Hackles raised at canine charities over lack of state help

Charities which provide dogs to help people cope with disabilities say there are 1,000 people on their books they can’t help because they don’t get proper funding from the Government.

The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which is the only one of five service dogs organisations which gets government funding, joined with the other canine organisations yesterday to highlight the situation.

It gets just 15% funding and like the other charities relies heavily on public support, which has waned in the recession.