We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Qantas as the official airline of Assistance Dogs Australia.
Qantas will carry our VIPs (very important pups) when they need to travel to a VIV (very important volunteer) to care for them in their first 12 months or when they need to travel to start Advanced Training Centre at our facility in Western Sydney or at the end of their two years of training, when they are successfully accredited and placed with a client.
Our partnership is built on a common commitment to ensuring the safety of our clients and dogs, improving the experience when flying for people with disability and protecting the welfare of Assistance Dogs.
At ADA we pride ourselves on our membership of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and our adherence to their strict standards for breeding, training and placing Assistance Dogs. Every year, we test our dog and client teams to ensure they meet our standards for safety and control in public spaces. With Qantas’ support, we aim to advocate and raise awareness for the need for common Australian standards, a national accreditation framework and national register of accredited Assistance Dogs.
We know air travel is a huge potential enabler of independence and inclusion for people with disability. Qantas shares our desire to educate the public on the challenges that people with disabilities travelling with assistance dogs experience, as well as removing barriers to flying for people with disability, making it more accessible ensuring the experience is a positive one.
We believe our partnership with Qantas will improve the flying experience for our clients and their Assistance Dogs and will empower more people with disability to travel. Our aim is to ensure that our clients have the opportunity to experience the joys of travel, should they wish to, and be confident to book and fly with Qantas.
For more information about travelling with an Assistance Dog, Qantas provides specific travel needs information here.