Imagine being able to transform someone’s life with the gift of independence. That is what a professionally trained Guide Dog, Autism or OSI-PTSD Service Dog can do for someone who is blind or has low vision, a child with profound autism or a Veteran or First Responder looking to reclaim their place in the community.

Take a moment & visualize the benefits these Service Dogs give their recipients on a day-to-day basis; increased safety, enhanced mobility, facilitated safe navigation & freedom & confidence to explore.

For a child with autism, increased safety, positive changes in behaviour, improved social skills, more predictability in social situations, increased security & support for the child, improved sleeping habits & much more are possible. The entire family benefits. Having an Autism Service Dog means being able to do simple things the rest of us take for granted, like going to the supermarket, the mall or the park as a family. In essence, it means being able to experience childhood, instead of missing out.

Our OSI-PTSD Service Dogs provide a living, breathing lifeline to the outside world. While each bond is unique, the objective remains the same: to empower Veterans & First Responders with the tools to reclaim their place in the community and rebuild their lives.

Our mission is to meet the growing demand for professionally trained Guide Dogs & Service Dogs for citizens of BC & Alberta. Each puppy born through our in-house breeding program has the potential to grow up to change someone’s life.

Although often viewed as a dog organization, BC & Alberta Guide Dogs is actually an organization about people. When evaluating applicants’ suitability for Guide Dog or Service Dog training, we see ability rather than disability. All training programs are tailored to the needs of each individual, which includes domiciliary (at-home) training in the client’s familiar environment. While our services are provided at no cost to recipients, it takes two years & up to $35,000 to breed, raise & train one of these furry heroes-in-the-making. We are not government funded & rely on the generosity of donors, as well as special events & fundraisers, for funding.

Reece & Autism Service Dog Shay:

The addition of Shay, with his four furry paws, has truly been a transformative blessing for my family. When we were all feeling burnt out and in desperate need of help, we could never have imagined that this help would arrive in the form of such a beautiful dog.

Reece’s journey and challenges are not just his alone but also our family’s. Every night, the simple act of teeth brushing became a battleground, and bedtime required my presence for Reece to settle down. Despite the numerous therapies I’ve pursued for Reece, there are moments of exhaustion and frustration that seem insurmountable.

The toll on my family was palpable. While loving their brother deeply, my daughters couldn’t help but feel frustrated at times. They saw him as the reason for missed family activities and disrupted meals, but deep down, they knew it was the weight of autism that bore down on us all.

Shay became a part of the family in the summer of 2023. From day one, he and Reece have formed an incredible team. The changes in our daily life are nothing short of miraculous. I no longer spend my nights lying beside Reece to help him fall asleep.

Dinnertime, once a source of dread, has become a pleasant part of everyone’s day. Reece no longer hides under the table; he sits confidently on a chair with Shay by his side. I can even be in another room away from Reece, knowing that Shay is there to provide support and comfort.

Shay has brought Reece a newfound sense of independence, allowing him to practice important life skills like buttoning up a shirt, holding eye contact, and following two-step directions while caring for Shay. Reece’s confidence has grown, and my family has gained the security to take him out to try new experiences. Thanks to Shay’s calming presence, Reece could sit through his brother’s graduation in June, marking a significant achievement.

As a family, we’ve ventured out to places like the fair, camping, trips, and the zoo, all made possible by Shay’s invaluable assistance. Instead, like clockwork, Shay and Reece will sit side by side to brush their teeth and prepare for bedtime, with Shay tucking himself in next to Reece.

My daughters have also noticed the positive changes in our family dynamic since Shay’s arrival. His presence has brought peace into our lives, and now that Shay helps put Reece to bed, I have more time to help my daughters with their school assignments and enjoy one-on-one moments with them.

One of the most remarkable developments Shay has facilitated is Reece’s ability to voice his needs. Reece can now express himself, preventing potential tantrums and improving his interactions with others. For example, during a recent BBQ, Reece tugged on my arm and said, “Shay is feeling done and would like to go home.”

I am eagerly looking forward to witnessing the new opportunities and doors that will open for Reece with Shay by his side. I never imagined an extra set of hands or paws would make such a difference.

Reece and Shay form a “Team Terrific,” and Shay’s impact on our lives is immeasurable.

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For over 27 years, we have been expertly breeding & training Guide Dogs for individuals who are blind or have low vision, Service dogs for children with autism & for Veterans & First Responders.

It takes an average of two years to train a Guide or ServiceDog & requires an entire team of veterinarians, staff, trainers & volunteers. We understand the profound impact our dogs have & we take every effort necessary to partner the right dog with the right client.

The overall process to raise and train a service dog includes:

• Breeding: We manage our own breeding program, giving careful consideration to litter frequency, health of the bitch and sire, genetics & more.
• Puppy Training: Once the puppies are weaned, they are placed with volunteer puppy raisers for the first 14-16 months of their life. During this time, they learn basic obedience & are socialized to every environment possible. We support the volunteers with our staff member (Puppy Training Supervisor) who holds on-going obedience classes & one-on-one visits and evaluations with them.
• Advanced Training: At 14-16 months of age, the puppies commence “advanced training” with a Certified Instructor for a further 4 – 6 months. Here they are taught more specific skills & are assessed as to suitability for placement with a recipient.
• Placement: Upon completing advanced training, the dogs are placed with a recipient. Our professional training staff facilitate full-time, one-on-one in-home training with clients for two to four weeks. Despite the higher cost of training people at their homes (travel & accommodation costs for our instructors), we are committed to this model as it reduces stress for the recipients & increases success of the team.
• After-care: Post-match follow-up visits at 3 months, then annually. We are also available as needed for questions, addressing any areas of concern or for further training.

Demand for both Guide & Service Dogs continues to rapidly & recipients are faced with a three-year+ wait list.

How can you help? Support our efforts to produce Guide or Service Dogs financially or with your time & make a difference in someone’s life for years to come. These loyal, reliable canine partners work for up to eight years making a difference day in a day out to someone in need.

It costs up to $35,000 to breed, raise, train, place & provide life-long aftercare support for each Guide or Service Dog that graduates. To supply more people with professionally trained Guide & Service Dogs we need to increase the number of dogs in our program. In order to do this we need more funding.

Ways to support:

1) One-time or Monthly Donations: make a tax-deductible contribution any time of year.

2) Puppy Sponsorship: follow the progress of a puppy from birth to graduation with regular photos and letters.

KINDERPUP ($50+ gift) 

Help a puppy prepare for school and receive: a welcome letter about your sponsored pup & a framed photo of your lovable bundle

PUPPY PAL ($100+ gift)

Help a puppy through puppy training and receive: a welcome letter about your sponsored pup, a framed photo of your lovable bundle, 5 blank puppy greeting cards and an ‘official puppy sponsor’ certificate

PUPPY SCHOLARSHIP ($250+ gift or $15/month ongoing – your choice!)

Help support a puppy from birth until they graduate and receive: a welcome letter about your sponsored pup, a framed photo of your lovable bundle, regular personalized ‘pup’dates and recent photos as your puppy grows up (monthly donors will be teamed up with a new pup after graduation)

MOM & PUPS FUND ($1,000 gift)

Support the care of a mom & her litter and receive: a birth announcement and a framed photo of mom & her pups, a welcome letter about your sponsored pup, a framed photo of your lovable bundle, regular personalized ‘pup’dates and recent photos as your puppy grows up

PUPPY NAMING ($5,000 gift)

Choose a name for one of our puppies and you will also receive: a welcome letter and a framed photo of your lovable bundle, recognizing your contribution, personalized ‘pup’dates and recent photos as your puppy grows up

3) Bequests or Endowments: set up a gift in your will or establish an endowment in memory of a loved one.

4) Life Insurance Policies: name our charity as a beneficiary; your premiums will qualify as tax-deductible contributions.

5) Fundraising: organize a fundraising event or ask friends and family to donate on special occasions.

6) Volunteer:

• Be a Puppy Trainer. Puppies begin living with volunteers at about 8 weeks old & stay until they are 14 – 16 months of age when they start their advanced training. During this time Puppy Trainers expend time, energy & love to the puppies in order to raise puppies that are well prepared for their professional training as a service dog. Our Puppy Raising Supervisor supports Puppy Trainers & the cost of dog food, veterinary care & other basic necessities are covered. Monthly training evaluations & regular obedience classes are required as is availability during the weekdays for these sessions.