We help blind people across Europe who have a guide dog, or who would benefit from having one. We also help people with other types of disabilities that can be mitigated with an assistance dog. Our members are nearly 50 organisations in 27 countries that are dog training schools or user groups. Anyone with an interest in our work can become a supporter
We are leaders in current work to develop a European standard of qualified assistance dogs that will enable people to recognise a certified assistance dog and to ensure that they have freedom of access to places not normally open to pet dogs.
Before EGDF was founded in 2007, there was no voice or champion for guide dog users throughout Europe. Since then, we have enabled more people in more countries to have qualified dogs that give them the freedom to move about as they wish.
We organise an annual conference where our members and supporters can come together to learn and share information and ideas; we write newsletters to keep our members and supporters informed; we help people with guide dogs who are planning to travel to another country; we campaign on behalf people who have been unfairly treated because they have a guide dog with them; we help start guide dog schools in countries that have none; we advise on all European standards that affect disabled people to ensure that their needs are represented and their limitations are recognised.
