DGHA 2023 National Dog Guide Handlers Conference
Dog Guide Handlers Australia will be holding their biennial conference on 4, 5 and 6 August 2023.
Please save these dates in your calendar and come join us for some fun, friendship and learning at Royal on the Park, 152 Alice Street Brisbane.
Some highlights of the conference will be:
- Pre and post conference activities provided by various companies including sensory and supported tourism and dog trainers
- Cocktail party and expo on Friday evening 4 August
- A jam packed conference program on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 August including a group walk around the Botanic Gardens next to the Brisbane River, ‘Be The Change’ workshop, and plenty of time to catch up with new and old friends
- A dinner on Saturday night which includes presentation of the Judith Killen Golden Harness Award
As soon as we’ve confirmed our presenters and their topics, we’ll let you know!
If you’ve been to a DGHA conference before, you’ll know how much fun they are, please share this information with your Dog Guide Handler friends.
For more information and to register for the conference, please go to our DGHA 2023 Conference page
Report your Dog Guide refusal
Dear DGHA Supporters,
Our Board is becoming acutely aware of the need for advocacy around Dog Guide refusals in Australia with continuing reports on our social media channels and from our members facing refusals to taxi and rideshare services, hospitality venues, accommodation providers and various other businesses and services.
As part of our mission to foster, represent, promote, enhance and protect the interests of Australians who are Dog Guide handlers, we are asking people who use Dog Guides as mobility aids across Australia to share the details of any refusal incidents to support our advocacy work. We aim to capture a detailed picture of the scope of this discrimination problem so that we can address the legislation at Government level.
We are not using this information to advocate individually for those who report incidents using this form, this data will be used only for systemic advocacy.
So far we have compiled information gathered from our refusal form up to October 2022 and created a report. You can get a copy here: DGHA Refusal Report October 2022
To assist us with future reports please consider filling out the refusal form below.
Please only report one incident per form and incidents that have occurred from 2022 onwards.
Please read all the instructions carefully before filling in the form.
To avoid an inaccessible CAPTCHA at the end of this form, please ensure you are signed in to a Google account before you begin.
You can also download this questionnaire in Dog Guide Refusal Form in Word Format or Dog Guide Refusal form in rtf Format to complete and return to DGHA via email dgha@dgha.org.au
If for some reason you are unable to access this form or download the document versions of the form, please contact DGHA by emailing dgha@dgha.org.au
Thank you in advance for contributing to a solution.
About Dog Guide Handlers Australia
Dog Guide Handlers Australia (DGHA) is an independent non profit association of dog guide handlers , and is not affiliated with any dog guide organisation.
Our Mission:
DGHA strives to foster, represent, promote, enhance and protect the interests of Australians who are dog guide handlers.
Key Objectives
DGHA draws on the experiences and varied knowledge of its members, to provide peer support, advocacy and information for dog guide handlers throughout Australia.
Background Information
Dog Guide Handlers Australia was formed in August 2009 by four passionate people who were inspired by similar groups which exist in other countries.
DGHA was registered as an incorporated association in January 2011.
DGHA does not have a physical office, and we have no paid staff.
The DGHA Committee is a group of dedicated volunteers who meet regularly via teleconference.
Some of our activities include:
- Advocating against dog guide refusals to taxi and rideshare services, hospitality venues, accommodation providers and various other businesses and services.
- DGHA hosts biennial national conferences around Australia, to enable people with dog guides to meet together for peer support, networking, sharing information and participating in various workshop sessions and discussion forums.
- DGHA hosts regular on-line members meetings, with invited guest speakers, and focus topic discussions.
- Establishing availability of toileting areas for dog guide and service/assistance dogs within Australian airports.
- Representation on external consultations on issues that affect people with disability.