Nicosia, Cyprus. Only five of more than 2,000 visually impaired people living in Cyprus have a guide dog, MPs heard on Monday during a House human rights committee discussion on two legislative proposals.
Scale of need and costs
Committee chairwoman and Akel MP Irini Charalambides said around 2,000 people in Cyprus have vision problems and could benefit from guide dogs, adding that the state has an obligation to contribute as much as possible so those who need a guide dog can obtain one.
MPs heard that only five assistance dogs are currently registered on the island, reflecting high costs as well as a lack of relevant registration and certification.
A representative of the School for the Blind said the two-year training cost for a special assistance dog amounts to €25,000.
First proposal: right to a guide dog and access to public spaces
The first proposal, submitted by Diko MP Christos Senekis, stipulates the right to a guide dog and universal access for guide dogs to public spaces.
Senekis said the right to an assistance dog for people with disabilities should be granted in line with the UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities, which the Republic ratified in 2011.
He said being accompanied by an assistance dog is necessary for daily mobility, accessibility, autonomy and social participation, describing the dog as an extension of the independence, safety and dignity of the person who needs it.
Second proposal: certification system and penalties for denied access
In a second proposal, Ecologists Movement MP Charalambos Theopemptou called for a certification and evaluation system for assistance dogs and for penalties for those who deny access to the dogs and their owners.
Next steps in parliament
Senekis’ proposal was approved and is set to be forwarded for an article-by-article discussion at the committee next Monday before heading to the House plenum.
Theopemptou’s bill is expected to be submitted to the plenum either this Thursday or the next.
How do you think Cyprus should address the cost and certification barriers for assistance dogs?
