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About BC & Alberta Guide Dog Services Members of The International Guide Dog Federation, an International Accrediting body. BC Guide Dog Services
Alberta Guide Dog Services
Aims & Objectives of B.C. & Alberta Guide Dog Services The Board of Directors, staff and volunteers are totally dedicated to the further development of the guide dog movement in British Columbia and Alberta. B.C. and Alberta Guide Dog Services holds the aims and objectives of improved availability and increased level of service and to provide life-long after care and support at no cost to our clients through the provision of professionally trained guide dogs for blind and visually impaired residents of B.C. and Alberta. B.C. Guide Dog Services is a registered charity; we receive no government funding and are totally dependent on voluntary contributions through the generosity of foundations, corporations, service clubs, private individuals and our own special events. The cost of raising and training one guide dog from birth until they are placed with a guide dog user at approximately two years of age is about $37,750 – our clients receive their guide dog for a symbolic “one dollar”. B.C. Guide Dog Services began the professional training of guide dogs for blind and visually impaired British Columbians in 1996. In 2001, B.C. Guide Dog Services became full members of the International Guide Dog Federation, an international accrediting body. In 2002, B.C. Guide Dog Services registered the title Alberta Guide Dog Services for the purposes of providing guide dogs to blind and visually impaired Albertans. Also in 2002, Alberta Guide Dog Services placed its first guide dog team in Alberta. The goal of B.C. & Alberta Guide Dog Services is, by the year 2020, to have a working guide dog population of 250 guide dog teams. The working life of a guide dog team is about eight years, therefore, B.C. & Alberta Guide Dog Services will need to have graduated a cumulative total of 395 guide dog teams by 2020 to achieve this goal. B.C. & Alberta Guide Dog Services gives priority to blind and visually impaired youths between the ages of thirteen and eighteen years. If you would like to make an immediate donation to B.C. Guide Dog Services you can do so by clicking on the “Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org” button above. Your donation will be handled in a completely secure on-line manner. Thank you! Key PersonnelWilliam Thornton trained as a Guide Dog Instructor in England with the "Guide Dogs For The Blind Association", graduating in 1980. He remained there from 1977 until 1984. In 1984 he moved to Ottawa, Ontario, where he founded "Canadian Guide Dogs For The Blind" and, under his leadership, 276 Guide Dog teams were trained. Mr. Thornton is also a founding member of the "International Guide Dog Federation", on which he is presently a Board member. Mr. Thornton founded British Columbia Guide Dog Services in June, 1996. Linda Thornton is a Registered Veterinary Technician. Linda is the Breeding and Puppy Raising Manager at B.C. Guide Dog Services. She is also very involved in helping to organize B.C. Guide Dog Services’ fundraising special events. Susan Deike is the Manager of Development and Communications for the newly established Alberta Guide Dog Services office. Susan is responsible for getting everything up and running for the Alberta branch of B.C. Guide Dog Services. Corinna Adams and Jaime Arnup have been training to be Guide Dog Mobility Instructors for B.C. Guide Dog Services since August 2003. They will graduate as fully qualified Guide Dog Mobility Instructors in August 2006.
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