25 guide dogs all get a new owner at the same time: « Time and again a moving moment » (inland)

It is a busy weekend for the Belgian Center for Guide Dogs (BCG). For example, there are the celebration of the 35th birthday, the inauguration of the new location on Overhaem and on top of that the official handing over of 25 guide dogs to their ‘user’. The BCG was founded in 1990 by the late Adeline Valkenborg. She was blind since she was 14. Her first dog gave her confidence. A few years later she opened a center in a ride house. Adeline died in 2016.

The building soon became too small and in 2015 the BCG moved to a Chinese wok restaurant. In the absence of parking and an environmental permit for only ten dogs, a new location was sought in a blue zone in 2022. The Syntra building on Overhaem was released and there was an environmental permit for more than thirty dogs. After major renovation work, it has since been put into use. The building of 5,700 m² was officially inaugurated on Friday evening.

Intensive cooperation

On Saturday, 25 trained dogs were officially handed over to their user. « That is always a moving moment for trainers, foster and boarder families and for the employees of the BCG. The training of a puppy to guide dog is a long process, » says director Arthur Vandenbosch. “Eight weeks after birth, the puppies move to a foster family for a year. When they are 16 months old, they will return for training of six to eight months. Then a perfect match is sought with the future user. He will come to our ‘hotel’ for the ‘hotel’ for the two weeks for the class-period, an intensive collaboration between user and dog. And after a home training, the real work starts for the dog. At the age of 10 he can eventually retire. « 

189 guide dogs were already delivered in the 35-year history of the BCG. Of the current 25, only four remain in Limburg. Vitesse, a white poodle, is the first guide dog for Edith Ritzerfeld (70) from Lanaken: “I was born with visible problems, but there was never attention to it. At the age of 38 I discovered that something was wrong. I was suffering from night blindness, followed by an eye disease. On the recommendation of my husband, I was committed to the bcg. For an intake interview. Velcro dog, Because she always sticks to me. « 

Playground

Yoppi, a black labrador, has been working at Carina Rochus (64) in Tongeren since June last year. « I have had problems with my vision since 1997, » says Carina. “I helped myself with a white stick, but with that you have to keep feeling everything. Finding a pedestrian crossing is difficult. Yoppi, on the other hand, brings me everywhere now. I am very active and I also do volunteer work. It took a year before we felt perfectly. Yoppi has his courses and even brings me where I should not be in the playing past. (laughs)« 

The foster families were allowed on stage during the handing over. Linda Ottenburghs from Diepenbeek has brought up six dogs at home in the past nine years: « It gives a good feeling. The contact with the user and the BCG also lasts afterwards. They regularly send photos or videos of the dog. It even happens that it comes on vacation here. »

Lona does not mind giving the dog, after a year, does not mind: « You don’t give it up, you pass it on. »