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Accessibility Services

Campus of Bielefeld University — © Bielefeld University

Assistance dogs

Good to know

Assistance dogs must follow special rules and fulfil health requirements. For example, they are not allowed to sniff or make contact with other people or dogs and must remain at their owner's side at all times.

If you meet a human-assistance dog community, you should not approach or stare at the dog, touch it without asking or block its path.

The Café 3b in Bielefeld and the VdK offer advice on applying for and financing an assistance dog.

Legal regulation in the Disability Equality Act

The sign of an assistance dog — © ZAB - Bielefeld University

Trained assistance dogs accompany people with a wide range of disabilities or illnesses on a permanent basis in their everyday lives. They help their owners to participate independently and autonomously in social life by compensating for disability-related disadvantages and breaking down barriers in the environment. Together, humans and assistance dogs form a team, the so-called human-assistance dog community.

Assistance dogs on campus

Assistance dog leads a female student — © ZAB - Bielefeld University

Only certified assistance dogs in accordance with the Assistance Dog Ordinance (AHundV) may generally be carried anywhere where people in street clothes are present or which are open to the general public and use, provided that this does not represent a disproportionate or unreasonable burden for the owner or the assistance dog is obviously unkempt or unhealthy. As a rule, assistance dogs therefore do not pose any medical or hygienic risk.

Students may bring assistance dogs onto campus under the above conditions, provided that the facilities and departments are accessible to the general public and users. This also applies to courses and other departments that are not open to the general public only with express authorisation. The assistance dog must always wear a special badge that identifies it as an assistance dog, e.g. a specific waistcoat.