Nicosia, Cyprus. A proposal to grant institutional recognition to guide dogs prompted sharp disagreements during a House human rights committee discussion on Monday. The debate focused on oversight authority and potential administrative and financial burdens.
Bill aims to address legislative gap
The bill, submitted by Ecologist MP Charalambos Theopemptou, was presented as a response to what MPs described as a clear legislative gap, with similar frameworks already in place in at least 20 EU member states.
Parallel draft law on assistance dog access rights
The proposal was examined alongside a separate draft law on access rights for assistance dogs, which is expected to go before the House plenum later this week.
Dispute over competent authority and costs
While there was near unanimous approval in principle for recognising guide dogs, objections centred on who would serve as the competent authority for training, certification and oversight, and on the administrative and financial burden on the state.
Veterinary services reject role in oversight
Veterinary services director Christodoulos Pipis said responsibility under existing legislation lies with the interior ministry and local authorities, adding that veterinary services “will not have responsibilities for companion dogs either”. Theopemptou criticised the stance and later said he was disappointed by what he described as a reluctance to assume responsibility.
Capacity concerns and legal warnings
The blind school director questioned whether local authorities had sufficient and appropriate personnel to evaluate trainers and monitor the living conditions of guide dogs. From the legal service, lawyer Alexis Antoniades said competence must be clarified before the bill advances and warned that increased administrative costs could raise constitutional concerns.
Sponsor says state has failed to act
Theopemptou argued that the state had long failed to address the issue.
What changes would you like to see in how Cyprus assigns responsibility for guide dog training, certification and oversight?
