Understanding the experience of assistance dog providers supporting people with disability: an exploratory study

Abstract

Purpose Assistance dogs can provide many health and wellbeing benefits to people with disability, however challenges remain. Assistance dog providers provide crucial support to assistance dog handlers, however limited literature exists exploring their experience working with people with disability. This study aimed to understand the experiences of assistance dog providers working in Australia. Materials and Methods Twelve assistance dog providers participated in semi-structured interviews. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. Results Five themes emerged describing the participant experience. Theme one discussed instances of discrimination experienced by assistance dog handlers, stemming from the lack of public awareness. Theme two captured the inconsistencies regarding the training of assistance dog providers with a specific focus on the gaps in the disability specific knowledge. Theme three emphasised the lack of clarity regarding legislation outlining the training requirements of assistance dog providers and the public access rights of the handlers. Theme four emphasised funding barriers, and theme five discussed barriers to interprofessional collaboration between assistance dog providers and allied health professionals. Conclusion These findings contribute to understanding the current barriers experienced by assistance dog providers and assistance dog handlers, as well as the legislative changes required to better support people with disability.