Residents across the Central Coast are being encouraged to open their homes to a Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs puppy.
Seeing Eye Dogs is on the hunt for puppy carers who will play a vital role in the training and development of the next generation of service animals.
Carers take in Seeing Eye Dogs puppies when they’re around 12 weeks old, with the option to look after them for either six or 12 months and help the pups prepare for formal training.
“Our volunteer puppy carers are an integral part of the training and development of Seeing Eye Dogs,” Manager of puppy development Jane Bradley said.
“While with carers, the focus is on the pups learning basic cues and socialisation skills.
“Carers are supported in this by a Seeing Eye Dogs puppy development trainer and all food and vet bills are covered by Seeing Eye Dogs.”
Each year, Seeing Eye Dogs breeds more than 200 puppies that enter the Seeing Eye Dogs program.
Prospective handlers currently wait around seven months to be matched with a fully trained dog and puppy carers are vital in helping to minimise that waiting period.
“The earlier we can place a puppy with a carer, the earlier they start learning the skills and behaviours needed to be a Seeing Eye Dog,” Bradley said.
“Delays in placing puppies with carers have a flow on effect to when somebody who is blind or has low vision may be matched with a life changing Seeing Eye Dog,.
“For many people who are blind or have low vision, a Seeing Eye Dog is their key to being an active and independent member of the community.
“Without the support of our puppy carers we wouldn’t be able to train and develop the number of Seeing Eye Dogs we require to meet the needs of our client base.”
Seeing Eye Dogs will hold a special information session at the Erina Centre on Friday, June 28, from 12pm-1pm.
To register or find out more about puppy caring, head to https://sed.visionaustralia.org/puppy-caring/information-session