Tipperary people needed to foster Guide or Assistance Dogs

Puppy Raising is a crucial part of Irish Guide Dogs work. Although done on a voluntary basis, it will take time, commitment and love from both you and your family. The end result however, is a very special dog. Irish Guide Dogs is urgently looking for volunteer Puppy Raisers in Tipperary, particularly in areas near towns as this is important for the pups’ socialisation. The purpose of Irish Guide Dogs’ Puppy Raising Programme is to develop and care for a puppy from the age of 8 weeks to approximately 12-15 months.

The work will provide the puppy with a vital foundation for its future role as a Guide Dog for a visual impaired person or as an Assistance Dog for a family with a child with autism. As a puppy raiser you will foster and socialise the pup from 8 weeks to 12-14 months. The puppy will sleep in your home and all training equipment and food will be provided by Irish Guide Dogs. You'll also get regular training classes and support from your puppy raising supervisor.

Irish Guide Dogs is specifically looking for people who:

• Live in Tipperary
• Have an enclosed garden
• Do not have children under the age of five
• Have an adult at home all day (the pup cannot be left on its own for more than three hours)
• Can commit to a 14-month period of minding a pup in training and attend Irish Guide Dogs’ monthly training sessions.

For a prospective Guide Dog or Assistance Dog, puppy raising is very much an important part of the training and you will be supporting the charity’s essential work for people with vision impairments and children with autism. To find out more or to apply online, go to www.guidedogs.ie or contact our Dog Volunteer Coordinator Eimear Kenneally at 087 9945115 or email eimearkenneally@guidedogs.ie

Key facts about the Irish Guide Dogs

At Irish Guide Dogs we help people live their lives as fully as possible with independence, confidence and mobility. We provide life-changing services to people who are vision impaired and to families of children with Autism. The demand for Irish Guide Dogs' services however is beyond what we can currently support. We continue to provide our services for free to ensure no one is excluded due to lack of income. It costs more than €5 million to fund our services annually. More than 85% of our income comes from public donations and the generous fundraising of our volunteers. Irish Guide Dogs over 40 years, through our clients, volunteers, staff and supporters, has established a reputation of integrity and professional experience that is recognised nationally and internationally.

Irish Guide Dogs Services are provided free of charge and include:

• Guide Dogs Programme (for people who are blind and vision impaired)
• Assistance Dogs Programme (for families of children with autism)
• Orientation and Mobility Training (long cane training)
• Independent Living Skills Training (home skills)
• The Next Step Programme (for young adults making the transition from home to work or college)
• Child Mobility Programme