A CONFRONTING encounter on public transport late last year has led a Davoren Park woman to start an awareness campaign in support of assistance dogs and their handlers.

Anne Wagner is working with her partner, Wayne Donald, on an education program to roll out across community groups, businesses and other organisations to train people how to interact with assistance dogs and their handlers.

The pair are starting the campaign because she had been in distressing situations where people demanded her dog’s accreditation — as they were legally entitled to do — but did not understand how difficult such a confrontation was for her.

“I’m still affected by an incident in December,” she said.

“Anyone has a right to ask, and we encourage people with accreditation to comply — but it’s how you do it (that’s important).”

Ms Wagner was asked for her dog Cappuccino’s accreditation by a transport official. While she was happy to produce it, she found the confrontation hostile and upsetting.

She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder 10 years ago after a series of experiences began to affect her daily life.

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After the diagnosis, Ms Wagner discovered her pet dog of the time, Scout, could recognise when she became anxious or unwell before she had even realised it.

So she began researching how to train him as an assistance dog.

Scout is now in retirement, but Ms Wagner is rarely seen without three-year-old English pointer Cappuccino by her side, a dog she adopted from the Animal Welfare League last year.

“My dog feels when I get nervous,” she says.

“He then tries to attract the attention onto him to help me refocus onto the here-and-now situation instead of just wallowing and wondering what’s going on around me or behind me.

“I wouldn’t go out in public without him.

“I’d be looking over my shoulder the whole time, and really, really nervous. I wouldn’t even be able to go food shopping.”

Mr Donald and Ms Wagner recommend that people adopt a “stop and think” habit, approach handlers from the front so as not to surprise them, smile and use a respectful tone when requesting accreditation.

Assistance dogs can help people with sight and hearing issues, and are also used for a range of other conditions including PTSD, dementia, autism and epilepsy.

They minimise the need for a carer, provide greater independence and improve the confidence of their handlers.