Assistance Dogs International source guide

Key facts

Organisation

Assistance Dogs International [source]

Abbreviation

ADI [source]

Starting resource

Official standards summary [source]

Identify the organisation

Start with the exact programme name and check its current status through ADI’s official resources. Keep the date checked with your notes because organisational status can change. Do not infer accreditation from a provider’s name, a vest design or a logo copied into a social-media image.

Read the standards in scope

ADI publishes a summary of its standards. Use the actual material to understand what the organisation says its framework covers, and ask ADI or the programme to clarify anything ambiguous. Distinguish a programme’s accreditation claim from evidence about a particular team, placement or service offered to an applicant.

Ask useful service questions

For a prospective service, ask about eligibility, application, assessment, training, ongoing support and costs through the responsible provider. Explain the intended assistance needs without assuming one programme handles every role. Record the current answers and request accessible information where required rather than relying on a third-party directory’s shortened description.

Keep legal questions separate

Assistance-dog terminology and access rules depend on jurisdiction and circumstances. Consult the responsible authority for a particular legal question rather than treating a standards organisation’s membership as a universal legal test. For public profiles, respect client privacy and obtain permission for personal stories. A source-backed programme guide should explain verified scope and status without inventing endorsements, practitioner credentials or guarantees about outcomes.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• Assistance Dogs International: Standards summary (opens in a new tab)

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