SERVICE ANIMALS ON SITE

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is proud to be an accessible facility and welcomes guests and their service animals, as defined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). In consideration of the health and welfare of Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada’s vast animal population and enjoyment of other guests, service animals are permitted under specified conditions and are restricted from some areas of the Aquarium, as listed below, due to presence of animals in open tanks.

PROCEDURE

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is committed to providing excellent service for all our guests. Guests with a service animal will be required to submit a current letter (issued within a year) from a physician or nurse confirming that the person named on the letter requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

UPON ARRIVAL

At the time of arrival and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), guests requiring the company of a service animal will go to the Guest Services desk and provide the Manager on Duty with the required current letter issued within a year from a physician or nurse confirming that the person named on the letter requires to be accompanied by a service animal for reasons relating to the disability.

In the absence of the required document, service animal admission will be at the discretion of the Manager on Duty, upon presentation of alternative valid certification/documentation from a recognized service animal organization.

Guest Services will process admission for the party and the service animal. The owner/handler will be provided with the Service Animal Access Guide for review and compliance.

Guest Services will notify Security that a service animal (specifying what kind of animal) is on site for broadcast site wide.

SERVICE ANIMAL ACCESS GUIDE

  1. The service animal will remain on leash or confined within a carrier/crate and under the owner’s/handler’s control at all times. The length of the leash will not exceed four (4) feet in length. The owner/handler is fully responsible for providing adequate care and supervision of the service animal while on Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada property.
  2. All Aquarium exhibits should be approached slowly to give the Aquarium animals’ time to adjust/react to the presence of a service animal. For everyone’s welfare, if the Aquarium animal appears distressed or agitated, the service animal should be immediately moved further back or away from the exhibit completely. If there is any concern for the welfare of the Aquarium animals, it should be reported immediately to the nearest available staff or a call to Security at (647-632-3474 ext 2626).
  3. The service animal must be well behaved and its owner/handler must ensure that the animal does not engage in behaviour that would be a direct threat to the safety and health of others. If the service animal is causing a disturbance for the Aquarium animals or other guests, the guest and accompanying service animal may be required to leave the area or the Aquarium site at the discretion of Aquarium personnel.
  4. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada does not have any areas for relief and service animals are not permitted to relieve themselves inside the building, the owner/handler is responsible to see Guest Services for a readmission ticket and stamp to allow their animal outside of the facility to relieve themselves and re-enter. The owner/ handler must “stoop and scoop” and leave the area clean.
  5. The service animal owner/handler assumes full and total liability for any and all damages that are alleged to have been cause in whole, or in part by the direct or indirect activities of the service animal or owner/handler, including, but not limited to, injury to themselves or other person, property or animals.

NON-COMPLIANCE

In the event that a guest is unwilling to abide by Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada’s Policy, or parts thereof, the Security Manager (or designate) and/or the Manager on Duty shall be consulted