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| 1. | BRINGING A GUIDE DOG INTO FRANCE : NEW REGULATIONS
France has been declared a rabies-free state. A good news, but our companions’ access to the French territory is now subject to more binding regulations.
Unless you come from a rabies-free country yourself, it is now necessary to prepare your first journey to France at least 4 months in advance.
In any case:
1.Your guide dog must be identified, by a microchip or a tattoo.
2.You must bring a health certificate executed by a certified veterinarian no more than 10 days before arrival into France. It requires the following:
a)The dog shows no clinical sign of disease.
b)He /She has not been in contact with rabid animals during the past 6 months nor will be in contact with animals of lesser sanitary status until arrival.
c)The dog has had shots for canine distemper, viral hepatitis, leptospirosis and canine parvovirosis.
d)He /She has been vaccinated against rabies and the vaccine is currently valid.
e) If you come from a country not free from rabies: your guide dog must have undergone the rabies neutralising antibody titration test (a blood test) at least 30 days after vaccination and 3 months before arrival. Once performed, there is no need to renew the test if booster vaccinations have been made in due time ever since.
- If you come from a rabies-free country: no other test is required.
A bilingual version of the certificate is available on:
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etrangers/formulaires/annexe7b.pdf.
Don’t forget to take your guide dog’s vaccination certificates and the results of the titration test with you!
| | | | 2. | Defra have a very good site. www.defra.gov.uk . Once into the site go into 'Animal Health and Welfare' then into 'The Pet ravel Scheme (Pets)' here you will find all the information required. | | | | 3. | www.afbp.org
This website list hotels within the UK that is able to acommodate partially sighted, blind and all your family and friends. They welcome too your guide dog. | | | | 4. | The major benefit is access to a wide network of experienced professionals in this field of work who share a similar philosophy and attitude towards clients and dogs. These professionals are setting, reviewing, and improving standards to develop the service given to blind and visually impaired people throughout the world.
By joining this Federation you will have the opportunity to influence and improve standards in your own and other schools using the wide knowledge and experience available to us all.
Access to a conference held at a different location every two years will add to the knowledge of all member schools through the papers that are presented. These are wide ranging and may include current practices to new research activity in related subjects, which could range from fundraising, through to the qualification and after-care of the unit.
Full members agree to undergo an assessment every five years in order to obtain an independent view of the schools performance against the standards that have been set. Many schools find this a useful exercise to either confirm standards or to highlight improvements that can be made.
Many full member schools make use of the IGDF Logo on their letter heads and other publications, providing confirmation of their service standards meeting those of the IGDF. The only world-wide standards set by the profession for the industry.
These standards have been recognised by some governments leading to improved access for visually impaired people accompanied by their Guide Dogs.
Confirmation that your school meets such standards may also be useful when fundraising or recruiting supporters too.
The IGDF regularly produces a year book with information from all members, it’s membership magazine “The Visionary” contains useful ideas and information to exchange between schools. | | | | 5. | MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
MEMBERSHIP TYPE
Membership of the International Guide Dog Federation (“IGDF”) is only available to Guide Dog Schools. There is once class of Membership available Full.
Full Membership
1. The School must have been in operation for five years since the date the School started.
2.The School must have produced 20 (or more) working Guide Dog and Teams.
3.The School must meet the minimum standards of the Federation as set out in the book entitled “Guidelines for the Organisation and Conduct of Breeding and Training Guide Dogs for use by Blind People.”
4.The School must undergo a satisfactory assessment by an Assessor chosen by the Accreditation Committee. The School will pay an enrolment fee of £500 towards the costs of administration set up.
5.All applications for Full Membership have to be reviewed by the Accreditation and Development Committee.
6.When a School, which is already an Associate Member, has been operating for five years and has produced 20 Guide Dog units, an application for Full Membership must be submitted to the IGDF. If the twenty-unit target has not been reached in five years, the application should be submitted as soon as twenty qualified units have been achieved. Please note: No 6 is for existing Associate members only, as of 2002 the International Guide Dog Federation will only be dealing with FULL membership applications.
Standards
These are the minimum standards to which Full Member Schools should operate. Checklists have also been prepared which Assessors will use when carrying out assessments and which may also assist Member Schools in monitoring progress towards achieving the minimum standards.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Full Member Enrolment Fee (one off payment on application) ASSESSMENT FEE – meets travel costs of inspection) Annual Subscription Unit Fee (Charged once each year per Guide Dog Unit produced – the unit figure is taken from the Annual Reports which Member Schools submit each year). £500£500£200£25
ASSESSMENTS
Full Membership
1. The Assessment is carried out by IGDF Assessors..
2. When a School applies for membership, an Assessor is sent to carry out an assessment and submit a report to Council to accompany the School’s application.
3. The Accreditation and Development Committee reviews reports.
4. The School being assessed is asked to provide accommodation for the Assessor for the duration of the assessment (accommodation within the School grounds is perfectly acceptable).
Full Membership (5 Year Review)
(Every five years since becoming a Full Member, the School will receive a 5 Year Review Assessment)
1.The Assessment is carried out by IGDF Assessors.
2. The School is asked to pay a contribution of £500 towards the travel and other costs of the Assessment.
CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP
A Member School is required to:
1.Forward the annual subscription to the IGDF by a given deadline.
2.Complete and send an Annual Report Form to the IGDF by a given deadline.
3.International Federation Yearbook. Entries to be placed directly onto the Website
4.Upon request, provide all information required in the Pre-Inspection Package, which will be sent to Schools before an Assessment.
5.Settle invoices promptly.
6.Notify the IGDF of any change to the nominee for the School, or of change of address, website, email, fax or telephone numbers,
PUBLICATIONS
A Yearbook is produced every two years and is available on the website for all member schools www.igdf.org.uk in addition, a Newsletter consisting of contributions from Member Schools is circulated approximately every six months. Both these publications are free of charge to Members. Any revisions to the Guidelines are automatically sent to Members.
CONFERENCE / WORKSHOP / SEMINARS
In the past, the IGDF has arranged formal Conferences and Workshops. It has been decided for the next few years to arrange Seminars for practitioners from Members Schools on varying topics relating to Guide Dog Training, Veterinary matters, etc. Following the Seminar, lists of delegates, papers presented and question/answer sessions are provided to all Member Schools via the website.
| | | | 6. | An enrolment fee of £500 and a tax of £25 per guide dog unit delivered each year after joining is required. After the first years enrolment the annual membership fee is only £200 plus the unit tax.
Full membership is only open to schools that have been in operation for at least five years and have produced twenty Guide Dog units. The school must complete a satisfactory assessment by an assessor chosen by the IGDF Accreditation and Devlopment Committeel. Costs of the assessment are taken from the enrolment fee.
Applications for full membership are reviewed by the IGDF ADCl. Only following the receipt of a satisfactory assessors report confirming the school meets the minimum standards set out in the IGDF standards will full membership be granted.
The school should agree to undergo a similar assessment every five years to ensure compliance with the guidelines relevant at that time.
Full members enjoy voting rights at meetings and the schools representative can stand for election to the IGDF Council.
Workshops, conferences and seminars on relevant subjects are held at various locations throughout the world. All members are encouraged to attend and participate. Those who are unable to send speakers or delegates will still obtain access to the information presented at these events. | | | | 7. | Clearly, substantial breaches of the standards over a wide range of issues would result in an application to join the IGDF being declined. However experience has shown that these occasions are far from common. Usually any breaches or failure to meet the standards are in specific areas and often not sufficiently substantial to warrant exclusion from the IGDF.
The IGDF is committed to improving the standards of Guide Dog provision and service provided to blind people throughout the world. As a result it has often assisted schools in this situation to develop a plan to improve standards in the relevant areas. Their membership can then be reconsidered at a later date when the plan has been completed.
The assessors' recommendations will be discussed with the head of the school or chief executive at the conclusion of the process which will be a guide to any improvements that should be required. | | | | 8. | The standards are "Standards for the Organisation and Conduct of Breeding and Training Guide Dogs for use by Blind People."
These standards are used by the assessors as the benchmark to establish membership criteria. As such they cover a wide range of activity of a Guide Dog school from the organisational structure, fund raising, record keeping, along with the technical matters relating to dog health and welfare, dog and client training, school facilities etc. It is recognised that schools will differ in the structure, facilities and method of delivering their services, as a result broad compliance with the guidelines is expected rather than strict adherence in all aspects.
Details the standards are regularly reviewed and updated. Current guidelines can be provided to prospective members on request. | | | | 9. | Although the IFGDSB itself does not request members to participate in such activities its magazine “The Visionary” is often used to promote the aspirations of schools who wish to participate in exchanges of this nature. The web-site may prove to be another source of information to access such opportunities.
Schools with surplus resources such as puppies, training opportunities for staff etc. will often restrict them to member schools only, as they can rely on the standards set by the IFGDSB.
A number of successful exchanges between member schools in all these activities have already been established. | | | | 10. | Guide Dog Puppies can be exported from the UK at 12 weeks.
Guide Dog Puppies can be exported from the US at 13 weeks
All puppies exported from around the world must be vaccinated against Rabies | | | | 11. | Yes. P & O Ferries will now allow a Guide Dog access to public areas on their ships up to four hours on a crossing.
After this time, you will have to take your Guide dog to the disabled room that should be provided for you.
This four hour regulation does NOT apply for any NIGHT CROSSINGS.
When making a booking ask the booking office to make a note against your reference number that you will be travelling with your Guide Dog.
HAPPY SAILING. | | | | 12. | Please look at www.dogsaway.co.uk
This site holds details on Vets at French Channel ports. They also have the correct paperwork to help and assist you. | | | | |
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