The Role of Guide Dogs in 2022 and Beyond

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) have announced the findings of The Role of Guide Dogs in 2022 and Beyond, a joint, two-year research study to examine the long-term outlook for guide dog use in the United States and Canada.

Top findings for the first-of-its-kind study, revealed a greatly expanded use of technology among travelers who are blind or visually impaired, and a shift to using rideshare services from public transit and walking.

The study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 through a survey of more than 500 people who are blind or visually impaired including both guide dog users and nonusers. It included focus groups and interviews with more than 50 individuals, including graduates from various guide dog schools in the U.S. and Canada, people who use a white cane instead of a guide dog, and instructors who work with the blindness community around orientation and mobility (O&M) skills needed to qualify for a guide dog.

Key findings are in the accessible, downloadable report below.