[nagdu] Canada - New legislation recognizes role of service animals

[Ginger Kutsch]

Canada - New legislation recognizes role of service animals 

Published on May 31, 2012

The Telegram -  , Newfoundland and Labrador 

Source:
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2012-05-31/article-2993086/New-legisla
tion-recognizes-role-of-service-animals/1

 

 

Advances in animal training have prompted the provincial government to
rework its service animal legislation.

 

The traditional guide dog, while still in use, is not the only type of
service animal, states a government news release.

 

The Blind Persons' Rights Act, passed in 1981, will be repealed once the new
legislation is passed.

 

The Service Animals Act takes into account the wide variety of uses for
service animals, and recognizes they may not always be dogs, said Felix
Collins, the minister of justice and the attorney general.  

 

"Service animals are used by a number of different people with various
disabilities such as autism, epilepsy, vision impairment, brain injury,
hearing loss and mental illness. The new Service Animals Act recognizes this
and will prohibit discrimination against a person with a service animal with
respect to accommodations, services or facilities," he said.

 

The Act also expands the definition of a person with a disability to align
with the United Nations' Human Rights Act.

 

The legislation received second reading in the Newfoundland and Labrador
House of Assembly today.