The Red Vest designation recognizes places that are welcoming and accessible to people with disabilities and are committed to public access rights for legitimate Service Dog teams.
NEADS breeds, raises, trains, and matches World Class Service Dogs with people with physical disabilities. Just as we are adamant about the quality of training of our dogs and Service Dog teams, including the requirement that all our teams pass a strict public access test, so are we advocates for making it easier for our teams to get out in the world.
The Red Vest designation recognizes public venues that:
- offer a welcoming, accessible facility for those with a disability;
- are committed to public access rights for legitimate Service Dog teams; and
- demonstrate a thorough knowledge of ADA regulations.
How it works:
- Locations are nominated by someone who has had first-hand experience, whether they have a disability or not
- Nominations are reviewed by a committee and the recipients are selected based on a list of criteria
- Recognition is given on a rolling basis throughout the year
- Recipients receive a decal to display at their location as well as supporting collateral and will be recognized on the Red Vest Accessible website
- Starting in 2020, each Red Vest recipient will be considered for the Gold Vest Award.
Nominating criteria:
- First-hand experience or observation
- Welcoming and accessible to those with a disability
- Allows seamless access for legitimate, working Service Dog teams
- Demonstrated knowledge of ADA regulations as related to disability access, including Service Dog access