Walking and housingCamino with a service dog

[Moondancer]

I'm planning a Camino in the summer of 2019 and was wondering if anyone had any information in regard to having a service dog with you. I've read some posts indication that some alberques don't allow dogs, so I'm wondering if anyone knew if some did? Also, has anyone done this and brought a dog or service dog with them? I'm from the USA and have traveled onto planes with my service dog before, but was inquiring specifically for housing and what was experienced by others. Thank you in advance.

 

[mspath]

Check out the posts/links in this earlier Forum thread re walking with a service dog.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/service-dog.36864/

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[SYates]

Dogs are not allowed in most albergues BUT accredited service dogs are - by law. Same for public transport. The first step would be to contact your nearest Spanish embassy to get your dog accredited. Buen Camino and welcome to the forum ;-) SY

 

[GlenysP]

Dogs are not allowed in most albergues BUT accredited service dogs are - by law. Same for public transport. The first step would be to contact your nearest Spanish embassy to get your dog accredited. Buen Camino and welcome to the forum ;-) SY

Asking for a friend: Do you know if the accreditation is specific to Spain, or if accredited in their home country is sufficient. I imagine, that there still must be an international standard. My friend has only had her assistance dog, trained and accredited by the Vision Impaired Society, for a few months. So she's still learning about heaps. A gorgeous Labrador.

 

[dougfitz]

Dogs are not allowed in most albergues BUT accredited service dogs are - by law

This matter was raised in the extensive discussion on the subject of service dogs started in late 2015, but I don't recall that a specific requirement to have the dog accredited was identified. @mspath has provided the link to that thread here:

Check out the posts/links in this earlier Forum thread re walking with a service dog.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/service-dog.36864/

Good luck and Buen camino!

I have repeated my comment on this from that thread here:

In Australia, there are generally just two tests for an assistance animal, (1) that the person has a disability and (2) that the animal is trained to help that person alleviate the effects of the disability. I understand that this is similar to the position in the US. This would indicate to me that there are two questions that can be asked:

• Do you have a disability?
  
• What tasks does your assistance animal do to alleviate the effects of that disability?

 

[SYates]

This matter was raised in the extensive discussion on the subject of service dogs started in late 2015, but I don't recall that a specific requirement to have the dog accredited was identified.

To avoid abuse etc. service dogs have to be accredited, if not just everybody could put a harness or similar that states "service dog" on his/her dog and get away with it. SY

 

[SYates]

Asking for a friend: Do you know if the accreditation is specific to Spain, or if accredited in their home country is sufficient. I imagine, that there still must be an international standard. My friend has only had her assistance dog, trained and accredited by the Vision Impaired Society, for a few months. So she's still learning about heaps. A gorgeous Labrador.

As the very minimum I would suggest a verified translation of her/his national accreditation, but it would be really better if your friend asks the nearest Spanish embassy/consulate about this. Buen Camino, SY

 

[dougfitz]

To avoid abuse etc. service dogs have to be accredited, if not just everybody could put a harness or similar that states "service dog" on his/her dog and get away with it. SY

I think that is a legitimate concern, but when this was discussed a year or so ago, I don't recall anyone being able to identify a legal requirement for accreditation.

In countries where there appears to be a strong legal framework supporting people with a disability being able to access public places with their service animal, but no specific requirement for accreditation, abuses can and do occur. You only need to search on terms like 'service dog scams' to find a list of interesting news reports on this matter.

I also know that in Australia, the onus of proof, if you like, appears to be on the owner of a shop or restaurant if they want to prevent someone with a service animal using their premises, or want a person to remove an animal that has been presented as a service animal because of its behaviour. I don't know if there is a similar pattern in Spain or elsewhere in Europe.

 

[SYates]

In Europe it is more straight forward - real service/assistance animals carry their proper accreditation/credentials - kind of their own passport. SY *Who is an European*

 

[dougfitz]

Asking for a friend: Do you know if the accreditation is specific to Spain, or if accredited in their home country is sufficient. I imagine, that there still must be an international standard. My friend has only had her assistance dog, trained and accredited by the Vision Impaired Society, for a few months. So she's still learning about heaps. A gorgeous Labrador.

I have just read some of the information on the FOPG (Spanish guide dog foundation) site, and it appears that there are national, regional and in some cases provincial legislation to consider. Any thought that there might be international standards might be optimistic. Further, it appears that in some regions, like Galicia,

at present there is no accreditation procedure, registration and official identification of assistance dogs.

That doesn't mean that your friend shouldn't carry any accreditation if it is available, and your friend would need to meet any other requirements for the animal to travel to the EU, including identification chipping, proof of health status, etc.

 

[GlenysP]

I have just read some of the information on the FOPG (Spanish guide dog foundation) site, and it appears that there are national, regional and in some cases provincial legislation to consider. Any thought that there might be international standards might be optimistic. Further, it appears that in some regions, like Galicia,
That doesn't mean that your friend shouldn't carry any accreditation if it is available, and your friend would need to meet any other requirements for the animal to travel to the EU, including identification chipping, proof of health status, etc.

Thanks for all of the above replies. Lots of good and sensible information. I'll let my friend know. She had assumed the dog would prevent her from doing it. Maybe as dougfitz states, it might be harder to enter the EU rather than be on the Camino due to a quarantine period etc. The dog was actually trained by guide dogs Australia and so is registered. It's a gorgeous 2 year old. Apparently some dogs aren't 100% good enough for vision impairment, so are trained to assist other people who have other needs due to their disability. EG, one dog, for whatever reason baulked at escalators so was 'failed' for assisting vision impairment, but continued training to help someone with Dementia.