In 1890, Jean Bungartz, a German animal painter, founded the Deutschen Verein für Sanitätshunde (German Association for Ambulance Dogs). Its purpose was to train canines to find wounded soldiers, and served extensively during the First World War. Then, in 1916, via the organisation, the first guide dog was issued to Paul Feyen, a blind veteran. Since then, guide dogs, who are specifically trained to help the visually challenged navigate obstacles, have helped thousands across the globe. And September has been declared International Guide Dog Day in their honour.

In India, home to 40 million people who are blind or visually impaired, guide dogs are anything but everyday reality. Canine behaviourist and trainer Shirin Merchant who has founded the city-based organisation Canines Can Care says that although they can provide guide dog training, they have refrained from doing so because of two reasons: the lack of public awareness and infrastructure. "About six visually-challenged people reach out to us every year. They explain that they want to lead a life outdoors, which involves a lot of dangerous elements. People can tease them or the dogs. Plus, there's traffic from six directions. And so, we're putting both lives at risk," she reasons. Instead, Merchant suggests that people, who are keen on getting guide dogs, can do so in a controlled setting such as a home, corporate office or an IT Park.