For a third year in a row, the Lions Club of Ponoka is hosting a dog guide event aimed at recognizing the hard work our canine friends do to protect or save human lives.
Called the Purina Walk for Dog Guides, the event is set for Sunday, May 31 at 1 p.m. at Centennial Park and is intended to be a fun day for all dog owners and for people who need help from professional canines everyday of their lives, explained organizer Dixie Tyndall.
The event is also a fundraiser for the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides school, which is a special program funded solely through donations and other fundraising efforts. “What a lot of people don’t realize is the Lions Club Dog Guide program is zero per cent government funded,” explained Tyndall.
In an effort to show just how hard these dogs work, Tyndall says they will have a mock rescue where a dog guide will help a person out of an area.
“The dogs will actually go in and find someone in our rubble pile,” said Tyndall.
Last year, the Lions Club raised just over $5,500 but Tyndall says interest is higher than in previous years. The club will also be hosting a raffle with tickets costing $2. The winner will walk away with a new dog house, said Tyndall.
Training programs for dog guides includes: Canine Vision, Hearing Ear, Service Dogs, Seizure Response, Autism Assistance and Diabetic Alert Dogs.
Tyndall said the event is open for all dog owners and for more information or to donate, those interested should call her at 403-704-0304.