If there's a small labrador shaped hole in your family, you may just be in luck, with Guide Dogs NSW and ACT looking for Canberra families to volunteer for puppy raising for the first time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The charity hopes to have placed 15 puppies by Christmas, with demand for guide dogs growing significantly.
Previously, Canberra families couldn't raise guide dogs unless they were willing to travel to Sydney to complete the formal parts of the training. Now there will be a full-time puppy development officer in Canberra who will support families as they train the puppies.
Team manager at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT's Canberra office Chace Richardson said families who raise the puppies were up for a year-long commitment, and while families could come in all shapes and sizes, they needed a house with a secure yard and to be able to commit to extended periods with the puppy, not leaving it alone for more than four hours at a time.
Mr Richardson said "it means a lot" that guide dogs will be raised locally and able to service locals, as well as those in the South Coast and Goulburn areas, and to the west of the ACT. Puppy raising is done on a volunteer basis, but the charity covers the costs of the dog's vaccinations and vet checks.
"We are looking for people that are home most of the time, who are interested in putting effort into training and socialising the dog. What you will get in return is a fantastic experience," Karen Hayter, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Puppy Development Manager said.
"Our volunteer puppy raisers make a wonderful contribution in helping to transform a playful puppy into a responsible Guide Dog that will one day change the life of someone who is blind or has sight loss."
Jo Weir is vision impaired and lives in Yass and commutes to Canberra for her work as a feedback officer. She says her guide dog Wiley opens up a world of opportunities for her.
"Wiley adds joy and independence to my day, every day, in a thousand ways. It’s quite hard to articulate in a sentence what he does for me," Ms Weir said.
"He gives me confidence to say yes to opportunities that I might not otherwise say yes to."
Families interested in raising a guide dog puppy can contact Guide Dogs NSW/ACT on 02 4579 7555 or at www.guidedogs.com.au, with information sessions to be held in November.
