A national provider of blindness services is encouraging people to become short-term puppy carers for the next generation of Seeing Eye Dogs.
Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dogs are essential assistance animals for people with restricted vision.
The group is in urgent need of puppy carers this summer, to ensure the blind and low vision community will get the gift of independence for Christmases to come.
As well as options to share the care responsibilities of a Seeing Eye Dog puppy, Vision Australia is offering flexible fostering options of six or 12 months.
All monetary costs of fostering a puppy, such as food, equipment, health care and other necessary items, are paid for by Vision Australia.
Maroochydore-based Seeing Eye Dogs puppy development trainer Mark Wilczynski said it was a worthwhile calling.
“By fostering a puppy, you’re helping more than you think,” he said.
“You’re not only giving a puppy a foster home, you’re helping our blind and low vision community by raising a future essential assistance animal to aid their independence.”
Volunteer puppy carer Annie enjoys her days helping to socialise and train 10-month-old Seeing Eye Dog-in-training Ripple, and encouraged others to apply.
To enquire about how to apply to be a puppy carer in the Sunshine Coast visit Vision Australia – Seeing Eye Dogs.