BC & Alberta Guide Dogs Services

Co-sponsor a Puppy!

For less than 50 cents a day, you can support our charitable organization and give yourself, a friend or relative the unique opportunity of helping little puppies change from lovable bundles of fur to full fledged service dogs.

Our puppies grow up to become Guide Dogs or Autism Support Dogs — loyal, reliable partners for blind and visually-impaired people and children with autism. With your support, we are able to provide all of our dogs and services to clients free of charge. 

We have a number of sponsorship levels available: 

Puppy Scholarship ($15 monthly)
Help support the next generation of service dogs! We’ll match you with a 7 week old puppy who’ll send regular photos and letters to you (or your gift recipient). When the puppy graduates from Guide/Autism Support Dog School (about 2 years), we’ll team you up with a new puppy. Of course, you may opt out of the monthly Scholarship program at any time.

Kinderpup ($50 one time)
Contribute to the care of a whole litter of puppies as they prepare for school. You (or your gift recipient) will receive a framed photo and introduction letter to our latest litter of pups!

Puppy Bursary ($250 one time)
Contribute to the care of one of our pups from birth to graduation. We’ll match you (or your gift recipient) with a puppy who will send photos and letters from about 7 weeks of age to graduation from Guide/Autism Support Dog School (about 22 months total).

Mom & Pups Fund ($1000 one time)
Contribute towards the care of mom and her litter. You (or your gift recipient) will receive a photo of the happy family, and one of the puppies will send photos and letters about his/her adventures from about 7 weeks of age to graduation (about 22 months total) from Guide/Autism Support Dog School.

Your sponsorship...

• gives the gift of increased safety, mobility, and confidence to a visually-impaired/blind person or child with autism
• is fully tax deductible in Canada
• makes a great gift or in memoriam dedication

Help make a difference today for less than 50 cents a day. For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions section below. If you are prefer to make a general donation to our charity, please click here. 

To sponsor a puppy in BC:

• online: donate securely through CanadaHelps
• by phone: please contact Susan Robinson at BC Guide Dog Services at 604-940-4504 or 1-877-940-4504 (toll-free).

•  by fax or email: please download this form, then fax the completed form to 604-940-4506 or email it to susan.robinson@bcguidedog.com.

To sponsor a puppy in Alberta:

• online: donate securely through CanadaHelps
• by phone: please contact Alberta Guide Dog Services at 403-258-0819 or 1-877-258-0819 (toll-free in AB) 

• by fax or email: please download this form, then fax the completed form to 403-258-0842 or email it to info@albertaguidedog.com  

Puppy Sponsorship FAQ

1. Is my puppy guaranteed to become a Guide Dog or Autism Support Dog?
Like humans, each dog has its own personality and talents, and not all dogs are suited for a career as a service animal. The safety and health of our dogs and clients is always our top priority. Both Guide Dogs and Autism Support Dogs must meet testing standards set out by International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International respectively. We find suitable homes for dogs that do not qualify. If your puppy becomes a non-qualifier, we will transfer your sponsorship to another dog, often of a similar age (sometimes, it is a brother or sister of your puppy).  

2. Can I choose to co-sponsor a future Guide Dog only? An Autism Support Dog only? 
All of our puppies learn the same basic obedience skills, and it is only once they enter advanced training at about 15 months that we get a true sense of the best career for each dog. For that reason, it is impossible for us to tell if your puppy will become a Guide Dog or Autism Support Dog. Although we realize that one of the programs might be particularly close to your heart, we hope you will understand that your sponsorship will make a positive, life-changing difference either way. We encourage you to read some of the testimonials from our Guide Dog users and from families who have an Autism Support Dog. Alternatively, you can designate a general donation specifically to either our Guide Dog or Autism Support Dog programs (not part of the Puppy Sponsorship Program).  

3.  Can I visit my puppy?
All of our puppies are raised by volunteers, and because this is already a 24/7 responsibility, we do not ask volunteers to make special appearances out of respect for their time. For privacy reasons, we cannot arrange for visits to the volunteers' homes. However, many of our puppy raisers voluntarily attend our special events with their dogs, so you may have a chance to see your puppy or, at least, some of our other dogs-in-training. Check our Events page or Facebook page for information on upcoming appearances!

4. Can I name a puppy?
For donors who contribute $5000 or more, we extend the special privilege of naming a puppy.    

5. If I give a sponsorship as a gift, what will the gift recipient receive? 
We will send your designated recipient a letter (customized for the gift occasion), explaining the details of your gift. The Canadian income tax receipt will be mailed to you, the gift giver. 

6. In which community will my dog be placed after graduation?
Currently, we match dogs with adults and children throughout British Columbia and Alberta. Although we understand that donors may prefer to sponsor a dog that is placed in their own community, our first priority is to match a client with the most suitable canine, regardless of geographic location. 

7. Can my company/foundation/school co-sponsor a puppy?
Of course! We welcome individuals and groups alike to sponsor a puppy. 

8. Can I stop my monthly sponsorship at anytime?
Yes, you may terminate your sponsorship at any time. Please contact us at 604-940-4504 or 1-877-940-4504 to discontinue your monthly sponsorship.