Who we are

This is a group of charities working to the highest standards of assistance dog training and welfare. We work closely with other Assistance Dogs UK members to share ideas, raise awareness and campaign for the legal rights of people with assistance dogs.

This is a worldwide group of not-for-profit organisations committed to improving how we all train, place and partner with assistance dogs. As members of the Assistance Dogs Europe chapter, we’ve helped to accredit new assistance dog programmes for many years.

Assistance and guide dog owners in the UK have important rights under the Equality Act 2010. 

The law gives disabled people and their assistance dogs the same rights as everyone else to use public services like shops, hotels, taxis, and restaurants.

Businesses can’t just refuse service. They must make reasonable adjustments to welcome customers with assistance dogs, even if they have a ‘no dogs’ policy.It’s important everyone understands these legal rights to ensure disabled people are treated equally and without discrimination. By raising awareness, we can build understanding and acceptance of the role of working dogs.

We’re focusing on three key areas that shape Canine Partners’ strategy:

Delivering the best possible service

With new, multi-skilled trainer teams and community-based services, we can improve how we assess, match and support our partnerships. This backs up our lifetime commitment to every placement.

Transforming how our charity works

We’re updating our brand, website, systems, and reporting. This will increase awareness of Canine Partners and engagement with our charity across the UK.

Making sure we’re run well

We’re setting up a strong future by raising more funds each year, balancing budgets, finding different sources of income and using every pound efficiently, with our Trustees ensuring responsible governance (how a charity is run).