Media Kit
About Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is a national charity. Its mission is to assist Canadians with physical or medical disabilities by providing them specially trained Dog Guides at no cost. 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 six programs to meet diverse needs. To date, Lions Foundation of Canada has matched Dog Guides with more than 2,500 Canadians from every province and territory. A Dog Guide costs approximately $25,000 to raise and train but none of that cost is passed on to qualifying applicants. Lions Foundation of Canada operates two facilities in Ontario: its head office and training centre in Oakville, and a breeding and training facility in Breslau. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides does not receive government funding, and relies on support from service clubs, corporations, foundations and individuals from across the country in order to meet its mission. Dog Guides Canada trains six different types of Dog Guides: Canine Vision Dog Guides For people who are blind or visually impaired Hearing Ear Dog Guides For people who are deaf or hard of hearing Service Dog Guides For people who have a physical 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 type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemic unawareness 2
Dog Guide Program Information Each program trains Dog Guides to meet the different needs of people with various disabilities. Breeds commonly used are Labrador Retrievers and Standard Poodles (for people who are allergic to dogs), Golden Retrievers, and some smaller breeds. The training for a Dog Guide is an intensive four to six month period, training one-on-one with a qualified trainer. Once fully trained, the dog is matched with a client who spends one to four weeks at the Oakville training facility, learning how to handle, trust and bond with their new Dog Guide. CANINE VISION DOG GUIDES Canine Vision Dog Guides help people who are blind or visually impaired Specially trained to navigate busy streets, stairs, escalators and other obstacles that are found on most daily routes SERVICE DOG GUIDES Service Dog Guides are trained to help people with physical disabilities Specially trained to open and close doors, retrieve items, bark for help, and activate an alert system SEIZURE RESPONSE DOG GUIDES Seizure Response Dog Guides help people who have epilepsy These Dog Guides are trained to react to a person s seizure by barking for help, activating an alert system or seeking help within a home environment 3
HEARING EAR DOG GUIDES Hearing Ear Dog Guides are trained to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing These Dog Guides are taught to alert to sounds by making physical contact with their handlers, and then lead them to the sound Each dog is trained to respond to the unique sounds of a home, such as a ringing telephone or an activated fire alarm DIABETIC ALERT DOG GUIDES Diabetic Alert Dog Guides assist people who have type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemic unawareness These Dog Guides are trained to detect sudden drops in their handler s blood sugar through scent and alert them so that they can test their blood sugar and eat something if needed. They can also bark for help or activate an alert system AUTISM ASSISTANCE DOG GUIDES Autism Assistance Dog Guides help provide safety, companionship and unconditional love for children who have autism spectrum disorder These Dog Guides provide calming relief for children in high anxiety situations, and reduce the stress commonly experienced in public places 4
FOSTER PUPPY PROGRAM First steps in becoming a Dog Guide... Puppies are bred at the Lions Foundation s facility in Breslau, Ontario At approximately eight weeks of age, puppies are placed in foster homes until they return for formal training, which is usually around one year of age Foster families housetrain the puppies, teach them manners, basic obedience, and socialize them to things like offices, shopping malls and public transportation Foster families attend puppy classes in Oakville and Breslau every four to six weeks throughout the one year commitment Veterinary care is provided at the Lions Foundation s in-house clinic Food is donated by Nestlé Purina PetCare and the Lions Foundation provides veterinary care The puppies are screened for both physical soundness as well as temperament before entering the training program 5
Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides is the largest fundraising event of its kind. The Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides raises funds to help provide Dog Guides to Canadians with visual, hearing, medical or physical disabilities, at no cost. National Walk date is Sunday, May 28 th, 2017 To date the Walk has raised more than $14 million for Dog Guides. 100% of the funds raised from the more than 280 participating communities across Canada go directly toward raising, training and providing Dog Guides to Canadians at no cost. All ages, fitness levels, with or without a dog are welcome to participate. To register, find a Walk near you, or to donate: For more information, please call 1 (800) 768-3030 or visit www.walkfordogguides.com Charitable Tax Number: 13024 5129 RR0001
Fact Sheet Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides does not receive any government funding and relies on the support of fundraising events and donations from service clubs, corporations, foundations and individuals across the country. All Dog Guides, including training and accommodation at the school, are provided to qualified applicants at no cost. It costs approximately $25,000 to provide each Dog Guide. To offset part of this cost, the Lions Foundation seeks sponsors for each Dog Guide team. Sponsorship costs are: Hearing Ear $ 4,000 Canine Vision $ 6,000 Diabetic Alert $ 8,000 Service $10,000 Seizure Response $10,000 Autism Assistance $12,000 After a dog completes the four to six month training program, a successful applicant comes to stay at the Oakville training facility for one to four weeks, to work with their new Dog Guide and establish the bond that is necessary for the team to succeed. After graduation, follow-up visits and communication between the graduate and the training staff is maintained to ensure on-going success. A working Dog Guide is permitted in all public places. The dogs have been trained to travel on all forms of public transportation. The Dog Guide s attention must be on its handler at all times therefore people are not permitted to pet a Dog Guide while it is in harness.
Contact Information Sandy Turney Executive Director Lions Foundation of Canada/Dog Guides Canada Telephone: (905) 842-2891 Ext. 224 Toll Free: 1 (800) 768-3030 Ext. 224 Fax: (905) 842-3373 Email: sandyturney@dogguides.com Address: 152 Wilson Street Oakville, ON L6K 0G6 Visit: www.dogguides.com www.walkfordogguides.com Charitable Tax Number: 13024 5129 RR0001