Updated November 2012

Guide Dog Benefit

Legislation
Highlights
Procedure
Guide Dog Training Schools

Legislation

This section is an excerpt from the Ontario Works Act, 1997 prescribed by the Province of Ontario.

55.

(1) The following benefits shall be paid with respect to each of the members of a recipient's benefit unit if the administrator is satisfied that he or she meets the criteria for them and income assistance is being paid on his or her behalf:

If a member of the benefit unit has a guide dog, an amount not exceeding $75 for the care of the guide dog.

Highlights

The guide dog benefit is a mandatory Ontario Works (OW) benefit and is provided for the routine care and feeding of the dog. The benefit is available to any client, spouse or dependant who is either blind or deaf and who has a trained guide dog.

The dog must meet the definition as outlined in the Blind Person's Right Act and be trained in one of the schools listed in the Regulation or trained by Hearing Ear Dogs of Canada or another hearing ear guide dog school which provides an identification or certification card.

Procedure

Verification that the dog is a guide dog can be either a certificate from the training school or a registration card from the Provincial Ministry of the Attorney General. Only guide dogs trained at the schools listed in the Regulation of the Blind Person's Act can be registered.

The caseworker is to ensure that the guide dog is still with the client, spouse or dependant before issuing the benefit.

A copy of the dog's certification should be kept on file.
No receipts with respect to the care provided to the dog are required
$75.00 a month per dog per Benefit Member may be issued for 12 months with a review every 12 months.

Guide Dog Training Schools under the Blind Persons' Rights Act

Canada

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind
P.O. Box 280, Rideau Valley Dr. N., Manotick, Ontario, K4M 1A3
613-692-7777

Canine Vision Canada
P.O. Box 907, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5E8
905-842-2891

United States

Seeing Eye Inc
P.O. Box 375, Morristown, New Jersey

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
371 East Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, New York

Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc.
P.O. Box 1200, San Rafael, California

Pilot Dogs Inc.
625 West Town Street, Columbus, Ohio

Eye of the Pacific Guide Dogs & Mobility Services Inc.
2723 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii

Eye Dog Foundation for the Blind
512 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles California

Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 Rochester Road, Rochester, Michigan

Guiding Eyes for the Blind Inc.
661 Granite Springs, Yorktown Heights, New York

International Guiding Eyes Inc.
13445 Glen Oaks Blvd, Sylmar, California

International

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Head Office
Alexandra House, 9-11 Park Street, Windsor, Berkshire, England