1. A service dog is a specially trained dog (issued with a specific service dog certificate) that assists people with functional impairments in their daily lives. These include guide dogs, assistant dogs, and signal dogs (dogs for people who are deaf, have epilepsy, diabetes, or other conditions). In Latvia, 20 guide dogs and 2 assistant dogs are registered in the Agricultural Data Center and have been issued certificates. Other service dogs most commonly arrive in Latvia with their owners as tourists or to participate in international training. These dogs wear special harnesses or vests and do not require a muzzle while performing their work.
2. Latvia recognizes various types of specially trained assistants, including:
   • Guide Dogs (for the visually impaired);
   • Hearing/Signal Dogs (for the deaf or hard of hearing);
   • Medical Alert Dogs (for conditions like epilepsy or diabetes);
   • Assistant Dogs (for mobility and other functional impairments).
3. According to the legal frameworks of European Union member states, as well as Paragraph 30.5 of the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 959 of the Republic of Latvia, service dogs are granted access rights everywhere their handler goes. This means that service dogs can visit cafes, restaurants, shops, sports and cultural institutions, and travel by taxi, as well as local and international public transport.
4. In Latvia, only guide dogs for blind persons are known while assistant dogs are only two.
5. Your dog needs to wear an official service dog waistcoat (vest) or special harnesses in public and you need to carry with you a certificate for your dog.
6. While English is widely spoken in Riga, having a small card or digital copy of the Latvian text (the Paragraph 30.5 reference) can be very helpful if you encounter a staff member who isn’t familiar with the specific law.
7. Service dog association TEODORS is member of European Guide Dog Federation.

Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia relating to the rights of service dogs:
nr. 959, 30.5.

Suņa īpašnieks vai turētājs nodrošina, lai suns sabiedriskajā transportā, sabiedriskajās ēkās un būvēs, publiskajās telpās un publiskos pasākumos, darba un mācību telpās neradītu draudus cilvēku un citu dzīvnieku drošībai, veselībai un dzīvībai un lai sunim būtu atbilstoša uzvedība.

nr. 959, 17.

Dzīvniekam, veicot sporta vai darba pienākumus vai piedaloties atrakcijās, var nebūt uzpurnis vai cits aksesuārs (piemēram, kakla siksna vai iemaukti).

This means that service dogs are granted access rights wherever their owner goes. A service dog can visit cafes, restaurants, shops, sports and cultural institutions/events, ride a taxi, local and interstate public transport. They do not require a muzzle while performing their work.
Exceptions: Service dogs are only denied access to places with particularly high hygiene and sterility requirements, such as operating rooms, public kitchens.

Rīga, May 2026