2013 Diamond Jubilee Highlights
In 2013 SAGA turned 60! They
commemorated their special anniversary with many successful functions and
sponsorship drives. The year was filled with many happy events: Graduations,
puppy classes, and litters of future Guide-, Service- and Companion Dogs being
born at the training centre.
The Diamond Jubilee Luncheon
The SA Guide-Dogs
Diamond Jubilee Luncheon was held on Sunday the 13th October at The Forum
Company at The Campus in Bryanston to acknowledge their most loyal supporters
and sponsors. 
loyal supporters and sponsors
The devotion and generosity of supporters and sponsors the success of the Association would never have been possible over sixty wonderful years! Ashley Hayden was Master of Ceremonies at the luncheon and beautiful Diamond Awards were handed out during the course of the afternoon.
Latest News 2014 – Romantic Liaisons!
On Saturday 8 February 2014, Ray
Pieters, Branch Manager at Eurosuit Boksburg, met Service Dog owner Kelby and
her fiancé Jenge and of course her Service Dog, Kahn. He was so impressed he,
e-mailed SAGA with
a couple of pictures! Ray writes:
“On Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting Kelby,
Jenge and Kahn. What a fantastic experience. What a wonderful couple and Kahn
is very, very special. Jenge has selected his wedding outfit and I must say it
looks terrific. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to look after his
needs. It made my day!”
Guide Dogs Training Centre
The South African Guide-Dogs
Association for the Blind was founded in 1953 by Gladys Evans and
a temporary training centre was rented at No 1, Glamorgan Road, Parkwood
after returning from England with her famous guide dog, Sheena.
SAGA’s first real home was a lovely 6 acre
property called “Vale Cottage” in Parkmore, Sandton which was established in
1958.
Vale Cottage was later renamed “The Gladys Evans Training Centre” and was
to remain the home of SAGA until 1986 when, due to the increased demand for
guide dogs, the new “Gladys Evans Training Centre” was opened in Wroxham Road,
Witkoppen, Johannesburg.
This 11 acre property today boasts all the facilities required to
train both guide dogs and their blind owners.
The following people have headed the Association:
Michael Bibikoff (1955 to 1959), Lionel Wilson (1959 to 1969), Ken Lord (1969
to 2004) and Malcolm Driver (2004 to 2013)
Mission & Vision
Mission
- To enhance the mobility, independence and dignity of blind and
partially sighted people.
- To advocate the recognition and protection of the rights of all
persons with disabilities.
- To ensure the safety and independence of blind and partially
sighted people using a guide dog as a mobility aid.
- To achieve the highest standards of breeding, development, care and
training of dogs.
- To achieve the highest standards of education of blind and
partially sighted people in the handling, care and use of a guide dog as a
mobility aid.
- To provide excellence in the provision of aftercare services to
blind and partially sighted people and their guide dogs for the lifetime
of the dog.
- To develop and promote Orientation and Mobility as part of the
rehabilitation of blind and partially sighted people in society.
- To educate and qualify instructors to achieve the highest standards
in the education of Orientation and Mobility techniques.
- To provide consultancy services and support for the implementation,
delivery and evaluation of Orientation and Mobility services to NGO’s,
government departments and the corporate sector.
- To educate communities and individuals in the Mission and Vision of
the Association.
The main objective of the Association shall be to improve the mobility, independence of action and overall well-being of visually-impaired people and other persons with disabilities.
a few of the Facts about SA
Guide-Dogs Association
Did You Know?- SAGA is the only organisation of its kind in South Africa and
Africa at large.
- SAGA does not receive any funding from the government.
- SAGA trains guide dogs for the visually impaired, service dogs for
the physically impaired, and orientation & mobility practitioners to
teach the visually impaired skills of daily living, as well as long cane training
– the alternative form of independence to our visually impaired community.
- Since 1953 to date 1457 guide dogs and 97 service dogs (since 1993)
were trained by the Association.
- Currently the SAGA has approximately 350 guide and service dogs
working throughout South Africa.
“I was a very dependent,
afraid person. When I got my first guide dog, whose name is Nixon, my whole
life changed for the better, for this I am truly grateful to the South African
Guide-Dogs Association. I have not only got a
guide dog, but also a friend. Nixon has done so much for me and we have grown
so close to each other, that I cannot begin to imagine what I would do without
him.”~ K. Chetty
“Having a Service Dog work
at your side is like having ‘happiness on tap’ 24 hours a day! A Service Dog provides
one with total love and devotion, undiluted commitment and canine assistance,
which always fascinates and entertains strangers.
One need never be lonely
with your best friend at your side…….there is ALWAYS a friendly smile, soft,
adoring brown eyes, a wet nose, a wagging tail and a friendly paw to
help. I have to admit that I cannot ever imagine living life without a
Golden bundle of joy at my side. ……a dog’s warmth provides the friendliest
blanket.”~ Heidi and Sweet Olivia.
puppies
Service Guide Dogs are trained to work with individuals who have disabilities over and above sight impairment. Their training encompasses turning on and off lights. Opening and closing doors and fridge doors and travelling on public transport and aircrafts. These service dogs understandably become companions and anchors to autistic and wheelchair bound people.
Guide Dogs are placed with clients based on need. The three week period live-in, in-house training costs R100-00 to work with the dog in harness and to ensure that the client and dog become a cohesive team. The client is asked to sign a contract with the Association whereby they purchase the dog for only R5-00, however should certain conditions not be met then the Association reserves the right to repurchase the dog from the owner for the same sum.
My School Cards
What if you could raise funds for Guide Dogs throughout the year without it costing you a cent?” Now you can, or in fact you may well do so already!
Whenever you swipe your My School, My
Village or My Planet card at participating retail partners, that store will
donate a percentage of your purchase to the beneficiary of your choice (such as
Guide Dogs). There is no cost to you! The My School, My Village or My
Planet programme raises more than R1, 5 million every month for its
beneficiaries. You can ensure that SAGA receive a much-needed portion of
this. Simply swipe your card when you shop.
Volunteers
SAGA relies on volunteers – for further information
refer to their website!
http://www.guidedog.org.za/
http://www.guidedog.org.za/
2014 SOUTH AFRICAN
GUIDE-DOGS CALENDAR QUOTES
All dogs featured in this
calendar are either placed with clients,
In training or part of our puppy
raising programme.
JANUARY 2014“The breed Labrador Retriever was first recognised by the Kennel Club (UK) in 1903”
FEBRUARY 2014
“Golden Retrievers make good Guide Dogs due to their affable and gentle disposition and their willingness to please their handler”
MARCH 2014
“Puppies that are bred at our Training Centre will be raised by Puppy Raisers who will socialize the pup to all environments and situations”
APRIL 2014
“A puppy opens its eyes around 13 days after being born”
MAY 2014
“Dogs are social animals, they enjoy the company of other animals and people”
JUNE 2014
“A brood bitch is pregnant for 59 – 63 days before her puppies are born”
JULY 2014
“The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind has trained over 1476 Guide Dogs to date"
AUGUST 2014
“The first official Guide Dog in the world was a German Shepherd dog called Buddy”
SEPTEMBER 2014
“All our litters are named in alphabetical order. Siblings within each litter will have a name beginning with the same letter of the alphabet”
OCTOBER 2014
“All Labradors make good Guide Dogs because they are adaptable, willing, friendly and relatively easy to train”
NOVEMBER 2014
“You should never call, feed or distract a Guide Dog when it is on duty”
DECEMBER 2014
“A dog has an excellent sense of smell. Dogs have even been used to detect explosives, drugs and even rhino horn”
paws and tails newsletters - stories of faith and courage
DECEMBER 2013 - SAGA tribute to THE LATE nelson mandela
