Advocacy for barrier-free, public access for persons with disabilities is an ongoing process. Most of us  recognize that persons using wheelchairs and those who are blind and using a service dog should be able to be  accommodated in restaurants, grocery  stores, department stores, and houses of worship as well as public buildings. However, many persons whose disabilities are not visible, are being denied access when accompanied by their service animals. Who are they? They are children and adults who have any type of a disability for which their physician has recommended a service animal.

Please visit the web site of The Canadian Registry of Therapy Animals and Service Animals (CRTASA) at www.crtasa.com. They are providing persons with disabilities a way of validating their right to barrier-free public access. They are Canada’s first official centralized registration service issuing membership services and photo I.D. card registration in Canada and the United States to people with disabilities, their certified service animals, handlers of service animals in training and owners of trained therapy animals.

There are membership details for people with disabilities using certified service animals for assistance, trainers or handlers of service animals in training or owners of trained therapy animals in Canada and the US. Those who train, handle or use a service animal or own a trained therapy animal can apply for the new, official, standardized CRTASA Photo ID Card designed to offer verified CRTASA members with great membership savings on animal related purchases at participating businesses as well as enhanced barrier free access to public places across Canada and the USA by showing the official standardized CRTASA Photo ID Card when using a service animal for assistance.

CRTASA is also collaborating with businesses and service providers across Canada and the USA  to increase promotional saving discounts for their  members. If you are a business or know of a business that might be  interested in becoming one of their Corporate Accessibility Fellows please email them at: corporatesponsorship@crtasa.com