Purina Walk for Dog Guides in the Kipling Community.

3 year old Paige Manns raised $1026 for the walk.

PHOTOS AND ARTICLE By: Darcie Thom

In spring of 2007, a Kipling Local scouted and walked for a foundation called the “Purina Walk for Dog Guides” in Regina Beach. This year, Elden Gibson, took everything to heart and brought the foundation to Kipling.

The 3.8 km walk took place Saturday, May 10th, with approximately 17 dogs and 40 people from Kipling and surrounding areas. Every person and dog, from the Kipling walk, took the entire walk into consideration, not one person took the shorter walk. A total of $3405 was raised between the Kipling Lions Club and everyone that walked and pledged for the “Purina Walk for Dog Guides”.

“Elden did a great job organizing this event, he did a good job getting the community aware”, says Ken Peters, director of the Lions Foundation of Canada, Purina Walk for Dog Guides.

The Lions Club of Canada and Purina have been training, and nurturing dogs (including puppies) into working guides to serve the needs of Canadians with hearing, visual, medical and physical disabilities since 1983. Over 1200 Canadians have had to face the high costs of Guide Dogs, and the long waiting periods, due to the increased costs and demands. The placing, training, travel and accommodation costs are approximately 25,000 for each Dog Guide.

The puppies are trained anywhere from 8-12 weeks and when training is complete, will be a Guide Dog until they retire at 8-10 years of age. The Lions Foundation of Canada trains the dogs for the four programs that they have designed to aid the people in need. The programs are offered to people in need of Canine Vision Guide Dogs, Hearing Ear Guide Dogs, Special Skill Guide Dogs, and Seizure Response Guide Dogs.

Currently, the foundation is expanding the center and working to double the amount of dogs being trained and placed with people in need. Unfortunately, over 194 people are waiting for a Guide Dog and half of them will have to wait for over two years because the foundation is only able to train and place approximately 105 dogs per year, in Canada. Sadly, there are only about 33 working Guide Dogs in Saskatchewan at this time.

“There was excellent participation from the community and area and everyone seemed to have fun”, says Elden Gibson, Chairman and organizer of the walk.

The foundation will receive 100 percent of the proceeds raised for every walk across Canada.

For further information please visit: www.purinawalkfordogguides.com or call 1-800-768-3030.