As with all our supports, if we fund an assistance animal, it must meet all our NDIS funding criteria.

For us to fund an assistance animal, it needs to be what we call a reasonable and necessary support. 

This means the assistance animal:

• will help you pursue your goals
• will help you with social and work activities
• is value for money
• is effective and beneficial for you
• does not replace the role of family, carers, informal supports or community support.

To decide if we’ll fund an assistance animal, it must meet all of the criteria.

We also need to think about:

• if the assistance animal relates to your disability
• if the assistance animal is likely to cause harm to you or be a risk to others
• if the assistance animal duplicates other supports you get under alternative funding through the NDIS
• whether providing the assistance animal will not meet Commonwealth, state and territory laws

We’ll look at the quote you get from your provider to help us decide if the assistance animal meets our funding criteria. We also need to know your provider is an accredited assistance animal provider.

When we decide if an assistance animal meets the NDIS funding criteria, we’ll also think about how it will work with your other supports. We use the Principles we follow to create your plan, to help us to do this.

The assistance animal must meet the NDIS funding criteria by itself, and when considered as part of your total package of supports. We approve your plan as a whole, not individual supports in isolation.