Definitions
- Companion Animal: An animal that provides comfort, emotional support, or a sense of safety and companionship to a client, without being formally trained or certified under the AODA or related service animal legislation.
- Service Animal (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act - AODA): An animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, as defined under the AODA.
Service Animals
SHCHC recognizes the importance of service animals to persons with disabilities, in accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards (Ontario Regulation 191/11) Part IV.2, Section 80.45, and welcomes them on premises where SHCHC provides services. SHCHC will make every reasonable effort to accommodate clients with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal so that they may access services.
Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal will be permitted to enter SHCHC premises and keep the animal with them in areas where members of the public and other third parties are allowed, unless the animal is excluded by law, such as food preparation areas. If the animal is excluded by law, SHCHC will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the person, for example by providing services in an area where the service animal is permitted.
Please refer to SHCHC's Accessibility for People with Disability Policy for further information.
Companion Animals
SHCHC recognizes the significant emotional, psychological, and physical support provided by companion animals even when these animals are not certified service animals under the AODA or other legislation.
For clients with non-certified pets or companion animals, SHCHC will make reasonable efforts to accommodate them while ensuring the safety of all clients, employees, and visitors. To support this:
- Animals must remain in a crate while inside the Centre.
- Animals cannot be left unattended outside on Centre property.
- Employees cannot hold, feed, or handle animals, but we will support clients in caring for their animals during visits.
- In an emergency, the animal's designated contact person will be called to take responsibility.