Guide Dogs Victoria is on the hunt for up to 35 volunteer Puppy Raisers across Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Geelong.
Over 12 months, volunteer Puppy Raisers get to play a critical role in transforming the young pups into trainee Guide Dogs, who will one day provide essential independence and freedom to people who are blind or have low vision.
It takes more than two years and costs more than $50,000 to raise, breed, and train each Guide Dog. Like all the organisation’s services, Guide Dogs are provided at no cost to those who need them.
While Puppy Raisers are responsible for everyday activities such as grooming, house training and exercising their pups, Guide Dogs Victoria provides a strong support network, as well as food, veterinary care, and flea and tick prevention.
Naomi Wallace, Guide Dogs Victoria’s Puppy Development Team Leader, said volunteer Puppy Raisers are essential to the work that Guide Dogs Victoria does.
“Puppy Raisers need to have a fully fenced yard, be away from home no more than four hours at a time and have access to a car. Raisers must also be able to attend training days in their local area so the puppy can learn basic skills such as sitting nicely when being groomed, walking calmly on a lead and developing good house manners – all of which sets them up to develop the skills they’ll need to change a life,” says Wallace.
You can find out more, and apply to become a Puppy Raiser by visiting the Guide Dogs website.
To stay up to date on the latest industry headlines, sign up to the Pet Industry News e-newsletter.