JOYCE GERO: VIRTUAL WALK FOR DOG GUIDES

The Lions Foundation of Canada’s Walk for Dog Guides will not take place this month in Colchester County because of COVID-19. However, a virtual dog walk will be an opportunity to support the cause.

In normal times, on the last Sunday of May, Lions clubs across Canada have hosted the Lions Foundation of Canada (LFC) Walk for Dog Guides.

The walk, sponsored by Pet Valu and raises funds to support guide dog teams and assist those with disabilities, has raised more than $18 million since 1985, with about 300 walks taking place around the country in 2019.

Because of COVID-19, these are not normal times, and the Truro & District Lions Club regrets the event will not be held locally this year.

There is an opportunity, however, in the midst of social distancing, for people to support this worthwhile effort through a virtual walk. To find out more about how you can challenge friends, family, co-workers, and the community to participate through physical activity at home, visit walkfordogguides.com

So, what is LFC, and what are guide dog teams? Since Lions are known as Knights of the Blind, Lions clubs across Canada decided to develop a national project to enhance their service to people with visual disabilities. As a result, its founding program, Canine Vision Canada, was established in 1985 in Oakville, Ont.

The original mission of the foundation was to provide, through their training facility, a canine vision dog guide and training for both the dog and handler, free of charge to Canadians with visual disabilities.

Twenty-five years later, despite an approximate cost of $25,000 to train and place, the program is still providing this free service and has expanded to include dogs trained for several different purposes. In 2018-2019 alone, 100 teams of dog guides and handlers, as those to whom they are assigned are known, graduated from the breeding and training facility in Breslau, the largest school of its kind in Canada. Programs offered include:

Canine vision – with dog guides trained to assist handlers ages 12 and older in navigating obstacles typically found on most daily routes, including curbs, steps and crowds.

Hearing assistance – with dog guides assisting deaf or hard of hearing individuals who are 10 or older to detect sounds they are unable to hear on their own. The dogs have been taught to distinguish sounds, make physical contact with their handlers and lead them to whatever is making the noise; be it someone at the door, an alarm clock, or a ringing telephone.

Seizure response – with dog guides trained to assist individuals 10 years or older with epilepsy. The dogs are capable of activating an alert system or barking for help in the event of a seizure. Their quick response and reaction abilities make them trustworthy companions, providing their handlers with the confidence to live independently.

Service – with dog guides assisting those aged 10 or older with physical or medical disabilities. On a daily basis, they help their handlers retrieve objects, open and close appliances, open and close doors, and activate an alert system when help is needed.

Autism assistance – with dog guides helping children between three and 12 who are on the autism spectrum. They provide safety, companionship, and unconditional love, offer a calming relief for children in high anxiety situations, and reduce stress commonly experienced in public places.

Diabetic alert – with dog guides assisting people aged 10 or older who are insulin-dependent with hypoglycemic unawareness. They detect sudden drops in blood sugar through scent and alert handlers so they can ingest something sweet, avoiding loss of consciousness. They can go get help within the home or activate an alert system if needed.

Facility support – with dogs used by professional agencies with individuals in traumatic situations. These dogs are trained to provide comfort to victims or witnesses of a crime or sudden tragedy. They provide on-scene support, when requested, to those most vulnerable, as well as added support to persons providing difficult disclosure to police for crimes such as child abuse, sexual assault, etc.

In addition to supporting LFC through sponsorship of at least one dog guide team a year, Truro & District Lions participate in the Adopt-a-Puppy program, with $100 memorial donations for club members who have passed.

Lifetime memberships in LFC, also costing $100 each, for club members are another way we support the foundation, as is the purchase of $1,000 Judge Brian Stephenson fellowships, given to those club and/or community members who deserve special recognition.

Canadian Lions are proud to have a national foundation that provides such vital support to people in our communities.