Petition Change Transport Victoria's requirements for Assistance Animal Passes

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that current Transport Victoria rules require assistance animals, that are not guide dogs, to have an Assistance Animal Pass. In order to get this pass, an assistance animal must either have a completed the Public Access Test with the mass transit component completed or have their trainer certify certain criteria or provide a local council assistance animal registration certificate and a medical certificate stating the owner has a disability as recognised under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). Those with assistance animals are not currently allowed to bring them aboard public transport under current rules which prohibits dogs, including assistance dogs without this pass, from trams, buses and trains and impose harsh restrictions that can interfere with or stop the assistance animal from being able to complete the required task or training.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council calls on the Government to require Transport Victoria to change the requirements for Assistance Animal Passes to include recognising owners who self-train with a recognised training company and allow assistance animal ID to be provided as an option instead of costly medical certificates, and to mandate that all local councils be required to provide an assistance animal registration certificate.