A Newfoundlander and his guide dog are among the latest graduates of the CNIB’s guide dog program.

Brandon Joy of Conception Bay South and his partner Cosworth were recognized in a graduation ceremony on International Guide Dog Day Wednesday.

A lot goes into training a guide dog for work with their future partner.

President of CNIB Guide Dogs and Vice President of International Affairs, Diane Bergeron, got her first guide dog as a teen when she started losing her vision. She calls having a guide dog a transformational experience for someone who is blind or partially-sighted.

Demand across Canada is high with a long waiting list made only longer as a result of the pandemic. The average cost of a CNIB Guide Dog is at least $50,000, with no cost to the person who ends up with the animal.

That includes all the training, vet costs for the life of the dog and food for the working life of the dog.