We are delighted that Frankfurt, home of Pfotenpiloten, has joined the growing list of assistance dog friendly municipalities.
The city of Frankfurt am Main has written a nice article about this important event, which you can read online at click here (or on the image below).
As always with officially assistance dog-friendly municipalities, you will find a statement from Frankfurt on the subject of assistance dogs:
“Inclusion is a human right. As political leaders, it is therefore our duty to ensure that barriers that prevent people from participating are continuously removed. In Frankfurt, we are already doing this very actively in many areas – and are continuously developing the field. I am grateful for the great commitment of organisations like Pfotenpiloten, which support us so actively in our efforts to create an inclusive city. Because the best way to counter the invisible barriers in our heads in particular is with good educational work and making our attitude visible. Frankfurt is an open city for diverse people and lifestyles,” announces Elke Voitl, head of the department for social affairs, youth, family and senior citizens.
Head of Human Resources Bergerhoff reports: “The City of Frankfurt is ahead of the federal law in terms of inclusion. The inclusion guidelines already provide for the access of assistance dogs as a matter of course. Unfortunately, paper is patient, so it is important to keep pointing out existing rules and to raise awareness of the need for them. That’s why we explicitly welcome assistance dogs in all municipal facilities from now on.”
On 28 November 2022, Head of Social Affairs Elke Voitl, Head of Human Resources Dr Bastian Bergerhoff and Head of the Youth and Social Welfare Office Nanine Delmas, together with Pfotenpiloten Managing Director Roswitha Warda and two assistance dog teams, affixed the first “Assistance Dog Welcome” door sticker to the city’s Youth and Social Welfare Office.
“The Youth and Social Welfare Office and especially the social advice centres in the neighbourhoods are important contact points for very many and different people. The sticker is a good sign to welcome people with assistance dogs. But above all, it is important that the employees are able to deal sensitively with the diversity of people. This is an important concern for me as the head of such a large office,” adds Nanine Delmas.
The stickers will now gradually be affixed to the entrances of municipal offices and businesses.
With the Inclusion Unit, which also includes the City of Frankfurt’s Disability Commissioner, the topic is also firmly anchored in the city administration. Anyone looking for more information on inclusion and accessibility in Frankfurt will find it at www.frankfurt-inklusiv.de.
The “Assistance Dog Friendly Municipality” campaign was made possible by funding from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Aktion Mensch.
