From guiding their handlers through their daily lives to getting help when it's needed most, Dog Guides play a crucial role in the lives of Canadians with disabilities.
The mission of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is to empower Canadians with disabilities to navigate their world with confidence and independence by providing dog guides at no cost to them and supporting each pair in their journey together.
The Kipling and District Lions Club recently held their local Walk for Dog Guides organized by Lions member Laurie Dube.
"I was a little overwhelmed, but I had lots of help from members who were involved with this walk before," Laurie Dube said about her first time organizing this event.
It was a beautiful evening for the 3 1/2 kilometre walk around town for the nine people and three dogs participating.
Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is a national charity. Founded in 1983 by Lions clubs from across Canada, its first program, Canine Vision, trained and matched dog guides with Canadians who were blind or visually impaired. The foundation has since built its capacity to include seven programs to meet diverse needs. The list of programs includes Canine Vision Dog Guides for people who are blind or visually impaired,
Hearing Dog Guides for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, Service Dog Guides for people who have a physical or medical disability, Seizure Response Dog Guides for people who have epilepsy, Autism Assistance Dog Guides for children who have autism spectrum disorder, Diabetic Alert Dog Guides for people who have diabetes with hypoglycemic unawareness, and Facility Support Dogs for professional agencies assisting individuals in traumatic situations.
Each program trains dog guides to meet the different needs of people with various disabilities. Breeds commonly used are Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles (for people who are allergic to dogs) and Golden Retrievers.
"One hundred per cent of the money raised, which was $2,355, goes towards the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides," explained Dube.
All dog guides are provided to qualified applicants at no cost. The cost of training and accommodation at the school is also covered by the fund.
It costs approximately $25,000 to provide each Dog Guide.
Dawn Manns, Kipling Lions secretary said that they "have some new ideas for next year's walk."
The time will show what those will be.
