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Alliston Lions Club Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides raises funds to train helpful canines

The walk helps fund training for dog guides, which can cost around $35,000 for a single dog
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Dog Guides are valuable companions  for many people who have disabilities or need assistance in a variety of ways. 

It takes a couple of years and around $35,000 to train a single dog before it is  ready to be paired up with an individual. 

The Lions Foundation of Canada Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides raises funds  so these dogs can be properly trained. 

The walks are held across the country. 

This year, the Alliston Lions Club will  host their walk on Saturday, September 25,  beginning at the Club’s home on Boyne  Street in Alliston.

 For the past two summers, the walk has been held virtually, but this year, it will be  an in-person walk and the public is invited  to take part and bring their dogs with them  to walk the route. 

“There are actually seven categories of  dogs that help with different needs,” explained Alliston Lions Club member and  chair of the Walk for Guide Dogs Jamie  Karsch. “There’s one for hearing, there’s  canine vision, service dogs, medic alert  dogs, and autism assistance - which is typically for kids ages three to 12. The newest  category is facility support. There are dogs  that are trained for specific services like  help getting on an escalator, pushing a button, opening a door, or stopping at crosswalks.” 

Facility support dogs are trained to be in places like police stations and are used to  help people who have been through a serious trauma. Many people who have been  through traumatic events will take comfort  with a friendly dog as a temporary companion during trying times. 

Suitable dogs go into training while  still a puppy and there are several stages  of training that takes place. 

After learning  basic training, dogs are then moved into a  more specialized field. 

All the funds raised during the walk go directly to training the dog guides. Since 1983, the foundation has provided over 3,000 Dog Guides across Canada, that  are placed with Canadians with a medical  or physical disability at no cost.

The Foundation receives zero government funding and relies on the support  of the public to continue to provide Dog  Guides. 

Registration for the Alliston walk will  begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, and the walk will start at 11:00 a.m.

 You can learn more by visiting the website at www.walkfordogguides.com.

Brian Lockhart is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for the Tecumseth Times. The Local Journalism Initiative Program is funded by the government of Canada



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