Calling all those with Owner Trained Assistance Dogs in Australia

So as the title says, if you're out there PLEASE comment. I'm a member of quite a few yahoo groups and forums to do with dog training and assistance/service dogs, and on one of them, there is a brave person trying to do something about the lack of recognition by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) of owner trained dogs. At the moment dogs that are program trained (at least, by the main big programs) can travel on any airline in Australia with basically no questions asked, but owner trained dogs have a much harder, and often impossible road to follow. Basically it's on a case by case basis, and you have no guarantee of being able to prove your dog is sufficiently trained, so they tend to not approve owner trained dogs on principal. If only they could institute like a trainer in each region of the country who could do a relatively brief test to make sure the dog is trained, then they could get a lifelong flight passport or something. I mean, there aren't a huge number of us - yet.

Anyway, the person who has contacted me through the list (and others who have dogs, I get in because I will have one soon - hopefully) is challenging them through the Australian Human Rights Commission as a violation of the rights of those with disabilities - ie we are allowed our crutches but not our dog. They have made a formal complaint which has been accepted. They are also to hopefully take part in a current working group run by CASA, and as part of this process they need some sort of idea of how many people they would be representing in this struggle.

So please, if you are someone who has an Owner Trained Assistance Dog in Australia, or knows someone who does, please get the word out. Let me know, and I can pass you onto the person in question. Thanks.

On another topic I may have good news about a puppy coming up, I will know soon, cross fingers! The wait may very soon be over. It has been about 14 months since I decided I wanted to follow this route, and it's been about 8 months of looking for the right breeder and litter. Who knows, I may get to the litter and there won't the right pup even now. :( We will see.