The Guide Dog Assistance Fund provides support for extraordinary veterinary expenses as well as support to attend conferences and meetings related to guide dog issues. There is also support available to assist with legal fees related to guide dog access rights.
Veterinary Expenses
What is an extraordinary veterinary expense for guide dogs?
Emergency or unexpected expenses that are not routine care expenses, including but not limited to:
- emergency care
- surgical procedures, excluding teeth cleaning
- treatment for infections and fractures
- long-term medications
- special diets prescribed by veterinarian
- the cost of euthanasia
What is not covered by the fund?
- Routine veterinary care including check-ups, vaccinations. flea and heartworm medication, grooming (such as nail clipping and ear cleaning) and teeth cleaning.
- Alternative treatments and procedures by someone other than a veterinarian.
- Expenses normally covered by the school that trained the guide dog.
- Expenses covered by pet insurance policies held by the school or the handler.
- Expenses already reimbursed by another organization
Who makes treatment decisions?
A guide dog's handler and the veterinarian make decisions together about the best treatment for the dog
When can I apply?
It is recommended that you contact us in advance if possible, to determine if your treatment will be covered by the Assistance Fund. The Application Form is submitted after your guide dog has received treatment, along with your veterinary invoices.
Please note: If an estimate related to an extraordinary expense such as surgery is approved prior to treatment, eligible reimbursement will not occur until after veterinary invoices have been submitted. Ideally application for reimbursement should be submitted within six months after treatment and no more than one year after treatment.
How do I apply?
There are three options:
1. Download and complete the application form online.
Please note you can set up an appointment with someone at your local CNIB office to help you download and complete the form.
The form is available below:
2. Download and Print the form or have a paper copy mailed to you.
3. Once the form is completed, send the form and the invoice for the treatment to: GuideDog.Fund@cnib.ca
Or you can mail it to:
Guide Dog Fund
Attn: Larissa Proctor
1929 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON, M4G 0A1
What happens to my application?
The application will be reviewed before approving a request. CNIB Guide Dogs may pay all, part, or none of the submitted expense depending on the eligibility requirements outlined above. Reimbursement should take 3-4 weeks after submission.
For more information, contact the administrator of the Guide Dog Assistance Fund at GuideDog.Fund@cnib.ca or call Larissa Proctor, Manager, Guide Dog Advocacy at 1-800-563-2642 ext. 5391.
Assistance for Conferences and Training Events
Email GuideDog.Fund@cnib.ca
You will need to provide: Name of event, date, who is organizing the event and the cost. CNIB Guide Dogs may assist with some or all the registration fee for the event. Costs can only be reimbursed after receipt of the invoice for the event. Invoices can be submitted via email or mail as outlined for veterinary reimbursements above.
Assistance Fund for Legal Support
For assistance with legal support around access rights for guide dog teams, please contact:
Larissa Proctor
Manager, Guide Dog Advocacy
Larissa.Proctor@cnib.ca
1-800-563-2642 ext. 5391
If you live in Western Canada, please contact:
Tracy Garbutt
Program Lead, Client Relations and Ambassador Dog Program
Tracy.Garbutt@cnib.ca
204-894-6926
How can I donate to the Guide Dog Assistance Fund?
You can donate to the Guide Dog Assist Fund or any of the CNIB Foundation programs by clicking the DONATE button on the top of this page or calling 1-800-563-2642.