Definitions

1   In this regulation:

"accredited or recognized training school" means an organization that provides training programs respecting guide dogs or service dogs and is accredited by one or both of the following organizations:

(a) Assistance Dogs International;

(b) International Guide Dog Federation;

"Act" means the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act;

"approved assessment organization" means an organization that is approved in writing by the registrar for the purpose of carrying out BC guide dog and service dog assessments;

"BC guide dog and service dog assessment" means a BC guide dog and service dog assessment that is approved by the registrar and administered by an approved assessment organization;

"dog trainer certificate" means a certificate referred to in section 5 (1) (c) of the Act;

"guide dog team certificate" means a certificate referred to in section 5 (1) (a) of the Act;

"identification card" means a card, letter or other form of record that meets the applicable requirements of section 1.1;

"photograph" means a photograph that meets the applicable requirements of section 1.2;

"retired guide or service dog team certificate" means a certificate referred to in section 5 (1) (e) of the Act;

"service dog team certificate" means a certificate referred to in section 5 (1) (b) of the Act.

[am. B.C. Regs. 188/2021, Sch., s. 1; 164/2023, s. 1.]

Requirements for identification cards

1.1   (1) If an applicant is required under this regulation to provide an identification card, the applicant must provide a card, letter or other form of record that

(a) is issued by an accredited or recognized training school,

(b) identifies an individual and a dog,

(c) confirms that the individual and the dog have together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program, whether through the school or another accredited or recognized training school, and

(d) has an expiry date that is after the date of the application.

(2) Despite subsection (1) (d), if the card, letter or record does not have an expiry date or has expired, the applicant may provide to the registrar a card, letter or other form of record that

(a) meets the requirements of subsection (1) (a), (b) and (c), and

(b) confirms that, as of the date of the applicant's application, the individual and the dog have active status as a working team.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 2.]

Requirements for photographs

1.2   (1) If an applicant is required under this regulation to provide an official photograph, the applicant must provide a copy of an identification record that

(a) was issued by the government of Canada or of a province of Canada,

(b) includes an image of the individual to whom the record was issued, and

(c) is in a form satisfactory to the registrar.

(2) Despite subsection (1) (a),

(a) the registrar may permit an identification record that was issued by the government of a country other than Canada, or of a state, province or other territory of a country other than Canada, and

(b) for the purposes of determining whether to give permission under paragraph (a), the registrar may require one or both of the following:

(i) that the record be translated into English;

(ii) that the record or the record's translation be certified as a true copy by a lawyer, or by a notary who is a member in good standing under the Notaries Act.

(3) Despite subsection (1) and any provision of this regulation that requires an applicant to submit an official photograph, the registrar may permit an applicant to provide a copy of an identification record that does not meet one or more of the requirements of subsection (1) instead of an official photograph if the registrar is satisfied that the record

(a) is issued by

(i) a public body within the meaning of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or a similar body of another jurisdiction, or

(ii) a bank, a financial institution within the meaning of the Financial Institutions Act or a similar body in another jurisdiction, and

(b) identifies an individual by means of a unique number, code or other type of identifier.

(4) If an applicant is required under this regulation to provide an unofficial photograph, the applicant must provide a photograph that is of a size and quality, and is in a form, satisfactory to the registrar.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 2.]

Issuance of team certificate if accredited or recognized training

2   (1) This section applies to an individual and a dog if

(a) the certificate to be issued to the individual and the dog is not a new certificate for the purposes of section 12 (2) (b) of the Act, and

(b) the individual and the dog to be issued a certificate under this section

(i) are deemed to be certified under section 6.1 of the Act, or

(ii) have together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program, as the case may be, provided by an accredited or recognized training school.

(2) The registrar must not issue a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate unless

(a) the individual and the dog that will be identified in the certificate have together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program provided by an accredited or recognized training school, and

(b) the dog has been spayed or neutered.

(3) An application for the issuance of a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate must include or be accompanied by

(a) both an official and an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate, and

(b) a copy of the identification card of the individual and the dog that will be identified in the certificate.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 3.]

Issuance of team certificate if training not accredited or recognized

3   (1) This section applies to an individual and a dog if

(a) the certificate to be issued to the individual and the dog is not a new certificate for the purposes of section 12 (2) (b) of the Act, and

(b) the individual and the dog to be issued a certificate under this section have not together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program, as the case may be, provided by an accredited or recognized training school.

(2) The registrar must not issue a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate unless

(a) subject to subsection (3), the individual and the dog that will be identified in the certificate have together successfully completed a BC guide dog and service dog assessment,

(b) the registrar receives written confirmation from an approved assessment organization that the requirements described in paragraph (a) and subsection (3) have been met, and

(c) the dog has been spayed or neutered.

(3) The assessment referred to in subsection (2) (a) must be completed not more than 90 days after the date the registrar receives the application for issuance of the certificate.

(4) An application for the issuance of a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate must include or be accompanied by

(a) both an official and an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate, and

(b) written confirmation from

(i) a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner that the individual is a blind person or a person with a disability, as the case may be, and

(ii) a veterinarian that the dog has been spayed or neutered.

(5) In subsection (4) (b) (i):

"medical practitioner" includes an individual who the registrar is satisfied is authorized, under an enactment of a jurisdiction of Canada other than British Columbia or a jurisdiction of the United States of America, to practise medicine in a capacity that is at least equivalent to that of a medical practitioner in British Columbia;

"nurse practitioner" includes an individual who the registrar is satisfied is authorized, under an enactment of a jurisdiction of Canada other than British Columbia or a jurisdiction of the United States of America, to practise nursing in a capacity that is at least equivalent to that of a nurse practitioner in British Columbia.

(6) In subsection (4) (b) (ii), "veterinarian" means either of the following:

(a) an individual who

(i) is authorized under the Veterinarians Act to practise veterinary medicine, and

(ii) is actively practising veterinary medicine at an accredited practice facility, being

(A) the location, premises, structure or vehicle from which a person registered under the Veterinarians Act provides veterinary medicine services, including any equipment, supplies, records or documentation used in that facility, and

(B) that is accredited by the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia;

(b) an individual who the registrar is satisfied is

(i) authorized, under an enactment of a jurisdiction of Canada other than British Columbia or a jurisdiction of the United States of America, to practise veterinary medicine in a capacity that is at least equivalent to that of an individual authorized under the Veterinarians Act to practise veterinary medicine, and

(ii) actively practising veterinary medicine in a facility that is at least equivalent to an accredited practice facility referred to in paragraph (a) (ii).

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 3; am. B.C. Reg. 164/2023, s. 2.]

Renewal of team certificate

4   (1) The registrar must not renew a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate unless the individual and the dog that will be identified in the certificate meet the requirements of subsection (2) or (3).

(2) An individual and a dog that have together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program provided by an accredited or recognized training school must include with the application, or the application must be accompanied by, both of the following:

(a) an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate;

(b) a copy of the individual's identification card.

(3) An individual and a dog that have not together successfully completed a guide dog or service dog training program, as the case may be, provided by an accredited or recognized training school must meet the following requirements:

(a) the individual and the dog must have together successfully completed a BC guide dog and service dog assessment not more than 90 days after the date the registrar receives the application for renewal of the certificate;

(b) the application must include or be accompanied by an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate;

(c) the registrar must receive written confirmation from an approved assessment organization that the requirements described in paragraph (a) have been met.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 3; am. B.C. Reg. 164/2023, s. 2.]

Dog trainer certificate

5   (1) The registrar must not issue or renew a dog trainer certificate unless the individual who will be identified in the certificate trains dogs on behalf of an accredited or recognized training school for the purpose of the dogs becoming guide dogs or service dogs.

(2) An application for the issuance of a dog trainer certificate must include or be accompanied by

(a) both an official and an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate, and

(b) written confirmation, in a form satisfactory to the registrar, from the accredited or recognized training school referred to in subsection (1) that the individual meets the requirement described in that subsection.

(3) An application for the renewal of a dog trainer certificate must include or be accompanied by

(a) an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate, and

(b) written confirmation, in a form satisfactory to the registrar, from the accredited or recognized training school referred to in subsection (1) that the individual continues to meet the requirement described in that subsection.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 3.]

Retired team certificate

6   (1) An application for the issuance of a retired guide or service dog team certificate, in respect of an individual and a dog, must include or be accompanied by all of the following:

(a) both an official and an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate;

(b) either

(i) the guide dog team certificate or service dog team certificate issued previously in respect of the individual and the dog, or

(ii) a copy of the individual's identification card.

(2) Despite section 1.1 (1) (d), that provision does not apply for the purposes of the identification card required under subsection (1) (b) (ii) of this section.

(3) An application for the renewal of a retired guide or service dog team certificate, in respect of an individual and a dog, must include or be accompanied by an unofficial photograph of the individual who will be identified in the certificate.

[en. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 3.]

Contact information

7   It is a term and condition of every certificate that the holder of the certificate must, within 30 days after the occurrence, report to the registrar a change in the holder's name or mailing address.

Guide dog team and service dog team certificates

8   (1) It is a term and condition of every guide dog team certificate and service dog team certificate issued or renewed under section 6 of the Act that the holder of the certificate must, within 30 days after the occurrence, report the occurrence of the following to the registrar:

(a) the dog identified in the certificate retires, dies or becomes permanently disabled;

(b) the individual or the dog identified in the certificate ceases to meet any of the conditions, qualifications or requirements imposed under the Act or this regulation;

(c) in the case of a guide dog team certificate, the holder of the certificate does not require the assistance of a guide dog or the dog identified in the certificate is not able to perform the functions of a guide dog;

(d) in the case of a service dog team certificate, the holder of the certificate does not require the assistance of a service dog or the dog identified in the certificate is not able to perform the functions of a service dog.

(2) It is a term and condition of every guide dog team certificate and service dog team certificate issued or renewed under section 6 of the Act that, if required by the registrar on written notice to the holder of the certificate, the individual and the dog identified in the certificate must, within the time specified by the registrar, together successfully complete either

(a) an assessment administered by an accredited or recognized training school, or

(b) a BC guide dog and service dog assessment.

[am. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 4.]

Dog trainer certificates

9   It is a term and condition of every dog trainer certificate issued or renewed under section 6 of the Act that the holder of the certificate must, within 30 days after the occurrence, report to the registrar that the holder of the dog trainer certificate no longer trains dogs on behalf of the accredited or recognized training school referred to in the application for issuance of the certificate.

[am. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 4.]

Repealed

10   Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 5.]

Retired guide or service dog team certificates

11   It is a term and condition of every retired guide or service dog team certificate issued or renewed under section 6 of the Act that the holder of the certificate must, within 30 days after the occurrence, report to the registrar that the dog identified in the certificate has died or no longer resides with the holder of the certificate.

Cancellation or refusal to renew

12   (1) The registrar may cancel or refuse to renew a guide dog team certificate or a service dog team certificate if the registrar is satisfied that the dog identified in the certificate acted or behaved, during the exercise of the right of entry and use specified in section 2 (1) of the Act, in a manner that threatened the safety of a person or another animal.

(2) The registrar may cancel a dog trainer certificate if the registrar is satisfied that the holder of the dog trainer certificate no longer trains dogs on behalf of the accredited or recognized training school referred to in the application for issuance of the certificate.

(3) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 6 (c).]

(4) The registrar may cancel or refuse to renew a certificate if the registrar is satisfied that false or misleading information was provided to the registrar in support of the issuance of the certificate.

[am. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 6.]

Notice

13   (1) Before cancelling a certificate under section 12 of this regulation or section 7 (1) (a) (i) or (ii) or (b) (i) or (iii) of the Act, the registrar must notify in writing the holder of the certificate that the registrar intends to cancel the certificate.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if

(a) the registrar has reasonable grounds to believe that the guide dog or service dog identified in the certificate poses a risk to the safety of persons or other animals, or

(b) the holder of the certificate has not complied with section 7.

[am. B.C. Reg. 188/2021, Sch., s. 7.]