History

The beginnings of the guide dogs training are ranging from the early 80's of the last century. Idea was initiated by the informal group of individuals, gathered in the Croatian Association of the Blind.
At the initiative of Mr. Branko Modlic who was firstly acquainted with the guide dog program in Prague, the first training was organized by the Association of the Blind and the Republican SUP (now Ministry of Internal Affairs) which then carried out the official dog training. He has also worked with Nestor Krsnik with whom he trained in 1983 three German shepherd dogs for the blind persons. Two guide dogs have been successfully completed their full working lives - Cyclone by Slavko Kovac in Zagreb and Vran by Ivan Butorac in Rijeka. Unfortunately, the training of guide dogs and blind persons as klients was paused until the early 90s of last century.

A group of enthusiasts - especially dog lovers and dog breeders, veterinary students and blind persons, who believed that trained dogs, can provide autonomous and independent mobility of the blind persons as well as a better life quality, formed in June 1990, the founding committee of the “Society for breeding and training guide dogs for the blind”. After six months of preparations, on December 8, 1990 the Constituent Assembly was held in the Croatian Society for breeding and training guide dogs for blind people – it was registered on February 4, 1991 and entered in the register of social organization of Republic Croatia. Concurrently with the change of the law, Association changed its name in 1994. to the Croatian Guide Dog and Mobility Association.

As the only non-profit organization in Croatia, the Association has developed a rehabilitation programs incorporating guide and service dogs for the mobility of blind and other persons with disabilities and children with developmental difficulties.

During the first few years, the Association was implementing a systematic development of basic programs which included: the acquisition and translation of literature on the training of guide dogs, creating and training a team of instructors and the initial acquisition and puppy walking program for potential dogs for guide dog training.

After the primary education, the first exams of instructor and guide dogs were organized in the beginning of 1993 in co-operation and under the supervision of the Slovenian instructor, Mr. Zvone Es.
Within the program of education and assignment of guide dogs, a need for rising public  awareness regarding the rights, abilities and needs of the blind persons and the human  role of guide dogs in their lives, as the result of this need, association gradually developed  a educational - promotional program whose activities were  directed to citizens of all ages and groups.

Over the years the Association has organized additional training and professional development of trainers and instructors in foreign centers in order to train guide dogs (Canada, United Kingdom, Norway ...).
In 2002 started the implementation of training program and assignment of service dogs for persons in wheelchairs and the training program and assignment of therapy dogs for children with developmental difficulties.

Guide dog and service dog trainers and administrative staff of the Association, were working in unacceptable conditions – managed  by a vision that one day a Center for guide dogs training will be established. (more on: Publication)

General Information:

Assembly of the Association is the highest governing body assembled by the regular members of the Association.  

Working Team of the Association

Kristina Šporčić, Administrative Secretary

Alexandra Ljubičić,       Project Manager

Danijela Žganec, Assistent

Subcontractors: Sanja Kobešćak, Lucija Katalenić

Volunteers:  Lidija Bedić, Ksenija Ivičević Bakulić

With the implementation of rehabilitation programs, Association achieves the following goals:

1. The promotion of basic human rights and the independent movement of blind persons through the free assignment of the trained guide dogs.
2. Improving the quality of everyday life of persons in wheelchairs through the free assignment of service dogs, and children with developmental difficulties through the inclusion of  therapy dogs in order to encourage communication and game, improving motor skills, gaining responsibility for the care of another living being ...
3. Better understanding of the capabilities, needs and position of persons with disabilities in society, education and public awareness.
4. Guide and service  dog clients empowering and advocacy on their rights ensured in legislation and other strategic documents (conventions, strategies, action plans and others).

 
     Fields of work and activities of the Association are:

1. Rehabilitation process in orientation and mobility of blind persons
   (White cane technique, guide dog  assignment),
2. assignment of service dogs (for people in wheelchair) and therapy  dogs for children with developmental difficulties
3.  educational and promotional activities and lectures,
4.  targeted programs for the promotion of cooperation and partnership with sponsors,
5. Publishing brochures, magazines and publications to inform the public.

                                                                                                          (more on: link on Statut)


International  cooperation
Association has  long tradition in cooperation with different guide dog centres in Europe, USA, Japan, Australia and New Zeeland.
With an extremely important exchange of experiences, gaining new knowledge on innovative approaches to guide dogs training, Association  developed a really good friendly relations, important for the development of guide dogs  movement of in Croatia and the world in general.

The main link of this cooperation is  the International Guide Dog Federation - as an international association that provides standards and criteria for guide dogs training, each year IGDF includes an increasing number of Centres in their  membership.

With help of  IGDF, the Association has provided  training of personnel in some European centres, particularly in the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind training centre.
Besides, IGDF has  an important role in the supervision of education and  use of guide dogs - every five years, Members receive working certification for the forthcoming period. The Association is a regular member since 1998.

Since 2005, CGDMA is a member in Assistance Dogs Europe – European organization who is gathering guide dog centres (service dogs and therapy dogs).
As a  organization member, CGDMA  has hosted the International Conference "Independence, equality and access for Assistance dog partnership" in Umag, 2009.

Membership in the European Guide Dog Federation allows  CGDMA members  to   develop and create the conditions for their appropriate position in Croatia including EU standards.
The basic criteria is to balance  the guide dog clients rights such as transport, which represents the most dynamic area in communication between all countries.
In addition, EGDF is providing  a campaign to become a key representative organization for guide dog clients of the European Union authorities.

From the very  beginning  CGDMA has also developed cooperation with similar organizations in the region: Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Austria.
Special examples of successful cooperation  are related to Greece and Malta, where the CGDMA has played an important role through the exchange of experiences for the establishment of guide dog centres in these countries.