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Walk for Dog Guides to be held at Tottenham Community Centre later this month

May 15, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Lions Foundation of Canada Walk for Dog Guides sponsored by Pet Value will take place on Sunday, May 25, to raise funds to train guide dogs for various tasks that help people with intellectual or physical disabilities.

Dog Guides are provided at no cost to the people who benefit from their help.

The canine helpers are trained to perform different tasks depending on the needs of a person and can also be trained to recognize some health issues that may occur.

Hearing Dog Guides assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing and can detect important sounds. These dogs are taught to distinguish specific sounds and alert their handler.

Canine Vision Dogs assist people who are blind or visually impaired. They are trained to safely navigate obstacles typically found on a daily route.

Some guide dogs are trained as Service Dog Guides. These dogs are trained to fetch objects, open and close doors and appliances, push automatic buttons, and get help by barking to activate an alert system.

Seizure Response Dog Guides are trained to assist people diagnosed with intractable epilepsy. These dogs are trained to bark for help and help their handlers manage their epilepsy.

Some Dog Guides are trained to assist people with Type 1 Diabetes who have hypoglycemic unawareness. These dogs are trained to detect sudden drops in their handler’s blood sugar and alert them.

An Autism Assistance Dog Guide assists children on the autism spectrum by providing safety, and companionship. They also help to prevent children from eloping or wandering.

Some Dog Guides work with professional agencies that work with vulnerable people who have experienced trauma. These dogs are trained to provide a non-judgmental, attuned presence and calming influence to reassure a person experiencing a stressful situation.

It costs around $30,000 to raise, train and place a Dog Guide.

By taking part in the walk, you can help raise funds to keep this program going and train these needed dogs.

The Tottenham Dog Guide walk will start at the Tottenham Community Centre with registration at 9 a.m., and the walk commencing at 10 a.m.

You can register online by visiting www.walkfordogguides.com. 

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