Have you always dreamt of having an adorable puppy to care for and cuddle, but something has held you back? Maybe it was the thought of the hefty vet bills that put you off, or perhaps you were hesitant to commit to settling down in one place with a fur baby to look after. Well, this is your chance to get all the puppy love without any of those setbacks, because Vision Australia is calling upon us all to provide a loving home for their seeing eye dog puppies.
These pups are the valiant canines who'll go on to provide life-changing support to people who are blind or have low vision, but need loving volunteer carers to look after them until they're ready to start puppy school. This is an adorable task we'll happily put our hands up for!
Vision Australia makes caring for the cute pooches as easy as possible for volunteers; they provide everything you'll need, from food to vet bills. All that's expected from puppy carers is to provide basic socialisation and training, and there will be expert advice available on how to do so. Carers will look after the puppies from when they're just 12 weeks old, all the way up to when they're 12 to 15 months, which is when they'll start their formal seeing eye dog training.
You'll not only get to lap up all the puppy cuddles and cuteness, but you'll also feel good knowing that you're helping to provide assistance to vision-impaired Aussies. It's truly a win-win.
“For many of our clients, a seeing eye dog is their key to being an active and independent member of the community," says Seeing Eye Dogs' manager of puppy development, Jane Bradley. "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.”
The only downside of the job will be saying goodbye to your new puppy friend, but you'll know that they're going to a loving owner who will truly value their love and guidance.
If you're not sure whether adding a pup to the family is for you, there are a few different types of volunteer programs you can take part in to support Vision Australia. Volunteers are needed in both metro and regional areas, in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. For all the information, visit the website here.