Stapell Working Dog

26/11/2025

It’s been a full on week with new guide puppy “Scout” joining the fray and new horse “Nova” entering training. Some photos of the week so far below. Videos to come.

24/11/2025

American site but good basic description.

🦮 Most people don't understand the difference between service animals, support animals, and therapy animals. This is bad because...

🚨 Confusion can lead to legal issues, harm to animals, and risks to public safety.🐾

Dogs play powerful roles in our lives—offering comfort, support, and even life-saving assistance. But not all working dogs are the same, and mislabeling them can have serious consequences.

Here's a quick breakdown:

🐕‍🦺 Service Dogs: Trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. Protected under the ADA. Full public access rights.

🐶 Therapy Animals: Provide comfort in places like hospitals and schools. No public access rights. Must be invited.

🐕 Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): Offer companionship for mental health. No training required. Protected only under housing laws.

🏥 Facility Dogs: Work with professionals in settings like courts or clinics. Trained like service dogs but don’t have the same legal access.

Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal is illegal in 34 states and can lead to fines or jail time. It also undermines the rights of people who truly rely on service dogs.

Let’s protect the integrity of these roles—for the people who need them and the animals who serve them.

28/05/2025

Good morning valued clients,

We would like to run an idea past all of you, and get your thoughts and feedback.

Every month, I send out an email with the upcoming events. How would you feel if, instead of just a list of events, this was part of a monthly newsletter? Featuring:
Upcoming events.
News about what's going on at Stapell.
Product updates (such as harnesses, antlers, etc.) on what you can order from us.
Potentially, interviews with our clients, talking about how they are benefitting from O&M, or guide dog usage.
Updates to accessibility throughout Brisbane - such as how the work is going on train and metro services, accessibility upgrades to transport, parklands - anything that is being made accessible, around our great city.

If this is something you would be interested in, please let me know. And if you have any ideas or feedback, I would be happy to hear that as well.

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

30/04/2025

Happy International Guide Dog Day!

*photo of Stapell’s “Lani” on placement with her new handler, trying out dog beds in the pet store. She has plopped down in a big cozy one with 4 sides of grey fleece.

27/02/2025

Stapell’s “Pacho” celebrates his 7th birthday Saturday.

“Pacho” was our first guide dog placed and we wish him the yappiest birthday ever!

*below are 2 photos, on left is “Pacho” as a puppy. Photo on right is “Pacho” with his handler waiting for the train.

16/02/2025

Thank you to Vision Australia for organising this. Hopefully, we soon reach a place of calm cohesion.

Uber is beefing up its support for vision-impaired Australians by introducing harsher measures for drivers who refuse passengers with assistance animals.

07/12/2024

Participant Reference Group expression of interest
applications close Friday, 13 December 2024.

If you complete the expression of interest for this opportunity, the NDIS will contact you by the end of January 2025.

Background
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA or Agency) is committed to working closely with participants, their families and carers.

What is the Participant Reference Group?
The Participant Reference Group is made up of 24 participant and carer representatives from across Australia.

The NDIA uses feedback from Participant Reference Group meetings to continue to improve the NDIS.

They work on new and current policies.

Who can express an interest to join the Participant Reference Group?
This opportunity is open to NDIS participants, Plan nominees, carers, child representatives or family members.

All Participant reference group members must also be a member of the Participant First Engagement Initiative. If you have not already done so, you can complete a Participant Information form (opens in new window) https://myform.apps.ndia.gov.au/?src=https://forms.apps.ndia.gov.au/jpgbthlbzknpuvv/participantfirstinformationinfoform&org=ndis&theme=ndis.

Existing members can also apply to extend their membership.

If you have any questions, please email participant.engagement@ndis.gov.au.

*Link to participant first engagement application (the precursor to participant reference group).

04/11/2024

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-05/qantas-assistance-dog-federal-court-disability-discrimination/104542616

Qantas agrees to change and clarify its application processes for assistance dogs after being sued for disability discrimination.

13/10/2024

Please join us this week in wishing a Yappy Birthday to this little dude. On Monday, “Atlas” is 5-years-old!

Happy birthday, Atlas! This week, we commemorate five remarkable years of your beautiful life, filled with love, learning, and unforgettable memories. May this day be the beginning of your best year yet!

Below is a montage of photos of “Atlas” from 8-weeks-old until placement.

*credit to Wayne Rogers photography for some of the photos.

23/08/2024

Access Refusal Joint Survey for IGDF/ADI

The International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International are seeking data from around the world on your experience with access refusals.

Please spend a few minutes filling in this survey. This survey will remain open until 15 October 2024.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

30/05/2024

Stapell barks a “yappy birthday” to Lani & Kylo today. This brother and sister duo are 2!

Below is a video of the whispering whimpers of bottle bobbing bundles of joy - the K litter in a bottle bath! A litter of yellow lab puppies dive in and out of plastic bottles in a clamshell pool in their enrichment area.

Courtesy of Stapell’s breeder.