- Expanding economic, social, and civic opportunities for people with disabilities remains unfinished across Latin America and the Caribbean.
- A service dog in training at the IDB office in Belize is helping showcase the need to advance disability inclusion policies in the country.
- Giving people with disabilities real access to opportunities calls for greater awareness and stronger institutions, not just legislation.
Every morning, Baxter arrives at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) country office in Belize ready to work: he greets colleagues, participates in meetings, and accompanies colleagues throughout the day. His presence in our office not only supports his training as a future service dog but also highlights the importance of expanding opportunities for people with disabilities across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Disability inclusion remains an unfinished agenda in the region. Despite important progress, children and young people with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to education and participation in everyday life.
Recent research highlights the scale of the challenge. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, an estimated 9.3 million children and adolescents live with hearing loss, vision loss, or intellectual disabilities. Yet, many of these individuals do not receive a diagnosis, the first step toward closing the disability gap.
Belize faces many of the same challenges seen across the region. The IDB’s Skills for the Future Program is helping the country to close this gap by training teachers to screen for functional difficulties starting in primary school and certifying hundreds of educators in individualized education programs (IEPs). These efforts are expanding the country’s capacity to identify students with disabilities earlier and provide more appropriate support.
Identification is only the first step. People with disabilities often require a range of supports throughout their lives, from accessible schools and assistive technologies to workplace accommodations and, in some cases, service animals like Baxter. These animals can reduce barriers, expand independence, and change lives.
Why Service Dogs Matter for People with Disabilities
For people with disabilities, a service dog is much more than a companion: it is a highly trained partner that provides independence, confidence, and safety in everyday life. Service dogs can guide people who are blind, alert individuals who are deaf, respond to medical emergencies such as seizures or diabetic episodes, provide mobility assistance, and support individuals with psychiatric conditions.
Beyond these practical tasks, their impact is often transformative. Service dogs like Baxter reduce barriers to accessibility and create greater opportunities for independence and social inclusion. They enable people with disabilities to travel, pursue education and professional activities, and navigate public spaces with confidence and autonomy.
Despite their proven ability to increase independence and participation, service dogs remain uncommon across much of Latin America and the Caribbean. Limited public awareness, inconsistent legal protections, or the absence of such protections in many countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, high training costs, and persistent stigma can make it difficult for people who rely on service animals to fully access education, employment, transportation, and community life.
These barriers mirror many of the broader challenges faced by people with disabilities in the region. Addressing these challenges requires more than legislation alone; it requires greater awareness, stronger institutions, and a commitment to inclusion.
Baxter is a 1-year-old Goldendoodle from Domesti-PUPS, a non-profit dog training organization in Lincoln, Nebraska. You can see his story in this video.
Building Public Awareness for Disability Inclusion
One important step is increasing public understanding of what service dogs do and why they are essential for many individuals with disabilities. Misconceptions often lead to people with service animals being denied access to public spaces, transportation, or services.
Karla González, the IDB Country Representative in Belize, noted that in addition to having Baxter in the office, “we are working with advocates and NGOs aiming to develop further awareness about having this service for people with disabilities, hopefully, at the country level.” Public education can help businesses, government agencies, and community members recognize service dogs as working animals that provide critical support rather than as pets.
Baxter’s presence creates valuable opportunities for these conversations to happen naturally. Whether walking through Belize City, meeting local business owners, or greeting visitors at the IDB office, Baxter often sparks curiosity, opening the door to discussions about disability inclusion and the role of service dogs. Public awareness grows one interaction at a time, helping build a more informed and inclusive community.
Ultimately, overcoming barriers to service animals is about more than improving access for dogs and their handlers. It is about building societies where people with disabilities can live, learn, work, and participate independently and with dignity. The evidence is clear that inclusion benefits not only individuals but also communities and economies, helping unlock human potential that might otherwise remain untapped.
Promoting Inclusion One Paw at a Time
Training a future service dog is therefore about more than teaching commands. It is an investment in a future partnership that may transform someone's daily life. Every new experience, every interaction, and every skill learned brings the dog one step closer to supporting a person who will rely on them for greater independence, opportunity, and inclusion.
While service dogs are among the most visible tools for supporting disability inclusion, equally important policies often receive less attention. Accessible public transportation, assistive technologies, workplace accommodations, sign language services, and inclusive education programs can also have a profound impact on the independence, participation, and economic opportunities of people with disabilities.
In many ways, Baxter's journey reflects the IDB's broader commitment to inclusion: removing barriers, expanding opportunities, and helping ensure that every person has the support they need to participate fully in society.