Dozens of residents and their dogs took over Bud Miller All Seasons Park on May 23 for the Lions Club’s annual Walk for Dog Guides, part of a nationwide fundraising effort that raised $1.6 million last year.
The walk supports the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides school in Oakville, Ont. – the only Lions-run guide dog training facility in the country and, according to those involved, among the best in North America.
Ray Tatro, a Lions Club member and former club president, said the school has expanded well beyond its original focus on sight dogs.
“Dog guides have really expanded from the sight dogs that were originally the focus to deaf, autistic, diabetes, anxiety dogs, PTSD,” Tatro said.
Training takes nearly a year per dog. Once matched, clients are brought to Oakville for two weeks of hands-on work with their new dog before heading home – and the school follows up with in-person check-ins afterward.
All of that, including travel, is covered. The dogs are provided at no cost to qualified recipients.
“Dogs are free to people that qualify for them,” Tatro said.
The school is also preparing to move into a new, state-of-the-art facility Tatro said will improve training outcomes and increase the number of dogs placed each year – currently estimated at around 100 annually.
Lloydminster has its own connection to the program. A young resident with an autism service dog benefited from the school two years ago, with his family describing the dog as life-changing.
