Newsroom
A significant gap in Cyprus’s legal framework regarding the rights of persons with disabilities to be accompanied by guide dogs has been highlighted in a recent report by the Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights, Maria Stylianou Lottides. The report stresses the urgent need for clear legislation to ensure unrestricted access for guide dogs across public spaces, private venues open to the public, and all forms of transport.
The Commissioner initiated the review independently after becoming aware of repeated incidents and public complaints pointing to inconsistent and inadequate regulation. At present, the rights of people who rely on trained guide or assistance dogs are fragmented, unclear, and often left to the discretion of businesses, transport operators, or individual service providers.
The report draws on consultations with multiple stakeholders, including government ministries, health authorities, and organizations representing blind and disabled persons. It examines the existing legal framework and identifies practical obstacles that people with disabilities encounter in everyday life, particularly when entering hotels, restaurants, cafés, recreational venues, and using public or private transport.
One of the central findings is that Cyprus lacks specific legislation guaranteeing access for guide dogs. In the tourism and hospitality sector, for example, neither hotel nor leisure laws contain provisions requiring businesses to admit guide dogs. As a result, entry is often denied, even in cases involving trained assistance animals. Similar problems have been reported on intercity buses, where guide dogs have sometimes been refused unless placed in luggage compartments, an arrangement incompatible with their role.
In contrast, the Ministry of Transport has indicated that guide dogs for people with visual impairments are generally permitted on regular public bus routes, recognizing their essential role in mobility. However, additional requirements, such as leashes and muzzles, have been imposed in some cases, despite the dogs’ specialized training. These conditions are not consistently applied and are often unnecessary, creating further confusion and barriers.
Private transport presents an even greater challenge. There is currently no legal obligation for taxi drivers or tourist bus operators to accept guide dogs, leaving individuals dependent on personal discretion rather than guaranteed rights.
Health regulations governing food safety further complicate matters. While general rules restrict animals from areas where food is served, exemptions can apply to trained guide dogs. In practice, however, these exemptions are inconsistently understood or enforced, leading to refusals and complaints.
The report also highlights systemic shortcomings beyond access itself. Cyprus does not have a national guide dog training or certification centre, nor a designated authority responsible for accrediting guide dogs and their handlers. Additionally, there is no state funding to support the high costs associated with training, maintaining, and licensing guide dogs, expenses that fall entirely on individuals with disabilities.
Input from the Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind underscores that guide dogs undergo years of rigorous training and are internationally recognized as essential mobility aids. While European regulations ensure acceptance of guide dogs during cross-border travel, no equivalent framework exists to safeguard mobility within Cyprus itself.
During a parliamentary discussion held in October 2025, it was acknowledged that this absence of legislation leaves people with disabilities vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion. Participants agreed that any future law would need to clearly define what constitutes a guide dog, establish a certification authority, address funding mechanisms, and align related legislation to ensure full accessibility.
The Commissioner’s conclusions emphasize that guide dogs are not pets but specialized aids that provide independence, safety, and dignity. Without a clear and enforceable legal framework, people who depend on them risk being denied access to transportation, services, employment, education, and social life.
The report calls for immediate legislative action to guarantee the right of persons with disabilities to be accompanied by their guide dogs in all public and publicly accessible private spaces, as well as on all forms of transport, without extra charges or unjustified conditions. It also urges the government to work with disability organizations to establish standardized training, certification procedures, and financial support systems.
The findings have been submitted to the Ministry of Social Welfare and shared with relevant parliamentary committees and disability advocacy bodies, marking a key step toward addressing long-standing inequalities and advancing accessibility and inclusion in Cyprus.
