Assistance dogs for more people with disabilities, together with better access

Besides seeing-eye dogs, there will soon be more assistance dogs in Singapore to support those who are deaf or have physical disabilities.

- Judith Tan

To ensure these working canines help their companions with special needs overcome some of their daily challenges, more access will be extended to them in public housing, public transport and food places.

Guide dogs trained to lead the blind or visually impaired are currently allowed in such places, but access will also be extended to assistance dogs that support people with other disabilities.

Assistance dogs matched to people with disabilities living in Housing Board flats by charity organisation K9Assistance can also live with their handlers in the flats, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua announced on June 28.

Like seeing-eye dogs, most assistance dogs are usually labrador retrievers, which are not allowed in HDB flats. Other assistance dogs may be of other breeds.

"Agencies such as the Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Food Agency are also working out the necessary details to allow such assistance dogs on public transport and licensed food establishments," Mr Chua said, speaking at the K9Assistance Partners Appreciation Breakfast attended by more than 80 representatives from government, diplomatic, social services and business communities.

He also said that the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), which issued guidance in 2019 on guide dogs for the blind, would revise its advice to encompass assistance dogs supporting people with physical disabilities, visual impairment and the deaf and hard of hearing.