Our Name

Our Name & What it Means

In 1996, we incorporated under the name Western Guide Dog Foundation and our goal was to provide guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired in Alberta.

In 2003, we expanded our services to include assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities, precipitating the adoption of the name Western Guide and Assistance Dog Society. We provided these two services until October, 2007, when we introduced Autism Service Dogs.

With the addition of assistance dogs specifically trained for children with autism, we knew it was time once again to refresh our name in a way that reflected the evolution of our organization.

This time around, we decided to take our identity in a new direction; to go a step beyond the straightforward, descriptive names of our past in favour of something more emotive and emblematic of the services we offer to Albertans.

In the process of developing our new identity, we determined several criteria that our new name should meet in order to be successful. We wanted a name that underscores what our dogs truly mean to those who depend on them so much: our clients. A name that reflects the intensive training they undergo in order to provide the highest level of guidance, security, freedom and companionship to those who need these things the most. A name that represents the many roles they fulfill in the lives of our clients. They are leaders, pilots and guardian angels. They are everyday heroes that help dreams take flight. They are... Dogs with Wings