The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind is now training dogs to assist people with disabilities other than blindness.

Service Dogs, as they are known, become the physical extensions of their owners … retrieving dropped items, turning on light switches, bringing cordless telephones if the owner has difficulty reaching the phone, opening and closing doors, retrieving letters and newspapers from letterboxes and picking up accidently dropped articles like keys.

These specially bred dogs are ready and able to perform a variety of basic tasks to bring independence to a person with a physical disability. They are trained in a variety of environments to prepare them for working in all kinds of situations.

A person is eligible for a Service Dog if he/she has limitations that can be overcome with the help of such a dog; and is capable of providing a secure and loving home for the dog. The person must also be able to attend a 2-3 week training course at our training centre in Sandton, Johannesburg or in the case of the Western Cape our training and PR facility in Cape Town.

Upon completion of the required training the disabled person will become the dog’s owner after paying a nominal fee of R5-00 and R100.00 for accommodation. Click here for an electronic copy of the required forms.

To apply for a Service Dog contact :

The Guide Dog Services Manager

The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind

PO Box 67585

Bryanston

2021

Telephone : 011 705 3513/4 or 087 754 9295 Fax 086 506 3364