BS EN 17984-2:2025 Assistance Dogs Dog Lifetime Welfare

The BS EN 17984-2:2025 standard is a comprehensive guide dedicated to ensuring the lifetime welfare of assistance dogs. Released on August 28, 2025, this standard is an essential resource for organizations, trainers, and individuals involved in the care and training of assistance dogs. With a total of 30 pages, it provides detailed guidelines and best practices to ensure that these invaluable animals receive the care and respect they deserve throughout their lives.

Key Features of the Standard

This standard, identified by the ISBN 978 0 539 28901 5, is a crucial document for anyone involved in the field of assistance dogs. Here are some of the key features and benefits of this standard:

• Comprehensive Guidelines: The standard offers a thorough set of guidelines that cover all aspects of an assistance dog's life, from training and working conditions to retirement and end-of-life care.
• Focus on Welfare: Emphasizing the welfare of assistance dogs, the standard ensures that these animals are treated with the utmost care and respect, recognizing their significant contribution to society.
• Best Practices: It includes best practices for training, handling, and caring for assistance dogs, ensuring that they are well-prepared for their roles and that their well-being is prioritized.
• International Standards: As a part of the EN standards, it aligns with international guidelines, making it relevant and applicable across different countries and regions.

Why This Standard is Important

Assistance dogs play a vital role in the lives of many individuals, providing not only physical assistance but also emotional support and companionship. The BS EN 17984-2:2025 standard recognizes the importance of these animals and aims to ensure that they are treated with the care and respect they deserve throughout their lives.

By adhering to this standard, organizations and individuals can ensure that assistance dogs are trained and cared for in a manner that promotes their health, happiness, and effectiveness in their roles. This not only benefits the dogs themselves but also enhances the quality of service they provide to their handlers.

Who Should Use This Standard?

This standard is designed for a wide range of stakeholders involved in the care and training of assistance dogs, including:

• Training Organizations: Organizations that specialize in training assistance dogs will find this standard invaluable in developing training programs that prioritize the welfare of the dogs.
• Handlers and Owners: Individuals who rely on assistance dogs for daily tasks can use this standard to ensure that their dogs are receiving the best possible care.
• Veterinarians: Veterinary professionals can use the guidelines to provide better healthcare tailored to the specific needs of assistance dogs.
• Policy Makers: Those involved in creating policies related to animal welfare and assistance animals can use this standard as a benchmark for developing regulations and guidelines.

Conclusion

The BS EN 17984-2:2025 Assistance Dogs Dog Lifetime Welfare standard is an essential resource for anyone involved in the care and training of assistance dogs. By providing comprehensive guidelines and best practices, it ensures that these remarkable animals are treated with the care and respect they deserve throughout their lives. Whether you are a trainer, handler, veterinarian, or policy maker, this standard will help you ensure the highest standards of welfare for assistance dogs, enhancing their ability to serve and support their handlers effectively.

BS EN 17984-2:2025

This standard BS EN 17984-2:2025 Assistance dogs is classified in these ICS categories:

• 11.180.99 Other standards related to aids for disabled and handicapped people
• 65.020.30 Animal husbandry and breeding

The purpose of this document is to protect the welfare of assistance dogs. For this, it sets out requirements based on the Five Domains Model to ensure the dog’s welfare. The requirements apply: — throughout the whole life of the dog; — for all types of assistance dogs, breeding dogs, puppies and retired dogs; — for all people/caregivers/handlers who are entrusted with a dog at any point during its lifetime.