SIA approved contractors sub-contracting dog handling services

If you sub-contract dog handling services as an SIA approved contractor, you have certain responsibilities. Failing to meet these responsibilities might affect your approval.

Your responsibilities

As the SIA approved contractor sub-contracting the dog handling services, you are responsible for:

• making sure the services meet all the relevant standards
• conducting due diligence
• having clear contracts
• monitoring the sub-contractors’ performance
• maintaining your conformance with the ACS Standard

Making sure services meet the relevant standards

You are responsible for making sure that the dog handling services meet all relevant standards. Relevant standards include:

• BS 8517-1: Code of practice for the use of general-purpose security dogs
• BS 8517-2: Code of practice for the use of detection dogs

If you are not currently sub-contracting dog handling services but you still include them in your service offering, you must demonstrate:

• knowledge of the relevant standards
• that you have a clear plan for how you deliver the services, sub-contracted or not

Conducting due diligence

You are responsible for checking whether the sub-contractor is competent. You should check the SIA licences of their employees, the qualifications of their dog handlers, and their insurance coverage for dog handling. You should also review their latest ACS assessment report and make sure they received a satisfactory assessment for their delivery of dog handling services.

Clear contracts

Your contracts should define your expectations for training, welfare, deployment, and supervision.

Monitoring performance

You should audit the sub-contractor’s work regularly. You should check the dogs’ welfare.

Maintaining ACS conformance

You are responsible for making sure that sub-contracting dog handling services does not compromise your ability to meet the ACS Standard.

Responsibilities of the sub-contractor

The sub-contractor must have ACS approval in the relevant sectors. They are responsible for following the NASDU Standard or equivalent.

The NASDU Standard includes adhering to BS 8517-1 and BS 8517-2. Examples of the sub-contractors’ responsibilities when adhering to these standards are that they:

• provide trained handlers and dogs in line with the standards
• make sure that dogs are healthy, housed appropriately, and receive veterinary care
• maintain training records
• provide documentation, such as risk assessments, assignment instructions, and performance reviews