Advisory on Assistance Dogs

MUIS’ POSITION ON ASSISTANCE DOGS

1. What are Assistance Dogs?

Assistance Dogs are highly trained animals that empower individuals with disabilities to live more independently. They assist people who are blind or visually impaired, as well as those with mobility challenges and hearing impairments. Assistance Dogs perform at least three tasks to mitigate the effects of a disability such as retrieving dropped items for those with mobility challenges, going through doorways and stairs for the visually impaired and providing environmental awareness for the deaf and hard of hearing. The dogs are identified by their special harnesses or vests, which often bear markings or patches indicating their role as service animals. They are not to be confused with regular pet dogs.

2. Can Muslims who are in need of special assistance because of disabilities use guide or assistance dogs?

Dogs are permitted for specific use, such as hunting, herding livestock, protecting crops, ensuring home security, and other similar situations. In our context today, some dogs can be trained to assist people who are blind or visually impaired, as well as those with mobility challenges and hearing impairments and are known as guide or assistance dogs. For this reason, Muslims who have disabilities that impede on their day-to-day function and hence would be properly aided by such dogs are permitted to use them for such purposes. 

3. Do the same principles of ritual washing when one comes into contact with a dog apply to those using guide or assistance dogs?

In this situation, rules and principles of keeping hunting, herding, and property guarding dogs applied here. One who comes into contact with assistance dogs is not required to adhere to the cleansing requirement. When in doubt, they can simply wash it off with water. 

Office of the Mufti

August 2024