Janet Montoya of Los Alamos and her guide dog work in Burbank, CA. Courtesy photo
Guide dogs provide opportunities for social interaction and greater independence for people
who are blind or have low vision. International Guide Dog Day pays tribute to the dogs who
do this impressive work. Guide dogs help their owners make their way through the world
while offering love and comfort in so many ways.
References to guide dogs date back to the 16th Century, so for the hundreds of years of
service that these faithful companions have provided, we pay tribute to their service this year
on April 30 (the last Wednesday in April).
The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) is the professional organisation and
standard-setter for guide dog organisations with 99 member organisations around the world.
There are more guide dogs in the world than any other type of assistance or service dog.
Guide dog organisations have pioneered the development of training methods for dogs to
assist people with disabilities or long-term health conditions and there are now also many
other types of assistance dogs worldwide.
To mark International Guide Dog Day 2025, IGDF has published its latest global statistics
which give a picture of guide dog services worldwide.
Guide Dog Statistics as at 31 December 2024
18,682 guide dogs are currently working worldwide. This means that 18,682 people who are
blind or have low vision have the support of a guide dog to help them live life on their terms.
This is a small decrease from the 19,537 guide dog teams working in 2023, as a result of
decreased training numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
2,893 guide dogs were trained during 2024. The global Covid 19 pandemic had a severe
impact on IGDF members around the world, but they showed resilience and creativity and
found ways to continue to deliver these essential services. The 2024 figure of 2,893 is a
solid improvement on the 2023 figure of 2,598, the 2022 figure of 2,426, the 2021 total of
2,405 and the 2020 figure of 2,038, and is close to matching the pre-pandemic levels of
3,000 guide dogs being trained each year.
6,631 individuals were employed full or part-time by IGDF organisations around the world.
This is a small decrease on the 7,007 number for 2023. Their dedication, expertise and
professionalism enable thousands of people who are blind or have low vision to enjoy a safe
and effective guide dog service.
46,520 individual volunteers gave their time and experience to help IGDF member
organisations deliver these life-changing services. This is a substantial increase on the
38,348 individual volunteers recorded in 2023. This demonstrates the strength and breadth
of community involvement and support around the world.
8,974 guide dog puppies started guide dog training during 2024. This is a small decrease on
the 9,312 puppies who started guide dog training during 2023. The Covid 19 pandemic had
a severe impact on guide dog training and guide dog waiting lists have increased worldwide.
IGDF member organizations are determined to increase guide dog provision and reduce the
time people have to wait for a guide dog. These new puppies are the guide dogs of the
future.
More statistics on the IGDF website: https://www.igdf.org.uk/about-us/facts-and-figures/
Overall, these statistics show that IGDF member organizations continue to recover following
the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, and because of that disruption, total guide dog
training numbers have not quite reached their pre-pandemic levels.
Despite the increasing number of guide dog teams being trained and the record number of
individuals volunteering for guide dog organizations worldwide, guide dog handlers continue
to face access issues in many parts of the world.
During 2025, IGDF collaborated with Assistance Dogs International (ADI) to conduct the first
ever international survey on access refusals to better understand the scale of this problem
and its impact on individual guide and assistance dog handlers. We are currently working on
a report analyzing these issues to be published later in 2025.
In his latest podcast, John Welsman discusses the 2024 statistics and other topics
associated with the guide dog industry. The podcast will be available from the IGDF https://www.igdf.org.uk/podcasts/.
About the IGDF
The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) is the charity that defines and maintains
international standards for the training of guide dogs around the world. This work ensures
the quality and safety of guide dog services for people who are blind or have low vision.
IGDF was established in 1987 by representatives of 15 guide dog organisations from 10
different countries. IGDF has grown significantly over the years and now has 99 member
organisations from 33 different countries. Over 20,000 people who are blind or have low
visionenjoy the benefits of safe, independent travel through their partnership with a guide
dog. However, the World Health Organisation estimates there to be over 250 million people
who are blind or have low vision worldwide.
As well as developing international standards, IGDF supports new guide dog organisations
around the world, helping them to grow and progress towards full accreditation against the
IGDF standards. IGDF also offers scholarships which enable guide dog instructors to
develop their professional skills by undertaking secondments with established IGDF member
organisations.
The first International Guide Dog Day was celebrated in 1992 and is held on the last
Wednesday in April each year.
For further information, please contact:
Email: enquiries@igdf.org.uk
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
