Guide Dogs Queensland (GDQ): The Fast Facts

Guide Dogs Queensland is the only provider of services of vision impaired services in the State that offers the full range of rehabilitation programs including: support groups, counselling, low vision clinics, specialised student programs, orientation and mobility training, as well as Guide Dog services. 

 What we do

   All GDQ services, including our Guide Dogs, are provided free of charge. We have more than 1500 clients statewide who access support and training from our Rehabilitation and Guide Dog services, annually.

    The demand for GDQ services is expected to double over the next 15 years, due to three key facts:    
•People are living longer
•Baby boomers are pushing through into the elderly age-group 
•Blindness is primarily an age-related condition

 We have seven regional offices: Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns.  

   By far, the greatest number of GDQ clients access our  Rehabilitation Services, which includes:
• Electronic Travel Aids training
• Orientation and Mobility training
• Counselling and support groups
• Low Vision Clinics
• Special education programs for school children
• Regional workshops for clients and families

  GDQ has trained 30 GDQ UltraCane (a technologically-advanced primary mobility aid) users in Queensland. 

   GDQ has trained seven GPS Trekker users (a hand-held Global Positioning System) in Queensland.

   There are 29 Low Vision Support Groups, which GDQ services support. 

   Rehabilitation Services Orientation and Mobility instructors travel over 110,000km each year, providing support programs and training statewide.

 Our Funding

     GDQ receives less than 7 per cent in government funding to provide some specific rehabilitation services but none for its Guide Dogs services.

    This means that we do not receive ANY government funding towards our Guide Dogs, which cost more than $25,000 each to breed and train.

   We rely on community fundraising, corporate support, puppy sponsorship, volunteers, donations and legacies to continue offering services.

     Every cent raised from community donations, fundraising and sponsorships goes into providing our services.

  Our Guide Dogs

     GDQ currently has 90 clients with a Guide Dog and 14 clients on the waiting list to be matched with a Guide Dog.

     We have around 16 dogs in the Guide Dog Training Program and 24 pups being raised in the community by Puppy Raisers.

     We rely on puppy sponsorship to train our Guide Dogs – packages range from $21 per month to $25,000 for an exclusive 'Diamond' puppy sponsorship.

     We set high standards and have a 65 per cent success rate of turning puppies into Guide Dogs, which is equal to international standards.

      Pup sponsorship: Click here for  more information about our Puppy Sponsorship options or call our Fundraising Department on 1800 810 119.

       Pupoy Raising: Restricted to people living within 90 minutes of Brisbane CBD due to the need to maintain regular contact with our staff. For more information click  here.

 

Phone Numbers - Freecall 1800 810 122 - Guide Dog Shop 1800 007 460

Guide Dogs Queensland is a proud member of the International Guide Dog Federation. In addition, our organisation is a Quality Endorsed Company.

All Client Services provided through Guide Dogs Queensland comply with the '9' Queensland Standards for Disability Services (1997).