Can you certify my dog to fly on a plane?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" align_content="stretch" flex_align_items="flex-start" flex_justify_content="flex-start" flex_wrap="wrap" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" container_tag="div" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" status="published" html_attributes="" spacing_medium="" spacing_small="" padding_dimensions_medium="" padding_dimensions_small="" border_sizes="" border_style="solid" box_shadow="no" box_shadow_blur="0" box_shadow_spread="0" gradient_start_color="" gradient_end_color="" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_custom_size="" background_custom_size_medium="" background_custom_size_small="" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" 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background_slider_pause_on_hover="no" background_slider_slideshow_speed="5000" background_slider_animation="fade" background_slider_direction="up" background_slider_animation_speed="800" render_logics="" sticky="off" sticky_devices="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" absolute="off" absolute_props="" filter_type="regular" filter_hover_element="self" filter_hue="0" filter_saturation="100" filter_brightness="100" filter_contrast="100" filter_invert="0" filter_sepia="0" filter_opacity="100" filter_blur="0" filter_hue_hover="0" filter_saturation_hover="100" filter_brightness_hover="100" filter_contrast_hover="100" filter_invert_hover="0" filter_sepia_hover="0" filter_opacity_hover="100" filter_blur_hover="0" transform_type="regular" transform_hover_element="self" transform_scale_x="1" transform_scale_y="1" transform_translate_x="0" transform_translate_y="0" transform_rotate="0" transform_skew_x="0" transform_skew_y="0" transform_scale_x_hover="1" transform_scale_y_hover="1" transform_translate_x_hover="0" transform_translate_y_hover="0" transform_rotate_hover="0" transform_skew_x_hover="0" transform_skew_y_hover="0" transform_origin="" transition_duration="300" transition_easing="ease" transition_custom_easing="" motion_effects="" scroll_motion_devices="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" animation_direction="left" animation_color="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" min_height="" last="no" link="" border_position="all"][fusion_text columns="" rule_size="" margin_medium="" margin_small="" render_logics="" logics="" animation_direction="left" animation_color="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" disable_idd="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" html_attributes=""] You have a sweet, well behaved dog, and you don't want to - or can't - leave them behind when you travel. But you don't want to put your dog in cargo, and the airlines say only service dogs can fly in the cabin with you. Ah-ha! You think. Maybe my dog can be a service dog! You aren't the first person to think of this. Approximately 1/4 of enquiries we receive are from people looking to bring their dog on a plane. Of those, at least half of them don't even pretend to have a disability - they don't even realize that they need one. It seems like the perfect solution - after all, your dog is well behaved, goes with you to the liquor store, the park, and your kids' soccer games all the time. She wouldn't cause any trouble. She can sit, heel, stay... why not find out if she qualifies to be a service dog? Sorry. A service dog is not just a well behaved and well trained companion. It's not an obedience title, either. It's a title that represents years of work, and you also need to have a medical need for the dog's skills and talents. Service dogs do jobs - important jobs. Life-changing jobs. Plus... even service dogs can and do travel by cargo sometimes. We wish well behaved pet dogs could fly more easily. We do! Support RetrievAir and Bark Air if you can. We want more pet-friendly airlines and clearly, in-cabin flight with dogs is in very high demand. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Many businesses and organizations prey on the disabled population, so this is a question everyone should be asking. We strive to be ethical and humane in all of our dealings with people and animals. You can read about our ethics here .

When Are Your Classes?

Each of our classes occur twice a week or more. Each one has a weekend morning and a weekday evening available. Enrolment is rolling so you can start almost any time (except when they are paused for Christmas, for example).

Where Are Your Classes?

Most of our classes - with the exception of Tricks and Skills - happen at a rotating variety of public locations, from parks to stores. Occasionally we have seasonal special event field trips, like a movie night. These locations are usually in our In-Zone region of Tricities/New Westminster/Burquitlam. We try to ensure that many of our locations are close to skytrain/transit, but not all of them are. Sometimes clients arrange carpools when they live close to each other. We're all disabled and we all try to help each other. Example locations for puppy/remedial classes include Canadian Tire, Chapters, Michaels, and even locations like IKEA by special permission from management. Example locations for our advanced training classes include Coquitlam Centre Mall, Lincoln or Lougheed Skytrain Station, Royal City Centre in New Westminster, and Lougheed Mall.

What Happens If I Miss A Class?

Let us guess - your health is unreliable, and you aren't ever sure how you're going to feel between one day and the next. Or you have a lot of medical appointments, and they could fall during your usual class. Welcome to the world of disability. All of our other clients share similar challenges, even when their exact circumstances are different from yours. Our programs are designed to be inherently flexible. We allow last-minute rescheduling due to health concerns, although if we actually show up on your doorstep for a private session and you aren't there, we will consider that appointment officially missed. Group classes happen several times a week at different times of day, and members are welcome to attend either one, or both if they missed a week entirely. We have limits within reasonability - you can't disappear entirely then show up a year later and demand all your sessions, when we may not have room for you, but we are absolutely flexible and willing to work toward an accommodation that works for everyone involved.

Can you help me get my dog on a plane?

Many people reach out to us looking for help with certifying their dog so the dog can fly in an airplane cabin with them. We do not help with this. If your dog would be too stressed or unprepared to fly in cargo, then your dog would not make a good service dog candidate. Somewhat ironically, a properly raised service dog would be just fine relaxing in their crate on a plane ride. Service dogs ride in the cabin because they have an important job to do. If you are looking to bring your dog on a plane, we encourage you to look into the pet-friendly start-up airlines out there. If at all possible, please seek these airlines and use them. We want them to succeed so we can have happy pets flying in cabins, and fewer calls about certifying 12 year old untrained dogs.

Are you LGBTQ+ friendly?

Since gender differences are common among neurodivergent populations, many of our clients identify as nonbinary, queer, trans etc. We think all gender identifies and preferences are fine. If you accept everyone else's pronouns and partners, we will welcome yours.

Are you trauma-informed?

All of our staff are dedicated to providing a safe and empowering learning environment. While we are always learning better ways to support our clients and help them feel confident and comfortable, we have a strict policy against bullying, shaming, pressuring, and other tactics either with the dogs or with their human guardians. If you feel unsafe with a staff member please do not hesitate to contact our executive director at Michelle.hunt@heelingassistants.org and ask that the matter be brought to the Board of Directors.

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Can you certify my dog to fly on a plane?
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Can you help me get my dog on a plane?
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We are thankful to be able to train on the traditional and unceded territories of the xwməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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