International Guide Dog Day
Guide dogs provide constant aid, protection, and companionship to people with various disabilities and special needs, so thank them—maybe with a treat.
Drive donations and pet adoptions by celebrating the life-changing impact of guide dogs and supporting training organizations.
- Meet the guide dogs who changed lives: share training success stories and adoption journeys
- Donate to guide dog organizations and help train the next generation of service dogs
- Adopt a career-change guide dog: give a well-trained dog a loving home when they don't complete training
- Behind the scenes: the rigorous training that prepares guide dogs for independence and safety
Guide dogs may have been around since 79 AD, a fact which was discovered when paintings of guide dogs being used to help the blind were uncovered on the excavations in Pompeii, Italy.
Guide dogs have been used in various countries throughout the centuries, such as ancient China and medieval Europe. During the 1700s and 1800s, historians and anthropologists seem to have encountered more observations of guide dogs through children’s nursery rhymes and stories.
However, even though they had been used in previous times, it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that some of the first legislation recognizing guide dogs started to appear. One such activity was noted in 1838, when the British Parliament exempted license fees for “shepherds’ dogs and “those kept by the blind as guides.” This type of legislation encourages those who keep dogs that help them with their work or with disabilities.
The early 1900s began the organized training of guide dogs for blind people, and in 1934, the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association was established in the United Kingdom.
People who lived in the era of WWII saw extensive use for these kinds of helping dogs, specifically for veterans who had lost their sight in the midst of war due to chemical related injuries. And although communities have made much progress in the way of guide dogs, many people don’t realize that it wasn’t until 2010, when the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) helped establish legal rules for those with disabilities who are in need of guide dogs.
International Guide Dog Day was started in 1992 to honor the work that these service dogs provide for people with visual disabilities everywhere. These dogs have skills including leading a blind person around an area, assisting with a hobby, picking up dropped items, providing emotional comfort during their service and much more. This is why guide dogs are some of the best service dogs to have.
Adopt a Former Guide Dog
One great way to celebrate International Guide Dog Day is to consider supporting those dogs who haven’t made it through training by adopting them. This is possible even for people who don’t need their own guide dog but still want a dog to adopt a dog that couldn’t complete their training and give them a new home. Sometimes dogs get into the training program and can’t quite make it through the program to become a full-fledged guide dog. These are usually gentle dogs that simply had some minor difficulty, but they would make an excellent, well-trained family pet!
Make a Donation to a Guide Dog Organization
Donate money to a local guide dog training organization. Some of the organizations to consider that are well-known and trustworthy are: Guide Dog Foundation Support the Guide Dog training program, by making a donation to the foundation.Guide Dogs of America Supporting those who train and are accompanied by guide dogs, this organization helps not only the visually impaired, but also veterans and those with autism.Guiding Eyes for the Blind This group is passionate about connecting exceptional dogs with individuals to help with greater independence.Freedom Guide DogsRaising, training and placing successful working guide dogs with the visually impaired.
Share with Family and Friends
One great way to enjoy and celebrate this day is to share this holiday with coworkers and family members and show support for these fantastic dogs. Take some time to raise awareness so that other people will also know about how important this day is and can be supportive also!