Helping guide dogs is paws-itive experience
More volunteers needed
Hamilton woman Margaret Tanner has opened her home to a Guide Dog puppy for a year.
And now the charity is asking other people in the town to consider taking on a pooch.
Volunteer puppy raisers care for the little dogs until they are ready to go to guide dog training school after around 12 months.
Margaret took in puppy Verity at the beginning of the year and said: “Volunteering has opened up a whole new dimension in our lives.
“Verity has become an extension of our family and given us the opportunity to explore new areas in our local community and make new friends.”
Puppy training supervisor Janice Collins explained: “We are looking for people in Hamilton and nearby who can start our puppies on their journey to becoming guide dogs. Volunteers teach their puppy basic obedience commands and make sure that they are well socialised, which means taking them into different environments such as shops, cafes, busy areas and on public transport.
“The puppy will live with the volunteer full-time, so they need to be able to spend the majority of the day with them and have a securely-fenced garden.
“Puppy raising is rewarding.
“Our volunteers feel very proud and emotional when they hear that their puppy has qualified in a guide dog partnership and has changed the life of a person with sight loss.
“It’s also a very sociable role and many volunteers comment about it bringing lots of new people into their lives.”
If you would like to help or find out more about volunteering, please call Guide Dogs Hamilton on 0345 143 0206 or visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/ puppywalking. hugely