Can you legally train your own service dog in ontario?

You have probably been researching this topic for a while and can't find a straight answer. I'm here to straighten everything out in this article about the legalities, cons and benefits of training your own service dog in Ontario Canada.

You absolutely can train your own service dog in the province of Ontario. Many places may ask for a "certification" which if you look up online you will find many websites offering you that certification if you pay them an amount of money. These websites are 100% scams, please do not support them. ADI accredited schools will often give them to seeing eye dogs who help the blind. This can be confusing because its not a legal requirement in this province.

According to the Accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities act there are 2 ways you can identify a service animal;

1. it is visibly apparent that the customer requires the animal for reasons related to their disability or;
2. The customer provides an identification card, or a letter from their health care practitioner, confirming the customer requires the animal for reasons related to their disability.

If you wish to train your service dog yourself you will need a letter from your health care practitioner. Here is a list of health care practitioners (provided by  Accessibility in Ontario) that are able to write this prescription for you;

• Audiologist or speech and language pathologist
• Chiropractor
• Nurse
• Occupational Therapist
• Physician or Surgeon
• Physiotherapist
• Psychologist
• Psychotherapist or Mental Health Therapist

A sample of what the letter might look like here;

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Your letter does not need to state the nature of your disability at all, just that you are prescribed a service dog.

To travel on an airline or out of province can be a bit trickier. Most airlines will accept a training letter which we give to clients we feel have put in the effort and their dogs are up to the task of being a service dog. This may be something that you could ask your own trainer to provide or speak to the airline about alternatives. It can also be tricky travelling inside Canada or internationally because service dog laws will differ with each province and international community. Its best to research the specific laws for the place you plan to travel to make sure you are within them if you plan to travel with your service dog.

Stay safe!