Together we are building an assistance dog friendly future

About assistance dogs

Assistance dogs help compensate for their handlers’ disabilities through trained assistance tasks. Working as a team with their handlers, they enable a more mobile, independent, and often safer life. In addition to guide dogs, there are many other types of assistance dogs.

Assistance dog teams are breaking new ground. Their partnership, discipline, and care are truly inspiring—but unfortunately, they are often left entirely to their own devices.

Teams deserve our help!

We are committed to comprehensive care for qualified teams, worldwide. To this end, we have developed an independent public access test, an important milestone towards meaningful care.

Join in so that …

  • Quality replaces improvisation,
  • the path to getting a service dog becomes easier,
  • teams are better supported.
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More about assistance dogs on DogMap.

A light-coloured Labradoodle with a yellow dog vest sits in front of a green and blue background. The job descriptions of an assistance dog are listed in the background.
Review by R. Z. "I am an assistance dog handler myself and think you, your education efforts, and the resources provided are excellent! Thank you for your work!"
Review by S. Block. "Thank you so much for managing all of this and offering it and doing such great work! I hope to be able to donate again from time to time in the future."

Our solutions

As a nonprofit and independent organization,
we are committed to creating meaningful improvements.

Silhouette in dark and light teal. A woman is holding a dog on a leash and leaning down toward its snout. The dog is sitting and stretching its nose toward her face.
DogMap.info: (assistance) dog friendly
Discover and share places.

A silhouette in dark and light teal: a woman stands on the left with her crutch and on the right with her dog on a leash.
Independent, video-based team assessment
by Assistance Dog Foundation.

Silhouette in dark and light teal: A person in a wheelchair holding a ball, with a dog lying in front of the wheelchair, looking at the ball.Assistance Dog-Friendly Communities
(already over 100!) and free shipping
of educational materials.

A silhouette in dark and light teal showing a person in a wheelchair, a caregiver behind them, and a assistance dog in front.

 

Campaign “Welcome Assistance Dogs”

Silhouette in dark and light teal: a woman walking with a guide dog
Building Structures:
European Standards & Political Dialogue.

NEWSLETTER
DONATE

Collection: Videos and Podcasts

Video (2 Min.) our access campaign (Thanks to @Bundesministerium)

Hear from assistance dog handlers and politicians. Thanks to @Aktion Mensch

Hygiene is not a reason to deny entry — Explained by experts.

Review by M. SCHÄFFER, GUIDE DOG HANDLER "The work of Pfotenpiloten is invaluable because it opens doors for us. Through education, the public understands why we need our assistance dogs and that they are the key to a completely normal life for us. Thank you to everyone who is committed!"
Review by H. FERBER, GUIDE DOG OWNER. “As many people as possible should support the Pfotenpiloten's access campaign! It's high time everyone realized that an assistance dog should be viewed in the same way as a wheelchair or crutches!” #dankePfotenpiloten"

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Sponsor Logos
Review by Joana F. “Thank you very much for all your valuable training and work on behalf of all assistance dog owners.”
Review by @LARES _SERVICEDOG. “We're in! For more freedom, more tolerance, more understanding, and guidelines on how to interact with assistance dogs.”
Graphic "nonprofit-independent"

Pfotenpiloten is a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better groundwork. To do so, we form diverse partnerships, taking care to remain independent of interest groups.

Our independence is of central importance to our work. We therefore do not train assistance dog teams and never will.

Although the focus is on the handlers, we also keep the needs of the dog, trainer, public, and sponsor in mind.

Only a concept that suits everyone can develop optimally.

Overview of Pfotenpiloten Results – An infographic highlighting Pfotenpiloten’s main achievements, along with a call for donations and links to donation portals. Achievements, arranged around the Pfotenpiloten logo: - 3-year “Assistance Dogs Welcome” access campaign - 60,000 door stickers improve access rights - 200,000+ informational materials sent out - 250+ media articles reaching 40 million people - DogMap: nearly 500,000 entries! Thousands of DogMap users - 50 officially assistance-dog-friendly municipalities, with 31 more set to become assistance-dog-friendly soon! - “Living with an Assistance Dog” exhibition (also available as an app) - 3 explanatory videos on assistance dogs, access rights, and hygiene - 35+ videos and podcasts - 4,000+ social media posts from the community - Collaboration on the European Assistance Dog Standard, CEN/TC 452—Preliminary work on a European trainer certification—Largest bibliography on assistance dog research—Team assessment—Establishment of the Assistance Dog Foundation for quality assurance and promotion. Your donation enables us to continue this work: PayPal to admin@pfotenpiloten.org Donorbox at www.PfotenPiloten.org/spenden Bank transfer to Pfotenpiloten, DE97830654080005281890
Review by MILO BÄRCHEN. “Things are finally moving forward—thanks for your initiative! Hats off to you!”
Review by Nele S. “I just wanted to tell you that I think your dedication is great ©”