Assistance Dogs UK is a voluntary coalition of assistance dog charities that have been accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and/or The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF).
Where we started and where we are headed
Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK) was established in 1995 and was run entirely by a board of volunteer trustees, made up of representatives from its member organisations.
In 2020, we welcomed a Development Manager to ensure ADUK continues to develop, and remains an effective umbrella body and hub for assistance dog related information and good practice.
We currently have twelve member organisations that have been accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and/or The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF). We also have six organisations (candidates) that are working towards the same accreditation that our members have.
Find out more about them:
ADUK members: https://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/members/
ADUK candidates: https://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/candidates/
What matters to us
ADUK members work to the highest international standards of assistance dog and guide dog training and welfare. ADUK celebrates and promotes the benefits that taking a standards-based approach brings to both the assistance dog, their partner/owner and the wider general public.
What we do
ADUK seeks to advance the education of the public and service providers about assistance dogs, and the rights of people who rely on them. We do this by bringing our members organisations together so that they might share their knowledge and expertise to create a range of information and guidance.
ADUK members and candidates also work together to share knowledge, expertise and skills so that they can see what best practice looks like, and achieve it together.
ADUK promotes and celebrates the work of it’s members and the life-changing impacts that assistance dogs have.
How we do it
We act as an umbrella body for our members and candidates and work with them to advance our charitable aims by;
- providing education and awareness-raising
- producing resources and guides
- providing training
- campaigning for better access for assistance dog users
- developing and participating in research and evidence
- sharing good practice
- celebrating and promoting the benefits of a standards-based approach to assistance dog training and welfare
Assistance Dogs UK is a registered charity – number 1119538
ADUK does not claim to represent all assistance dog charities or owners. Not all assistance dogs In the UK will have been trained by an ADUK member.