A litter of adorable puppies cute enough to melt your heart is looking for Sunshine Coast residents to open their homes and help them on the road to becoming qualified Guide Dogs.
Guide Dogs Queensland recently welcomed seven tiny pups, its first litter of labradors for 2022, which will one day grow up to play a vital role in assisting people living with a visual impairment.
The charity has been breeding its own dogs for more than two decades, specially training them through the help of the Puppy Raisers program until they are around 12 to 15 months old.
Each dog costs $50,000 to breed, train, and match with its human companion and comes at no cost to the client.
With the Sunshine Coast a “pawfect” training environment for Guide Dogs, the organisation is urgently seeking residents to consider becoming a puppy raiser.
Guide Dogs Nursery Coordinator Fiona Kachel said now at six weeks old, the ‘Z litter’ pups were in the nursery taking the first steps in their very important journey.
“There are five black pups and two yellow. I can already tell these puppies are going to be very active as they get older,” she said.
“Our black labrador Jinx gave birth to seven healthy pups — four males and three females — on January 11.
“Jinx is a really great mum. She really loves her pups and is taking great care of them.
“These little pups will spend the first two months of their lives in the Guide Dogs Nursery before they go home with volunteer Puppy Raisers and begin their two-year journey to change someone’s life.
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Ms Kachel says the volunteer program plays a crucial role in a Guide Dog’s journey, helping them learn the skills they will need to one day fulfil a life-changing roll.
With even more puppies due to be born in the coming days, Guide Dogs is urgently needing volunteers who are willing to open their hearts and homes to a puppy. All training, veterinary costs, and equipment is provided by Guide Dogs.
Guide Dogs general manager Lee Buckingham said the organisation was looking for ideal candidates on the Sunshine Coast who could raise a puppy in their home and attend a weekly two-hour training class at the Guide Dogs Training Centre in Bald Hills, north of Brisbane.
“The Sunshine Coast is the perfect training ground for a future guide dog,” Mr Buckingham said.
“It provides all of the environments we like our dogs to be exposed to during training — busy environments such as shopping centres, cafes and restaurants, as well as access to public transport and exposure to people in the community with other dogs.
“We have always had a strong community of puppy raisers in the area, and we have a number of clients with a Guide Dog in the local community.”
Guide Dogs has a dedicated office at Maroochydore where children and adults with low vision or blindness can seek support in a range of services including occupational therapy, orientation and mobility training, learning to use a white cane, counselling and psychology support, and using technology to make life easier.
Local fundraising activities are vital to support the work of Guide Dogs. To donate or volunteer visit guidedogsqld.com.au. To apply for the Puppy Raiser program visit raiseapup.com.au.
To be eligible as a volunteer puppy raiser you must:
- Be over the age of 18.
- Have a safe and secure home and yard (can live in a unit).
- Have time to dedicate to a puppy for 6+ months.
- Flexibility to attend classes during weekdays.
- Able to visit Guide Dogs at Bald Hills for classes.
- Access to internet and phone.
- A driver’s licence and access to a vehicle.
