900 primary school students have learned how these dogs are trained and educated to help their owners in urban environments
Palau d'Sports hosts a guide dog exhibition from ONCE to raise awareness among schoolchildren about accessibility for blind people
The mayor of Benidorm highlights ONCE's "fundamental role" in Benidorm's Universal Accessibility Plan
Benidorm's L'IIla Sports Palace hosted a guide dog exhibition from the ONCE today in which the dogs showed their skills in guiding blind people. The activity was held in front of 900 Benidorm primary schoolchildren, with the aim of raising awareness about accessibility in urban environments for people with visual impairments.
The demonstration began with an obedience demonstration by the dogs, followed by others to navigate obstacle courses, a stay in a café, and finally, another dedicated to the guide dog's leisure activities.
To conclude the exhibition, an official was invited to experience travelling with a guide dog, putting himself in the shoes of a person with visual impairments. The chosen person was the Councilor for Mobility and Public Space, Francis Muñoz, who was fitted with a blindfold to make the experience as realistic as possible. Afterwards, accompanied by an instructor, he walked the demonstration track just as a blind person would with their guide dog. The activity took place on a linear route that traversed different areas with everyday challenges such as obstacles, ramps, pedestrian crossings, construction zones, stairs, and a cafeteria.
The exhibition was attended by the Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, along with the City Councilor for Mobility and other members of the city, who accompanied Enrique Llin, president of the ONCE Territorial Council in the Valencian Community, and Estela Medina, ONCE Director in Alicante.
The attendees were explained the main dog breeds used as guide dogs, such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds, among others. They were also explained the importance of the puppy socialization stage and the learning process.
In his speech, Mayor Toni Pérez recalled that the city had set a goal in the fall of 2015 to become DTI certified. "And we were the first to achieve it." In this regard, he explained that "one of the pillars of becoming a DTI is accessibility, an aspect that others audit. And we passed the audit with a low score compared to other criteria. But it turns out that in 2024 we grew 20 points and already exceeded 83 percentage points." The mayor, therefore, wanted to emphasize that "we have been working since 2020 with a Universal Accessibility Plan in which ONCE plays a fundamental role."
For his part, Enrique Llin emphasized that a guide dog "provides speed and safety to a person, but they also have to make commitments to the dog, such as ensuring it is in perfect health and hygiene." He emphasized that at ONCE, "we make it easy for anyone who needs it to access them." Finally, Estela Medina explained to the students that "a person with a guide dog is like anyone else, except that they are accompanied" and clarified that "sometimes, although rarely, we are not welcome in some places, but it all depends on continuing to raise awareness."
"We must continue to make progress in accessibility for everyone," she concluded.
During today's demonstration, the instructors also explained to the students that guide dogs can access all locations with their owners. "Otherwise, it would be discrimination against blind people. It is a European regulation that guarantees that these people can have freedom of movement and that they are well-behaved, trained, and highly socialized dogs," they added.
