Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions? We have the answers!

Mira and its services

Mira trains and provides free guide and service dogs to people living with:

visual impairments;
motor impairments;
and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Mira does not train service dogs for anxiety or depressive disorders, epilepsy, or for people living with post-traumatic stress.

Mira provides an average of 100 dogs per year through its guide-dog program for people who are blind, service dog program for people with reduced mobility, and service dog program for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Working dogs wear a harness, which serves as their official identification.

People who benefit from a service dog are protected by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and have full access rights to public places (restaurants, shops, transportation). Guide dogs and service dogs are recognized as a means for a person with a disability to compensate for their disability, just like a white cane or a wheelchair.

Dogs in socialization wear Mira’s official red bandana. Unlike service dogs that are already working with a person with a disability, dogs in socialization do not have the same legal right of access to public places. Their presence instead relies on the cooperation and goodwill of businesses and the public, who agree to welcome them in order to contribute to their training.

Mira only trains dogs from its own breeding program.

No. Mira trains and certifies only dogs from its own breeding program that have been selected through multiple stages.

In order to ensure the proper conduct of our dog training and placement classes with our beneficiaries, we cannot accommodate open visits.

To visit our facilities, meet our team, and learn more about the range of our services, we invite you to participate in our Open Day, which takes place every two years. The next Open Day at Mira will be held in September 2027. We encourage you to stay tuned for the official date announcement.

The name Mira comes from a female Labrador named Mirabelle. She was one of the first two guide dogs trained by our co-founder, Éric St-Pierre. As is common in the canine world, names are often shortened, so he simply called her Mira.

It was in honor of this dog that Éric St-Pierre chose to name his organization Mira. It was only later that he realized the word mira, in Spanish, comes from the verb mirar in the imperative form, meaning “look.”

Our dogs

At Mira, we work with the Labrador, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the crossbreed of these two breeds, the Labernese (including the Saint-Pierre type Labernese, from the 2nd generation). For more information, please see the “Our Dogs” page.

Note: The Labernese and the Saint-Pierre type Labernois are not officially recognized breeds. They are types of dogs resulting from the cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Bernese Mountain Dog. Therefore, there are no officially recognized breeders of Labernese or Saint-Pierre type dogs.

The Labernese is a cross between a Labrador and a Bernese Mountain Dog. It can have short or long hair, with a coat that is black, blonde, tricolor, or black and white.

The Saint-Pierre, on the other hand, is a crossbreed derived from the Labernese . Its coat is long, black, and features a well-defined white marking from the forehead to the muzzle.

All puppies are born at Mira’s nursery. However, we always introduce some new bloodlines to maintain an acceptable level of inbreeding according to the standards of Anima Québec and the International Federation of Guide Dog Schools. The performance of each male and female is recorded, which helps guide genetic decision-making.

It is rare for Mira to accept dogs from outside sources. To be considered, the dog must be purebred, intact, and meet our conformation standards. Some lines, while good companion dogs, are not always suitable for our programs (energy level, instincts, health, etc.).

After a week of evaluation at Mira, a female may be classified as a breeding female based on her physical conformation and good temperament.

The length of training varies depending on the training program:

Guide-dog: 6 to 8 months
Mobility Service Dog: 4 to 5 months
Service Dog for Youth with ASD: 3 to 4 months
Institution Service Dog: 3 months

Dogs that are not selected (so-called “unselected”) from Mira’s training programs are first offered to the foster family. If they decline, Mira will contact people on the waiting list, taking into account the dog’s temperament and needs to ensure the best possible environment. The general public may adopt a dog in exchange for a donation. This amount is determined by Mira based on whether the dog received training and its health condition. Unselected dogs are always spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

To request adoption of an unselected dog, please visit our “Adopt a Unselected Dog” page.

Learn more about our dogs here.

Donors

As a registered charitable organization, Mira can issue donation receipts.

A tax receipt is automatically issued for donations of $20 or more.
For donations under $20, a receipt is issued upon request only.

If you organize a fundraising activity, you must contact Mira to confirm that your activity is eligible to receive a tax receipt, as certain conditions apply. You must also provide the following information: first and last name, mailing address, payment method, and donation amount.

Please note that it is Mira that issues the receipts to the donors.

Learn more about organizing a fundraising activity

Online donation: a confirmation email with the official receipt will be sent immediately after the transaction.
Mail-in donation: please allow approximately four (4) weeks.

Yes, Mira is registered as a charitable organization with the Canada Revenue Agency. Our registration number is 11892 4232 RR0001.

Foster Family

From a behavioral standpoint, it can be difficult to keep them at home. An intact male may, for example, have a tendency to mark his territory inside the house. In addition, coordinating the transport of the dogs with the females’ ovulation dates would make the process much more complicated. Keeping the males together at Mira’s kennel in Saint-Césaire can also provide them with stimulation.

At 9 weeks old.

Visit our Foster Family page to learn more.

Beneficiaries

Yes. When the dog is not working, it can play just like any family pet.

Our dogs are provided free of charge to all our beneficiaries. However, it is the beneficiaries' responsibility to provide food and care for their dog. A discount on food is offered by our partner Mondou, and some veterinarians may provide a deduction.

Wait times can vary. We invite you to check the page for each program to get the most up-to-date information.

Here is an idea of what the wait times may look like:

Guide-dog: 1 year
Mobility Service Dog: 4 to 5 years (currently not accepting applications)
Service Dog for Youth with ASD: 3 years (currently not accepting applications)

Beneficiary Evaluation
Mira evaluates the application in partnership with psychoeducators and specialists in mobility, orientation, or rehabilitation. Depending on the program, the person is assessed over a period of approximately two (2) days at Mira, taking into account their condition, daily mobility and needs, living environment, and the potential benefit of the dog.
Class
Once accepted, the beneficiary is housed and fed free of charge at Mira for a duration of 9 days to 4 weeks, depending on the program. The class is conducted in groups of about 8 people and aims to match the beneficiary with the dog that best suits them, based on the preliminary evaluation results and observations at the start of the class (mobility, pace, contact, personality, etc.). The goal is to form an effective and safe duo.
Home Follow-up
After the class, an instructor and a specialist carry out a home follow-up with the beneficiary. Ongoing follow-ups are then conducted to ensure the proper functioning of the team and the health and security of the dog.