What do residents of the three Baltic countries know about assistance dogs?
Representative market research
report, July 2025.
The author of the report: Assoc. Prof. Irina Liubertė, ISM University of Management and Economics
The research was funded by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania (part of project NVOKE00339) and Šunys asistentai, NGO.
What does research say about traveling with assistance dogs?
- Almost 90% of people with disabilities and their families surveyed face obstacles when preparing for and during a flight. Unfortunately, many airlines do not follow best practice of accessible travel and have internal rules that are not favorable to people with disabilities.
- The good news about traveling with assistance dogs is that at least some airlines adhere to the standards favorable to people with disabilities.
Guide dog and assistance dog training
Assistance and guide dogs are being trained in Lithuania by Tarnybinės šunininkystės klubas (Service Dog Club) – a non-governmental organization that has been involved in the training of service dogs for many years, and since 2020 – in the training of specially trained assistance dogs for people with disabilities. The club trains guide dogs for people with visual impairments, assistance dogs for people with physical or mental disabilities, and also carries out public education activities, promotes inclusion, and cooperates with international organizations.
Regulations and legal acts
- Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Fundamentals of the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities I-2044
- Regulation of the College of Instructors for the Training of Therapy Dogs, Assistance Dogs and Medical Search Dogs (Lithuanian Canine Association)
- Commission for Monitoring the Rights of People with Disabilities under the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman: CONCLUSION ON ASSISTANCE DOGS (2025 03 03)
