prEN 17984-5

Assistance dogs - Part 5: Creating and sustaining assistance dog teams

Publication date:   Apr 30, 2026

Scope

This document provides expectations for assistance dog service providers and assistance dog handlers to protect the interests of all stakeholders. It focuses on the creation of successful assistance dog teams by ensuring transparent and fair eligibility for service, matching applicant beneficiaries with available dogs, thoroughly training the teams to become a partnership and sustaining the team by offering lifetime aftercare support as required.
The purpose of this document is to help create competent and well-functioning teams, maintaining team quality over the years provided that transparency and responsibilities of all stakeholders to one another are met.
Related elements include the following:
— application;
— applicant - dog matching;
— team instruction;
— assessing competency of assistance dog teams;
— aftercare;
— taking a dog out of service (including retirement);
— complaints, appeals and disputes;
— general rights.