Business
Pet Valu Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Dog Guides' Fundraising Walk
MARKHAM, Ontario, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 25th, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Gu...
About this update from Pet Valu Holdings Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"Pet Valu Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Dog Guides’ Fundraising WalkPet Valu Walk for Dog Guides to be held on May 25 in 200 communities across Canada\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n MARKHAM, Ontario, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 25th, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides (“Dog Guides”) will host its annual national fundraising walk, the\n \n Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides\n \n (the “Walk”), marking the Walk’s 40\n \n th\n \n anniversary since inception in 1985. As national sponsor since 2017, Pet Valu is proud to once again join Dog Guides in hosting this event in 200 communities across Canada. This year’s Walk aims to raise $1.6 million so that life changing dog guides can continue to be provided to Canadians with physical and medical disabilities at no cost.\n \n\n Reflecting on the remarkable growth and contributions of this event, CEO of Dog Guides, Bev Crandall, said, “when Dog Guides hosted its first fundraising walk forty years ago, it was a small community affair that supported our Canine Vision Program, the only program we offered at the time. Dog Guides has grown significantly over the past four decades. Today there are more than 800 working dog guides across seven different programs, providing life changing assistance to their handlers in every province.”\n \n\n Despite its growth and evolution over the years, Dog Guides commitment to providing dog guides to all handlers free of charge, remains steadfast. Each dog guide costs approximately $35,000 to breed, raise, train and place. The Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides, a fun, inclusive 5 km walk, is the largest annual fundraiser supporting Dog Guides’ operational costs.\n \n\n Forty years ago, the small Oakville-based training school graduated approximately 20 Canine Vision teams annually. Today, Dog Guides:\n \n\n\n Has grown to a team of highly skilled instructors and dedicated staff, supported by more than 700 volunteers.\n \n\n Purposely breeds all their own dogs, including approximately 200 puppies annually to meet Dog Guides’ needs for health and temperament.\n \n\n Trains dog guides across seven programs including Canine Vision, Hearing, Seizure Response, Diabetes Alert, Autism Assistance, Service and Facility Support.\n \n\n Is a global leader that shares information and learnings with similar ...