BC and Alberta Guide Dogs training facility opens in Edmonton

Edmonton is now home to a brand-new training facility for some highly skilled four-legged friends.

Behind the ribbon cutting and wagging tails, the new facility located at 4904 87 St. NW, is filling a big gap in the Edmonton area.

The organization, called BC & Alberta Guide Dogs, receives nearly 50 to 60 inquiries for people requesting service dogs per month.

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There are currently 50 people on the wait list from Edmonton.

The facility has allowed the non-profit to hire two additional service dog instructors in Edmonton and launch a dedicated puppy-raising program in the city. Both investments directly increase their capacity and will help get highly-trained dogs to clients sooner.

“It really gives us that next level of the game. People come here, we can get our dogs trained, we can get our puppy program running, and we can really build a better infrastructure to serve citizens of Alberta that need us,” said Mike Anan, director of the Service Dog Program with BC & Alberta Guide Dogs.

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In 2024, the non-profit placed nine dog teams in Alberta, including guide dogs, autism service dogs, and OSI-PTSD service dogs. The goal is to triple those numbers in Alberta by 2028.

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