Accessibility Statement

Open Service Animal Registry, Inc.

Effective Date: Not set
Last Updated: Not set

Our Commitment

Open Service Animal Registry, Inc. (“OSAR”) is committed to providing digital services that are accessible to people with disabilities.

Accessibility is particularly important to OSAR because many of the handlers, families, and organizations we serve include people with disabilities who may use assistive technologies or alternative methods of interacting with digital content.

Accessibility is therefore treated as a core product, design, and engineering requirement rather than an optional feature.

OSAR targets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA across the portions of the OSAR platform that we design and control.

This includes, where applicable:

• the public OSAR website;
• educational content;
• registry lookup and public verification pages;
• service-animal and working-dog registration workflows;
• account creation and authentication;
• handler dashboards;
• privacy and consent controls;
• animal-record management;
• verification workflows;
• contact and support forms;
• payment workflows under OSAR's control;
• QR credential pages;
• Apple Wallet and Google Wallet credential-management interfaces under OSAR's control; and
• administrative or organizational workflows intended for public or participant use.

WCAG is developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative and provides internationally recognized technical guidance for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Accessibility Standard

OSAR's current technical accessibility target is:

WCAG 2.2, Level AA

WCAG is organized around four fundamental principles. Digital content should be:

• Perceivable
• Operable
• Understandable
• Robust

OSAR intends to incorporate these principles throughout product design, development, testing, and maintenance.

Our adoption of WCAG 2.2 Level AA is an organizational accessibility standard and does not represent that every page or third-party component has been independently certified as conforming to WCAG.

Where we identify accessibility barriers, we intend to prioritize remediation based on their impact on users and access to important OSAR services.

Measures We Take to Support Accessibility

OSAR incorporates accessibility into its development process through measures that may include:

• semantic HTML;
• appropriate heading structure;
• meaningful page titles;
• keyboard-accessible navigation and controls;
• visible keyboard focus indicators;
• screen-reader labels and accessible names;
• accessible form fields and instructions;
• accessible validation and error messages;
• sufficient text and interface contrast;
• alternatives to information conveyed only through color;
• descriptive alternative text for meaningful images;
• appropriately identified decorative images;
• accessible dialogs and interactive components;
• reduced-motion support where appropriate;
• responsive layouts that support browser zoom and text enlargement;
• appropriately sized interactive targets;
• alternatives to drag-only interactions;
• accessible authentication patterns;
• avoiding unnecessary cognitive tests or inaccessible CAPTCHA mechanisms;
• appropriate status messages and live-region behavior;
• touch, mouse, keyboard, and assistive-technology support;
• accessible timeout and session-warning behavior where applicable; and
• testing across desktop and mobile screen sizes.

Accessibility requirements also apply to new functionality introduced to the OSAR platform.

Registration and Handler Workflows

OSAR places particular emphasis on the accessibility of workflows required to create and manage a registry record.

The following functions should be usable without requiring a mouse:

• creating an account;
• signing in;
• registering an animal;
• completing attestations;
• selecting task or working-dog classifications;
• uploading or managing animal information;
• changing privacy settings;
• reviewing a registry record;
• accessing QR credentials;
• managing digital credentials;
• requesting optional verification;
• updating an animal's status; and
• requesting archival or removal of a record.

Where a workflow contains multiple steps, OSAR intends to provide clear instructions, meaningful progress information, understandable validation, and the ability to recover from errors without unnecessarily re-entering previously supplied information.

Public Verification

Public OSAR verification pages are designed to be accessible regardless of whether the person viewing the record has an OSAR account.

Verification information should not depend solely on:

• color;
• icons;
• visual placement;
• animation; or
• another presentation method unavailable to assistive technology.

For example, a verification result should provide meaningful text such as:

Handler Identity: Independently Verified

rather than communicating the result only through a green icon or checkmark.

QR codes should be accompanied by an accessible textual alternative, such as the applicable OSAR record number or verification URL.

Mobile Accessibility

OSAR is designed as a responsive platform and is intended to work across:

• desktop computers;
• laptops;
• tablets;
• iPhone;
• Android devices; and
• other modern web-capable devices.

Accessibility requirements apply to both desktop and mobile presentations.

Core functions should not depend on hover interactions or other input methods unavailable to touchscreen or assistive-technology users.

Screen Readers and Assistive Technology

OSAR aims to support commonly used combinations of modern browsers, operating systems, and assistive technologies.

This may include technologies such as:

• screen readers;
• screen magnification;
• voice-control software;
• switch access;
• keyboard-only navigation;
• operating-system accessibility features; and
• browser-based accessibility tools.

Because assistive technologies, browsers, and operating systems evolve independently, OSAR cannot guarantee identical behavior in every possible software combination.

We nevertheless encourage users to report compatibility problems so they can be investigated.

Authentication and Security

Security controls should not unnecessarily prevent people with disabilities from using OSAR.

Where technically practical, authentication mechanisms should support:

• password managers;
• copy and paste;
• accessible autofill;
• keyboard navigation;
• assistive technologies; and
• accessible multi-factor authentication.

OSAR will seek alternatives where a security mechanism creates an accessibility barrier.

Accessibility does not require OSAR to eliminate security controls necessary to protect handlers, registry information, or the platform, but security should be implemented in a manner that provides accessible methods wherever reasonably possible.

Images and Animal Photographs

Animal photographs uploaded by users may form part of registry records.

Where OSAR generates or controls descriptive text, we will seek to provide appropriate accessible descriptions.

User-uploaded photographs may not always contain user-supplied alternative text.

OSAR may develop tools or processes to improve accessibility of user-generated visual content where appropriate.

Decorative graphics used by OSAR should generally be hidden from assistive technologies when they do not convey meaningful information.

Video and Audio

If OSAR publishes prerecorded video or audio content containing meaningful spoken information, OSAR intends to provide appropriate accessible alternatives, which may include:

• captions;
• transcripts;
• audio description where appropriate; or
• an equivalent accessible presentation of the information.

Automatically generated captions should be reviewed for accuracy where practical before publication of substantive OSAR content.

Documents and Downloads

OSAR intends to minimize reliance on downloadable documents when information can reasonably be presented as accessible web content.

When OSAR publishes PDFs, forms, reports, or other downloadable documents necessary to access OSAR programs or information, we will seek to make those documents accessible.

If you encounter an inaccessible OSAR document, please contact us and request an accessible alternative.

Third-Party Services

Some OSAR functionality may rely on third-party services that OSAR does not completely control.

Examples may include:

• Stripe payment processing;
• Stripe Identity or another identity-verification provider;
• Apple Wallet;
• Google Wallet;
• email-service providers;
• authentication providers; and
• other integrated technology platforms.

OSAR considers accessibility when selecting and integrating third-party services where practical.

However, the accessibility of a third-party website, application, interface, or service may ultimately be controlled by that third party.

If a third-party service creates an accessibility barrier that prevents you from completing an OSAR process, please contact OSAR.

Where reasonably possible, we will work to identify an alternative method or assist in completing the OSAR portion of the process.

Identity Verification

Optional independent identity verification may require interaction with a third-party identity provider.

If a disability prevents you from completing the standard identity-verification workflow, please contact OSAR rather than repeatedly attempting an inaccessible process.

Where reasonably possible and consistent with fraud-prevention and security requirements, OSAR will evaluate whether an accessible alternative verification process is available.

An inability to complete optional identity verification does not automatically invalidate a basic OSAR registry record.

Automated Accessibility Testing

OSAR may use automated accessibility testing tools as part of development and quality assurance.

Automated testing can help identify issues such as:

• missing accessible names;
• certain contrast failures;
• improper ARIA usage;
• form-labeling problems;
• structural issues; and
• other detectable accessibility defects.

Automated testing alone cannot establish accessibility or WCAG conformance.

OSAR therefore intends to supplement automated testing with manual evaluation of important workflows.

Manual Accessibility Testing

Critical OSAR workflows should also receive manual accessibility evaluation.

Testing may include:

• keyboard-only operation;
• focus order;
• visible focus;
• screen-reader behavior;
• form instructions and errors;
• zoom and text resizing;
• responsive behavior;
• mobile interaction;
• reduced motion;
• color and contrast;
• accessible authentication; and
• usability of important interactive controls.

Where feasible as OSAR grows, we also intend to incorporate feedback and testing from people who use assistive technologies.

Continuous Improvement

Accessibility is an ongoing process.

Web standards, assistive technologies, browsers, and the OSAR platform itself will continue to change.

OSAR therefore treats accessibility as a continuing responsibility rather than a one-time certification exercise.

New functionality should be evaluated against OSAR's accessibility requirements before release, and identified accessibility defects should be tracked and remediated according to severity and user impact.

Known Limitations

OSAR will maintain this section when known accessibility limitations materially affect use of the Service.

Current known limitations:
[INSERT KNOWN LIMITATIONS, OR STATE “No material known limitations are currently documented.”]

A statement that no limitation is currently documented does not mean that every possible accessibility issue has been identified.

We encourage users to report barriers we may have missed.

Accessibility Feedback

We welcome feedback concerning the accessibility of OSAR.

If you encounter a barrier, please tell us:

• the page or feature involved;
• what you were attempting to do;
• the accessibility barrier you encountered;
• the browser or device you were using, if known;
• the assistive technology you were using, if applicable; and
• how we may contact you regarding the issue.

You are not required to disclose the nature of your disability in order to report an accessibility problem or request assistance.

Accessibility inquiries may be sent to:

accessibility@openserviceanimalregistry.org

Website:

openserviceanimalregistry.org

Mailing Address:

[INSERT OSAR MAILING ADDRESS BEFORE PUBLICATION]

Alternative Access and Assistance

If an accessibility barrier prevents you from:

• registering an animal;
• accessing your account;
• managing a registry record;
• verifying a record;
• changing privacy settings;
• requesting verification;
• exercising a privacy right;
• reviewing OSAR policies; or
• completing another important OSAR function,

please contact us.

Where reasonably possible, OSAR will provide assistance or an accessible alternative method that offers substantially equivalent access to the relevant service.

Providing an alternative method does not eliminate OSAR's goal of correcting the underlying accessibility problem.

Response to Accessibility Reports

OSAR will make reasonable efforts to:

1. acknowledge accessibility reports promptly;
2. investigate the reported issue;
3. determine its severity and impact;
4. provide an alternative means of access where appropriate;
5. remediate confirmed barriers according to reasonable priority; and
6. communicate with the reporting individual when additional information or follow-up is appropriate.

Issues that prevent access to core registry, verification, privacy, or account-management functions should generally receive higher remediation priority than minor cosmetic accessibility defects.

Accessibility and Procurement

When OSAR selects software, platforms, components, or service providers that materially affect user interaction, accessibility should be considered as part of the selection process.

Where appropriate, OSAR may request or review:

• accessibility documentation;
• WCAG conformance information;
• Accessibility Conformance Reports;
• VPAT documentation;
• known accessibility limitations; or
• other information relevant to accessibility.

Accessibility is one factor in selecting technology alongside privacy, security, functionality, reliability, and cost.

Accessibility and Development

OSAR's development process should incorporate accessibility throughout the software lifecycle.

Accessibility should be considered during:

• product requirements;
• design;
• component development;
• code review;
• automated testing;
• manual testing;
• release validation; and
• defect remediation.

Accessibility should not be deferred until after a feature has been completed whenever it can reasonably be addressed during initial design and development.

Conformance Status

OSAR's organizational target is WCAG 2.2 Level AA for the public website and user-facing registry workflows under OSAR's control.

Until OSAR has completed sufficient testing to substantiate a formal conformance claim, OSAR will describe WCAG 2.2 AA as its target rather than state that the entire Service “fully conforms” to WCAG 2.2 AA.

If OSAR later performs a formal accessibility assessment, this Statement may be updated to describe the assessed conformance status and scope.

Scope

This Accessibility Statement applies primarily to digital content and functionality operated by OSAR at:

openserviceanimalregistry.org

and OSAR-controlled registry and verification services.

Independent third-party websites and applications linked from OSAR are outside the direct scope of this Statement, although OSAR seeks to select accessible third-party services where reasonably possible.

Updates to This Statement

OSAR may update this Accessibility Statement as:

• accessibility standards change;
• the platform evolves;
• new functionality is introduced;
• accessibility testing identifies issues;
• third-party services change; or
• legal requirements change.

The latest revision date will appear at the top of this Statement.

Our Accessibility Principle

OSAR serves a community that includes people with disabilities.

Accessibility is therefore not merely a compliance exercise.

Our objective is that a person should be able to learn about OSAR, register an eligible animal, manage a record, control their privacy, obtain and use a credential, verify a record, and communicate with OSAR regardless of whether that person uses a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, screen reader, voice control, magnification, or another assistive technology.

When we fall short of that objective, we want to know so we can improve.