FUNDRAISER FOR DOG GUIDES CRUCIAL DURING TRYING TIMES

In normal times, Caroline Cook would take her best friend Gracie everywhere. The sweet yellow lab makes her feel safe in public, watches over her and alerts her to sounds.

Now Gracie can no longer be her “security guard” and Cook, 29, has to venture out on her own to run essential errands. It’s very stressful. There are just way too many people that get too close to try to talk to Cook or pet Gracie, who wears a vest that reads “Hearing Dog Guide.”

“I don’t want to risk someone breaking social distance to pet Gracie, get the virus on her fur (and endanger anyone Gracie touches) or spend more time inside the grocery store than necessary,” says Cook, a teacher.

This means people are unaware of her invisible disability when she is out. Not only does she often need things repeated many times, but Cook says “it’s also scary to think if there is an emergency, I might not be able to know about it since I don’t have Gracie to alert me to the sound.”

Cook got her dog guide in December from The Lions Foundation of Canada, and the charitable foundation too is undergoing challenges because of the pandemic. Nearly 60 applicants with disabilities continue to be in waiting mode to meet their new best friend, and 120 dog guides in training have gone to foster families and dog sitters.

In addition, the foundation’s annual fundraiser, critical to providing life-changing dog guides to Canadians, has been forced to go virtual. On Sunday, May 31, the Pet Valu Virtual Walk for Dog Guides will take place across Canada at walkfordogguides.com and Canadians are being encouraged to walk, dance, run, bike, just do something physical – indoors or outside – to help out.

“These have been really difficult times for everyone and Dog Guides is no exception,” says Beverly Crandell, CEO at Dog Guides. While their priority has been the safety of applicants, staff, volunteers and of course, the dogs, they’ve had to make drastic changes and have also seen a major drop in donations.

“Financially, we depend on the support of the public and corporations and as you can imagine, donations have decreased significantly during these difficult times,” says Crandell. “We do not receive any government fund and despite each Dog Guide costing approximately $25,000 each, we provide them at no cost to qualified applicants.”

The organization falls under essential services so they continue to operate and support over 1,200 active dog graduates across Canada and more than 300 foster families caring for foster puppies. These puppies still require regular vet care and training support from puppy staff who have had to figure out to how continue to stay on top of the dogs’ training while being physically distant from them.

Every dollar raised through this Sunday’s virtual event will support Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides thanks to Pet Valu. Participants are asked to spread the word and share on social media with hashtag #VirtualWalkforDogGuides and to tag @PetValu and @LFCDogGuides.

“Now more than ever, we need the public’s support so that when things go back to normal, we can go back to helping more Canadians with a medical or physical disability,” adds Crandell.

Cook plans to participate in Sunday’s virtual event – she wants to give back for all that Gracie has given her. “The best thing is having a companion 24/7.  She is my security guard and best friend wrapped up in one,” says Cook, who sleeps much better at night knowing that if there was an emergency Gracie would wake her up.

And the Mulholland family from Edmonton is especially grateful for Cynder, an autism assistance guide dog that’s teamed up with their five-year-old Jones.

Unaware of danger, Jones used to run into traffic and family outings were often only possible if Jones was carried. Eight months ago that changed when Cynder came along, and today the family regularly goes on walks and outings.