Guide Dogs provide such a vital service in the community, but it is a service that is costly, with every service ready dog costing $50,000.
The Guide Dogs Central Coast Support Group is raising money to ensure that visually impaired clients are still able to receive a helper.
They will be setting up a desk at Bateau Bay on April 16 at Bateau Bay Shopping Centre to raise funds for the organisation.
“We didn’t set up any desks last year because of the pandemic and we usually raise $20,000 a year between our 12 volunteers and our various donation boxes,” said Central Coast Guide Dogs Volunteer Support Group member, Lynne Lillico.
While $20,000 is a solid effort for a small group, this amount does not even cover the cost of raising one dog to be fit for service.
That figure is around $50,000 and covers the cost of the one year of intensive training, food, medications, a collar and lead and other grooming equipment and any vet bills.
The intensive training that the dogs go through teaches them how to cross roads and understand various commands and sounds and how to respond to their owner.
Before they are properly trained, the dogs live with volunteers for 12-14 months where they will learn basic skills such as social skills, and to be confident with basic commands.
“It’s a year’s worth of intensive training for the puppy and the owners are given a strict diet for the dogs to follow,” said Lillico.
In Australia, the breeds of choice for a guide dog are Labradors and Golden Retrievers, as they are calm, loyal and intelligent.
In some other countries, such as the US and the UK, German Shepherds are also used.
“My husband is blind, so he is on a white cane and that’s how we got involved in Guide Dogs,” said Lillico.
While donating money is the most common way people sponsor Guide Dogs, there are other ways people can get involved such as applying to raise a puppy, becoming a sponsor or helping in naming the dogs by donating.
Some of the volunteers here on the coast make merchandise to sell at their fundraising tables.
Harry Mulholland