‹ Back

 

The 'ONCE Foundation Gude Dogs Exhibition' in Benidorm 

The exhibition showed how these animals work to become a fundamental element in the autonomy and safety of blind people. 

 

Under the slogan 'Much more than a dog', the nearly  1,000 attendees , from different educational centers in Benidorm and the general public, witnessed various obedience and concentration exercises performed by these animals together with the mobility instructors  Eloy Aranda and Rafael Almansa , who were accompanied by  Tibor  (black Labrador) and  Dior  (sable-colored German Shepherd).  

Both showed on a circuit how the training process works so that the dogs can overcome obstacles, go up or down stairs, cross zebra crossings, look for doors or stay in a cafe or in any means of transport at the feet of a blind person like  María Luz Menéndez or Moisés Moreno , guide dog users from Alicante, who explained what their daily life is like with ORI and ODRI, respectively.

At HOSBEC, we wanted to be present at this exhibition to raise awareness and knowledge of the important work these animals perform, and the importance for the tourism sector of providing knowledge and awareness about the treatment of these assistance dogs in hotels. 

The Animal Welfare Act, as established in Article 29, regulates the access of companion animals to establishments open to the public. However, it is  always important to remember that  assistance dogs must be allowed  access to people with disabilities.  These dogs must be trained in specialized centers that accompany people with visual or hearing impairments, or any other disability, or they must be included in assisted therapy projects.

How to behave around a guide dog

It's important to highlight some tips shared at this exhibition on how to behave with a guide dog and how to address the user. 

The first of these is that  dogs should not be offered any type of food , as they may have a food intolerance and this could cause digestive problems that could harm their health and well-being, in addition to disrupting the daily support they provide to the blind person they are accompanying.

They also reminded everyone of the importance of  not distracting the  dog's  attention while walking alongside a blind person , an action they gladly perform, but which requires their concentration to ensure their safety.

Another piece of advice for the public is that those who have  companion dogs should not let them loose if there is a guide dog nearby , and should always keep them under control at their side.

Guide dogs also enjoy plenty of rest and recreation time, but it's important to respect their work while they're guiding, and  leave play and greetings for when they're not wearing a harness.

Also, if you want to give instructions to the blind person, remember  never to pull on the dog's leash or harness . Simply approach them, preferably from their right side, away from the dog