Global Assistance Dog Foundation
Budget
Not declared
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
1
0.25 FTE
EU Grants
None
Mission & Goals
Global Assistance Dog Foundation is an independent, non-profit foundation that develops and operates an ISO-oriented, third-party certification scheme for assistance dog teams (handler and dog). We do not train dogs; we define standards, run an impartial video-based Public Access Test, and maintain a secure register for qualified teams. Our goals are to protect the rights and welfare of assistance dogs, strengthen implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through reliable recognition of assistance dog teams, and support all stakeholders – handlers, dogs, professionals, the public and funders – with clear, humane quality criteria, research and guidance, with particular focus on consistent practice across EU Member States.
EU Legislative Interests
Global Assistance Dog Foundation follows and contributes, within its remit, to EU disability, accessibility, standardisation, animal-welfare, and professional development policies where recognition, access rights and welfare of assistance dog teams are affected. Our focus is to provide independent programmatic and technical input on definitions, standards and certification of assistance dog teams, based on ISO-style certifications and documented Public Access Tests. We are particularly interested in: EU disability rights and non-discrimination frameworks implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, where assistance dogs are treated as aids enabling autonomy and participation in public life. EU accessibility and inclusion policies (built environment, digital services, health and social services, education and employment) where clear and enforceable recognition of qualified assistance dog teams is required as a form of reasonable accommodation. Sector-specific rules on access for persons with disabilities in transport and other services (e.g. air, rail, road, maritime and tourism), to ensure coherent treatment of independently certified assistance dog teams across Member States. We also monitor: EU standardisation and conformity-assessment policy relevant to assistance dogs (including the European standardisation work on assistance dogs) and the role of independent, ISO-oriented certification bodies. EU animal-welfare and working-dog policy where the Five Domains Model of Animal Welfare and humane work concepts can guide acceptable tasks and workload for assistance dogs. EU employment and inclusion policies concerning people with chronic impairments, in light of our research on inclusive education and employment of assistance-dog professionals with disabilities. Across these files, our role is not to lobby for commercial interests but to provide evidence-based, independent expertise so that future and existing EU measures recognise qualified and independently certified assistance dog teams, protect dog welfare, and give clear, workable guidance for public and private actors.
Communication Activities
We are establishing an independent ISO-aligned certification and register for assistance dog teams in Europe
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
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Organisation Members
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Additional Information
We were incorporated in November 2025.
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.