Braille stamp features Guide Dogs

Canada Post has issued its first ever Braille stamp. .

The 52-cent, domestic-rate stamp features Guide Dogs and will have the denomination in both print and in Braille. The stamp coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Association for the Blind which is also being recognized with a Commemorative Envelope.

According to an Canada Post press release, "With thousands of soldiers returning from World War I blinded by poison gas, a German doctor named Gerhard Stalling explored the notion of training dogs to guide the wounded men. His research in training methods led to the opening of his first guide dog school in Germany in 1916. The school prospered and some 600 dogs were trained each year. Word spread and soon trained dogs were assisting people with vision loss in Britain, France, Spain, Italy, the USA, Canada and Soviet Union."

The most common breeds of guide dogs are Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers; chosen for their intelligence, size, and temperament. A calm disposition, a high level of initiation, and a strong desire to please are all characteristics expected of guide dogs.

To read the entire release, click here.