TORONTO --
Demand for guide dogs has surged during the pandemic, but border closures and COVID-19 restrictions have prevented the majority of foreign-trained dogs from entering Canada and has delayed training domestically, making it harder than ever to get that life-changing partnership.
“We are probably a month or two behind where we would typically be at right now,” Alex Ivic, manager of development at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind (CGDB), told CTV News.
People currently on CGDB’s waitlist could be waiting between three and 12 months to complete the process and acquire a guide dog, he said.
The pandemic has closed off the border for American-trained dogs. It has also pushed guide dog providers domestically to scale back in-person lessons, which teach owners how to adjust to their new companions.