism dogs for people diagnosed with ASD (ASC) aged 3 to 10.
Mobility dog criteria:
- If you live in rented accommodation, you will need to provide written evidence from your landlord/housing association that you are permitted to have an assistance dog on the premises.
- You must have access to a secure outdoor area at ground level that can be allocated to use for a dog’s toileting purposes.
If you live in a property with a communal garden and propose to use that for the dog’s toileting purposes, you must have written permission to put in place a toileting pen 6ft x 6ft (minimum) for the purpose of toileting a dog. - You must be able to provide a means of feeding, giving water and grooming the dog.
- You must be able to independently provide regular exercise for the dog as advised by the Charity – on average this amounts to a minimum of two 30 minute lead walks and a 30 minute to 1 hour free run a day. This may be longer depending on the breed and size of dog.
- You must have a need for a dog to carry out at least three distinct tasks that helps to mitigate aspects of your disability.
- If you wish to take your dog with you to work or school, you will need written permission from your employer or school to take a dog on site with you.
You’ll find the full online criteria for adults here and children here, there may be further requirements upon application.
Autism Dogs criteria:
- The child must have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD or ASC) diagnosis.
- The dog will support only one child diagnosed on the autistic spectrum within the household.
- Your child must be physically mobile.
- The guardian/parent must be physically capable of handling a dog.
- If you live in rented accommodation, you will need to provide written evidence from your landlord/housing association that you are permitted to keep an assistance dog on the premises.
- You must have access to a secure outdoor area at ground level that can be allocated to use for a dog’s toileting purposes.
If you live in a property with a communal garden and propose to use that for the dog’s toileting purposes, you must have written permission to put in place a toileting pen 6ft x 6ft (minimum) for the purpose of toileting a dog. - You must be able to provide a means of feeding, giving water and grooming the dog.
- You must be able to independently provide regular exercise for the dog as advised by the Charity – on average this amounts to a minimum of two 30 minute lead walks and a 30 minute to 1 hour free run a day. This may be longer depending on the breed and size of dog.
- You must be able to provide a ‘safe space’ in the house for the dog to have rest and respite when needed.
You’ll find the full online criteria here, there may be further requirements upon application.
Canine Partners
Non-weight bearing mobility dogs (there are some exceptions to this.) for physically disabled of 18 or older.
Non-eligible: those whose sole reason for applying relates to epilepsy, autism, dementia or mental health issues.
- You must be a permanent resident of the UK and live within the designated area open to applications.
- You must have a diagnosed physical disability.
- You must have no more than one pet dog already in your household.
- You must have an outdoor area a minimum six foot by six foot in size, accessible by yourself, that can be allocated and is suitable to use for the dogs toileting purposes.
If your outdoor space is within a communal garden, we will require written permission from your landlord for use of as space for a dogs toileting purposes. - You must be able to feed, give water, groom, and administer any necessary routine medical care to your dog; this can be achieved independently or with assistance.
- You should be able to provide the dog with a minimum 45 minutes of exercise per day, with an average of four times a week off lead exercise; either by yourself or with someone accompanying you.
- If you live in accommodation not owned by yourself, or do not own the whole property i.e. leasehold, upon application you will need to provide written permission for an assistance dog to live in the property.
- The breeds that we train are Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Labrador cross Golden Retrievers. We cannot currently support any applicants who may require other breeds.
You’ll find the full online criteria here, there may be further requirements upon application.
Medical Detection Dogs
Type 1 diabetes, Addison’s, severe nut allergy, and PoTS. They also consider individuals with other life threatening conditions. Applicant must be between the age of 5 and 75.
- You must live in the UK – you must reside within England, Wales and Scotland.
- You have been diagnosed with the medical condition for 1 year or longer.
- You have an unstable medical condition and due to lack of warning signs or symptoms.
- You experience frequent (e.g. every day or every other day) episodes of a serious and potentially life-threatening nature.
For example, Blood Glucose conditions, PoTs, Non-Epileptic Seizures, Addisons’ disease, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Cataplexy, Drop Attacks etc. - You have little or no warning signs or symptoms to tell you that you are about to have an episode.
- In the case of a diabetic applicant, you are currently testing your blood glucose levels at least 6 times a day.
- You are able to regularly exercise the dog, either on your own or with the support of someone else.
- You have somewhere safe where the dog can toilet – ideally an enclosed garden space.
- You are willing and able to complete alerting records and submit these weekly to your Instructor.
- The household must be a non-smoking environment.
- A Dog will not be placed where there are already more than 2 dogs residing.
You’ll find the full online criteria here, there may be further requirements upon application.