Draft Policy on Assistance Animals in Council Places

Community feedback period has ended

This is the Australian Disability Network logo. It features stylised interconnected shapes with the text 'Australian Disability Network' underneath.

Council asked for community feedback from Wednesday 18 June to Friday 15 August 2025.

The Draft Policy on Assistance Animals in Council Places sets out clear and fair rules to support people who use assistance animals in Council places. It also aims to keep these places safe, clean and welcoming for everyone.

The draft policy was developed with input from the Australian Disability Network, peak disability organisations and community members with lived experience.

This draft policy explains:

  • What an assistance animal is
  • Where they are allowed
  • The responsibilities of the handler
  • How Council staff can check access rights
  • How Council will support safe and inclusive spaces.

The policy applies to Council places that are open to the public and where pets are not permitted, like:

  • Parks, bushland reserves and beaches
  • Libraries
  • Sports and aquatic venues
  • Community facilities like Auditoria, Civic Centres and halls
  • Cultural facilities such as the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre and the Tweed Regional Museum
  • Tweed Holiday Parks and campgrounds

Watch our video:

Access video transcript


What is an assistance animal?

According to the draft policy, an assistance animal is a trained dog that assists a person with disability, by performing identifiable tasks that help manage their condition or improve their independence. These animals are protected under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).

The draft policy recognises dogs as assistance animals. They are the only species Council considers as currently capable of meeting the high standards of behaviour, training, health and hygiene required in Council places.

The following are not recognised as assistance animals:

  • Pets
  • Emotional support or therapy animals
  • Animals that are not dogs
  • Dogs that are dangerous, menacing, nuisance or restricted breeds.

Requirements for assistance animals in Council places

For an assistance animal to be allowed in Council places, the draft policy explains that it must meet the following requirements:

These dogs are not pets. They are working animals and must meet a set of high standards. They must be:

  • a dog
  • well-trained for specific disability-related tasks and for public access
  • desexed, microchipped, and registered
  • visibly identified (with a vest, harness, badge)
  • under control at all times (on short leash, or wearing a harness)
  • calm and not aggressive or disruptive
  • clean and healthy.

A handler may be asked to show proof to certify their animal is a trained assistance animal.

What if an animal doesn't meet the requirements?

The draft policy explains that Council staff can ask for proof that an animal is an assistance animal. If this can’t be shown, access to a Council place may be refused.

Misrepresenting a pet as an assistance animal is misleading — it also undermines the safety and rights of people who genuinely rely on these animals to support their access and participation in public places.

Why do we need this policy?

Currently, there are no laws in NSW about how people must train or certify assistance animals. That means there are different ideas of what qualifies as an assistance animal.

This draft policy helps fill that gap. It supports people to understand their rights in Council places, and sets out:

  • what training an assistance animal needs
  • how Council staff can check access rights
  • how Council supports safe and inclusive access to council places.


Information sessions now finished

We held three information sessions about the Draft Policy on Assistance Animals in Council Places. These sessions gave community members a chance to learn more and ask questions.

  • Tweed Heads Civic and Cultural Centre – Thursday 10 July
  • Murwillumbah Civic and Cultural Centre – Tuesday 15 July
  • Virtual session

Thank you to everyone who came along.

Have your say

Community feedback period has ended

We asked for community feedback from Wednesday 18 June to Friday 15 August 2025. This helped us check that the policy was fair, clear and practical.

During this time, people could read the draft policy and send us their thoughts.


Community feedback period has ended

This is the Australian Disability Network logo. It features stylised interconnected shapes with the text 'Australian Disability Network' underneath.

Council asked for community feedback from Wednesday 18 June to Friday 15 August 2025.

The Draft Policy on Assistance Animals in Council Places sets out clear and fair rules to support people who use assistance animals in Council places. It also aims to keep these places safe, clean and welcoming for everyone.

The draft policy was developed with input from the Australian Disability Network, peak disability organisations and community members with lived experience.

This draft policy explains:

  • What an assistance animal is
  • Where they are allowed
  • The responsibilities of the handler
  • How Council staff can check access rights
  • How Council will support safe and inclusive spaces.

The policy applies to Council places that are open to the public and where pets are not permitted, like:

  • Parks, bushland reserves and beaches
  • Libraries
  • Sports and aquatic venues
  • Community facilities like Auditoria, Civic Centres and halls
  • Cultural facilities such as the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre and the Tweed Regional Museum
  • Tweed Holiday Parks and campgrounds

Watch our video:

Access video transcript


What is an assistance animal?

According to the draft policy, an assistance animal is a trained dog that assists a person with disability, by performing identifiable tasks that help manage their condition or improve their independence. These animals are protected under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).

The draft policy recognises dogs as assistance animals. They are the only species Council considers as currently capable of meeting the high standards of behaviour, training, health and hygiene required in Council places.

The following are not recognised as assistance animals:

  • Pets
  • Emotional support or therapy animals
  • Animals that are not dogs
  • Dogs that are dangerous, menacing, nuisance or restricted breeds.

Requirements for assistance animals in Council places

For an assistance animal to be allowed in Council places, the draft policy explains that it must meet the following requirements:

These dogs are not pets. They are working animals and must meet a set of high standards. They must be:

  • a dog
  • well-trained for specific disability-related tasks and for public access
  • desexed, microchipped, and registered
  • visibly identified (with a vest, harness, badge)
  • under control at all times (on short leash, or wearing a harness)
  • calm and not aggressive or disruptive
  • clean and healthy.

A handler may be asked to show proof to certify their animal is a trained assistance animal.

What if an animal doesn't meet the requirements?

The draft policy explains that Council staff can ask for proof that an animal is an assistance animal. If this can’t be shown, access to a Council place may be refused.

Misrepresenting a pet as an assistance animal is misleading — it also undermines the safety and rights of people who genuinely rely on these animals to support their access and participation in public places.

Why do we need this policy?

Currently, there are no laws in NSW about how people must train or certify assistance animals. That means there are different ideas of what qualifies as an assistance animal.

This draft policy helps fill that gap. It supports people to understand their rights in Council places, and sets out:

  • what training an assistance animal needs
  • how Council staff can check access rights
  • how Council supports safe and inclusive access to council places.


Information sessions now finished

We held three information sessions about the Draft Policy on Assistance Animals in Council Places. These sessions gave community members a chance to learn more and ask questions.

  • Tweed Heads Civic and Cultural Centre – Thursday 10 July
  • Murwillumbah Civic and Cultural Centre – Tuesday 15 July
  • Virtual session

Thank you to everyone who came along.

Have your say

Community feedback period has ended

We asked for community feedback from Wednesday 18 June to Friday 15 August 2025. This helped us check that the policy was fair, clear and practical.

During this time, people could read the draft policy and send us their thoughts.


Page last updated: 18 Aug 2025, 09:25 AM