BC and Alberta Guide Dogs is a non-profit charitable society, based in Ladner, which breeds, raises and professionally trains Guide Dogs for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, Autism Support Dogs, for children 3 to 10 years and their families, and Service Dogs for veterans, first responders and RCMP members suffering from Operational Stress Injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, all at no cost to the client. Each fully trained guide dog or service dog enables each client to live a fulfilling and productive life.
For the past nearly 50 years Bill Thornton has directly served the needs of many people in communities on three continents through the training and human services of dogs for people with little or no sight. Bill’s longest and most significant contribution in that field has been in Canada, since 1984, in non-profit development of guide dog services for the sight impaired, with his founding of Canadian Guide Dogs in the Ottawa area. Bill carried his compassion for, and commitment to, dogs in the service of people in need to Ladner when he founded with his wife, Linda, British Columbia Guide Dog Services in 1996. More recently that service has extended to service dogs for Canadian military veterans, RCMP and first responders living with operational stress injuries such as PTSD and for children with autism and their families. Bill has also played a major role in developing international standards and professional collaboration, through the International Guide Dog Federation which he founded with other leaders in the field. |  |
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| Right, Irene Forcier and President Guillermo Bustos thank Bill Thornton and "Ambassador" Finn | |