International Guide Dog Day
The International Guide Dog Federation shared an informative press release in honor of International Guide Dog Day, which is celebrated annually the last Wednesday in April. The Guide Dog Foundation was the first assistance dog school in the USA to be accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International; our sister organization, America's VetDogs, was the second organization to receive this dual accreditation. Please enjoy their press release below!
The first International Guide Dog Day was celebrated in 1992 and is held on the last Wednesday in April each year. Guide dogs provide opportunities for social interaction and greater independence for people who are blind or have low vision. International Guide Dog Day pays tribute to the dogs who do this impressive work. Guide dogs help their owners make their way through the world while offering love and comfort in so many ways.
References to guide dogs date back to the 16th Century, so for the hundreds of years of service that these faithful companions have provided, we pay tribute to their service this year on April 24th (the last Wednesday in April).
The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) is the professional organization and standard-setter for guide dog organizations with 99 member organizations around the world. There are more guide dogs in the world than any other type of assistance or service dog. Guide dog organizations have pioneered the development of training methods for dogs to assist people with disabilities or long-term health conditions and there are now also many other types of assistance dogs worldwide.
To mark International Guide Dog Day 2024, IGDF has published its latest global statistics which give a picture of guide dog services worldwide.
Guide Dog Statistics as of December 31, 2023
19,557 guide dogs are currently working worldwide. This means that 19,557 people who are blind or have low vision have the support of a guide dog to help them live life on their terms. This is a small decrease from the 20,281 guide dog teams working in 2022, as a result of decreased training numbers since the Covid-19 pandemic.
2,598 guide dogs were trained during 2023. The global Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on IGDF members around the world, but they showed resilience and creativity and found ways to continue to deliver these essential services. The 2023 figure of 2,598 is an improvement on the 2022 figure of 2,426, the 2021 total of 2,405 and the 2020 figure of 2,038, but further work is needed to return to the pre-pandemic levels of 3,000 guide dogs being trained each year.
7,007 individuals were employed full or part-time by IGDF organizations around the world. Their dedication, expertise and professionalism enables thousands of people who are blind or have low vision to enjoy a safe and effective guide dog service.
38,348 individual volunteers gave their time and experience to help IGDF member organizations deliver these life-changing services. This is a substantial increase on the 34,033 individual volunteers recorded in 2022. This demonstrates the strength and breadth of community involvement and support around the world.
9,312 guide dog puppies started guide dog training during 2023. This is a substantial increase on the 7,462 puppies who started guide dog training during 2022. The Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on guide dog training and guide dog waiting lists have increased worldwide. IGDF member organizations are determined to increase guide dog provision and reduce the time people have to wait for a guide dog. These new puppies are the guide dogs of the future.
More statistics on the IGDF website: https://www.igdf.org.uk/about-us/facts-and-figures/
Overall, these statistics show that IGDF member organizations continue to recover following the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, but total guide dog training numbers have not reached their pre-pandemic levels.
Despite the increasing number of guide dog teams being trained and the record number of individuals volunteering for guide dog organizations worldwide, guide dog handlers continue to face access issues in many parts of the world.
In his latest podcast, John Welsman discusses the issues of access refusals with an international panel of experts. The podcast will be available from the IGDF podcasts page: https://www.igdf.org.uk/podcasts/ onA April 24, 2024.
To better understand this important issue, IGDF will be undertaking the first ever international survey to measure the scale of access refusals worldwide. Learn more about the IGDF here.
Guide Dog Foundation helps people who are blind or have low vision Live Without Boundaries! Learn how here!