This chapter defines the pipeline from application to issued credentials, what the registry records, and how certifications end.
15.1 Pipeline
| Step | What happens | Recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application & intake | Dog details (name, breed, DOB, photo), handler details, intended discipline, trainer. Handler signs the disability-need attestation (§15.2) and the handler agreement (§15.6) | Registry draft entry |
| 2. Candidate verification | Chapter 1: vet records reviewed, temperament evaluation passed | — |
| 3. Foundation benchmark | Chapter 2 assessment passed (with Ch. 1 verification complete) | Standards assessment date |
| 4. Task testing | Discipline chapter (5–13) task test passed | Task testing date |
| 5. Public Access Test | Chapter 3 passed (before or after step 4) | Public access test date |
| 6. Issuance | Registration number assigned; certificate, ID card, and QR-verified registry profile issued | Certification date, discipline, trainer, certified task list |
15.2 Disability-need attestation (what Service Paws does and doesn't verify)
- The handler (or co-handler for a minor) attests in writing that they have a disability and that the dog's trained tasks mitigate its effects.
- Service Paws does not require, review, or store medical diagnoses. We certify the dog's training and behaviour; the handler's medical situation is between them and their clinicians.
- Fraudulent attestation is grounds for revocation (§15.5).
15.3 What the registry records per dog
Registration number · dog name, breed, sex, DOB, photo · handler name (co-handler where applicable) · discipline + certified task list · trainer of record · the three milestone dates · certificate issue date · status (active/revoked) · standards version certified against.
The public verification profile shows credential-relevant fields and status — internal records (logs, scoresheets, addresses) are never public.
15.4 Validity and re-assessment
- A certification remains valid while the registration is active. There is no automatic expiry in v1.0.
- Recommended (not required): PAT re-run every 24 months, and discipline maintenance per each chapter's schedule.
- Required re-assessment triggers: a verified incident report (aggression, out-of-control behaviour); a substantiated complaint that certified tasks no longer function; return-to-work after a serious health event bearing on the work (Class B mobility especially, §13.2); dog transferred to a new handler (new certification, §1.6).
- From dog age 8: annual vet fitness-to-work confirmation (§1.1) to keep status active.
15.5 Revocation
Service Paws revokes a certification when the dog, handler, or record no longer supports it:
Immediate revocation: any bite or aggression incident causing injury; fraud in the application or evidence (including staged/edited assessment video); certified credential used for a different dog.
Revocation after review (notice + 14 days to respond): failed required re-assessment; repeated substantiated public-behaviour complaints; sustained welfare violations by the handler; §15.4 requirements not met after reminder.
Effects: status set to revoked on the registry (the QR profile shows REVOKED — scanning businesses see it immediately); certificate and ID card are no longer valid and must not be used. Where the cause is trainer misconduct rather than the dog, Service Paws pays for re-assessment of affected dogs before any revocation.
15.6 Handler agreement (signed at intake)
The handler agrees to: maintain training and welfare standards; not misrepresent the dog or the certification; report bite/aggression incidents within 7 days; keep vet care current; use Class B mobility equipment as certified; and return/destroy credentials on revocation. The agreement also gives Service Paws consent to store and display registry data per the privacy policy.
15.7 Appeals
Any failed assessment or adverse decision (refusal, revocation) may be appealed in writing within 30 days. Appeals are reviewed by a Service Paws team member who was not the original overseer, with all video/records re-examined; where evidence is ambiguous the remedy is a fresh assessment at no charge. The appeal decision is final within this standard.
15.8 Credentials issued
- Certificate (print + digital) — names dog, handler, discipline, registration number, issue date.
- ID card — carried credential with photo and QR verification link.
- Registry profile — the QR target; live status is authoritative: a card without an active profile is not a valid credential.
- Attestation letters — issued on request (airlines, landlords, venues): organization-issued, citing this standard and the three milestone dates, with optional trainer co-signature.