Israel Guide Dog Center

What Israel Guide Dog Center does

Israel Guide Dog Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991 that breeds, trains, and places service dogs free of charge to three distinct beneficiary populations: people who are blind or visually impaired, IDF veterans with PTSD, and children with autism. Its operating kennel and training center are located in Beit Oved, Israel, with regional fundraising and program offices in Warrington, Pennsylvania; Toronto, Ontario; and Borehamwood, United Kingdom.

Its core offering is a trained service dog delivered as part of a multi-week partnership program. The pipeline maintains 75 to 120 puppies in volunteer foster homes at any given time, and roughly 50% of bred dogs ultimately qualify as working guide dogs. Specialized programs include guide dogs for the blind, PTSD service dogs for IDF veterans delivered in coordination with the Israel Ministry of Defense, and emotional support dogs for children with autism. The organization maintains affiliations with peer guide-dog schools including The Seeing Eye, Southeastern Guide Dogs, and UK Guide Dogs.

The revenue model is donation-based: all services are provided at no cost to recipients, with an estimated $32,000 to $43,000 fully loaded cost per guide dog partnership. Approximately 8% of the operating budget is sourced from Israeli government ministries (Defense and Welfare); the balance is raised from individual donors, community foundations, and grants across the organization's four-country footprint. Leadership includes Noach Braun (CEO and Executive Director, Israel), Gail Androphy (Executive Director, USA), Atarah Derrick (Executive Director, Canada), and Karen Brosh (Executive Director, UK).

Name

Israel Guide Dog Center

Legal name

Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind

Website

https://israelguidedog.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Israel Guide Dog Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that breeds, trains, and places guide dogs, PTSD service dogs for IDF veterans, and emotional support dogs for children with autism at no cost, operating from Beit Oved, Israel with offices in the US, Canada, and UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistive Dog Training and Disability Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Medicine & Training-Integrated Veterinary Services (HLAMAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Special Needs Pet Boarding (Mobility/Disability Accommodations) (HSANAJAC)

Keywords

• Guide dog training
• Mobility assistance services
• PTSD service dogs
• Emotional support dogs
• Nonprofit disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to provide guide dogs, PTSD service dogs, and emotional support dogs to Israelis in need.
2. Planned Giving / Bequests: Legacy gifts through wills and trusts, with donors recognized on the Visionaries Wall. The Israel Guide Dog Legacy Society recognizes supporters who include the organization in their estate plans.
3. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD): Donors aged 70½ or older can donate up to $100,000 directly from their IRA without including the distribution as taxable income.
4. Stock and Real Estate Donations: Donors can give appreciated stock, bonds, mutual funds or ETFs, allowing them to limit capital gains tax while supporting the organization.
5. Mitzvah and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Projects: Students sponsor puppies as their Mitzvah Project, with funds supporting breeding, raising, and training costs.
6. Government Grants: Approximately 8% of the annual operating budget is paid by the Israel Ministries of Defense and Welfare.
7. Monthly Giving Program (TAILS): Monthly donor program where supporters contribute regularly and receive quarterly insider newsletters.
8. Corporate Matching Gifts: Many companies have matching gift programs where employee donations are matched, effectively doubling contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind breeds, trains, and provides guide dogs for visually impaired Israelis, PTSD service dogs for IDF (Israel Defense Forces) veterans, and emotional support dogs for children on the autism spectrum or with special needs. All dog partnerships are provided free of charge to clients for the working life of the dog (approximately 8 years), with replacement dogs issued when needed, delivered through a three-week in-residence training course at the Beit Oved campus alongside lifetime follow-up care.

Product overview

The Israel Guide Dog Center operates a service-based nonprofit offering focused on three core dog programs: Guide Dogs for visually impaired individuals, PTSD Service Dogs for IDF veterans, and Emotional Support Dogs for children with autism or special needs. All dogs are provided free of charge to clients. Supporting programs include the CanVelo sports integration program, the Aliyah Puppy Program for raising puppies in the US before Israel training, and the Volunteer Puppy Raisers Program. The organization also offers planned giving through its Legacy Society and monthly donor programs. The Center maintains breeding operations and provides training at its campus in Beit Oved, Israel, with international support offices in the USA, Canada, and UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CanVelo: A sports club integrating blind and sighted participants, founded in 2006. Includes tandem cycling clubs and dragon boat paddling team. Motto: Yes We Can!
• Aliyah Puppy Brigade
• TAILS

Products and services

• Guide Dogs Trained guide dogs for visually impaired Israelis that provide mobility assistance, including navigating obstacles, finding sidewalks, and ensuring safe passage. Dogs are matched to clients based on physical strength, pace, and lifestyle, and are provided free of charge for the working life of the dog.
• PTSD Service Dogs Specially trained service dogs for IDF veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, helping to calm anxiety, prevent panic attacks, and provide grounding during stressful moments. Provided free of charge.
• Emotional Support Dogs Dogs trained to provide emotional support for children on the autism spectrum or others with special needs, providing security, comfort, and helping them engage more fully with the world. Provided free of charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guide dogs work 365 days a year for approximately 8 years, providing daily mobility assistance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• The Seeing EyemajorOthers · 5 June 2024The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey donated German Shepherd puppy Peggy (born March 27, 2024) to the Aliyah Puppy Brigade program. The Seeing Eye is the first and largest guide dog school in the US. They have also donated other puppies to the Israel Guide Dog Center.
• Southeastern Guide DogsmajorOthers · 1 February 2022Southeastern Guide Dogs in Florida donated the first puppies (Paige and Petra, born in Florida) to the new Aliyah Puppy Brigade program. These puppies were raised by American families in New York City and Richmond, Virginia before making Aliyah to Israel.
• UK Guide Dogs (formerly Guide Dogs for the Blind Association)majorOthers · 1 January 1991Donated Tillie, a Yellow Labrador, who was the first guide dog provided to the center's first client Haim Tsur in 1991. Originally named Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, now known as UK Guide Dogs.
• Israel Ministries of Defense and WelfareminorOthersGovernment funding source providing approximately 8% of the annual operating budget to support the organization's programs for visually impaired and PTSD-affected individuals.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guide Dogs UK: The UK's national guide dog charity, formerly Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Directly comparable mission; also a puppy/canine donor partner to the Israel Guide Dog Center dating back to the first guide dog placed in 1991.
• The Seeing Eye: The oldest and largest guide dog school in the US, based in New Jersey. Directly comparable mission and operating model (breeding, training, and placing guide dogs free to clients); also an active puppy donation partner to the Israel Guide Dog Center.
• Guide Dogs for the Blind: One of the largest US guide dog schools, providing guide dogs to visually impaired individuals. Directly comparable as a guide dog training and placement nonprofit serving a similar beneficiary base through breeding, volunteer puppy raising, and free client services.
• K9s For Warriors: US nonprofit providing service dogs to veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Comparable in mission alignment with IGDC's PTSD service dog program for IDF veterans; operates a similar rescue-to-service-dog training pipeline.
• Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation: Connecticut-based nonprofit breeding and placing German Shepherd guide dogs. Comparable in mission, breeding program, and free-to-client service model.
• Canine Companions for Independence: US nonprofit providing service dogs (not just guide dogs) to people with disabilities. Comparable in volunteer puppy raising, free placement, and broad disability service dog training; aligned with IGDC's expanded PTSD and autism support programs.
• Guiding Eyes for the Blind: US nonprofit guide dog school providing guide dogs to people with vision loss. Comparable in breeding, training methodology, and free client placement model.
• Southeastern Guide Dogs: US guide dog school that breeds, trains, and places guide and service dogs. Directly comparable nonprofit guide dog school; partnered with the Israel Guide Dog Center to donate puppies to the Aliyah Puppy Brigade program.

Others

• International Guide Dog Federation: Umbrella body accrediting guide dog schools worldwide. Relevant as the standards and accreditation body governing IGDC and its peer guide dog schools; useful for benchmarking operational and training standards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IsraelGuideDog

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Israel Guide Dog Center