Thursday April 21, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Two well-behaved BC & Alberta Guide Dogs named Bonnie and Henry met British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry at a special event yesterday in downtown Victoria.
The meeting came just days before the two dogs are to move on to advanced training. The canine pair are on their final steps before becoming either life-changing Guide Dogs, Autism Service Dogs, or OSI-PTSD Service Dogs for those in need.
The two yellow Labradors had begun training with BC and Alberta Guide Dogs as puppies at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Puppies live with local volunteer families from eight weeks of age until they start advanced training at about 14-24 months old. Trainers can be individuals, couples, or families with school-age children available during the day for meetings and obedience classes.
All food and vet costs are covered, and volunteers receive ongoing training from BC & Alberta Guide Dogs staff and support from a strong network of fellow volunteers.
Who was there:
Oh hand for the photo op yesterday with Dr Henry were:
- Matthias Lenz, Manager, Puppy Trainer, BC & Alberta Guide Dogs
- Nancy Clarke, Puppy Training Supervisor, Vancouver Island
- Joanne Thacker, Volunteer Puppy Raiser (Bonnie)
- Sonja Seyfort, Volunteer Puppy Raiser (Henry)
About the charity:
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs is a registered charity. The organization breeds, raises, and professionally trains Guide Dogs for blind or visually impaired individuals, Autism Support Dogs for children ages 3 to 10 who have moderate to profound autism and their families, and OSI–PTSD Service Dogs for military and RCMP Veterans living with PTSD.
It takes two years and upwards of $35,000 to produce one certified dog, provided free of charge to the recipient.
The organization’s social media handles are:
- Facebook: @bcandalbertaguidedogservices
- Twitter: @bcguidedogs
Learn more at www.bcandalbertaguidedogs.com
