Blind foundation seeks puppy walkers

Luci Carter has been a puppy walker and breading-stock guardian for the last 15 years. Photo / George Novak

Volunteers are needed to host puppies destined to be trained as guide dogs in the Bay of Plenty.

The volunteers, or "puppy walkers", help socialise the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind's pups before their formal training.

Paul Metcalf, head of guide-dog services, said most of the dog walkers were in South Auckland.

The foundation wanted more visibility in town centres and to have puppies exposed to different areas.

Foundation volunteer Luci Carter has walked puppies for 15 years. She got involved after reading a Bay of Plenty Times story about the Bay's first guide-dog puppy. She has had nine dogs since 1999.

Mrs Carter now has 6-month-old Webster, a labrador-poodle cross. She said people volunteered for many reasons.

"Some people come in because they like dogs and others come in because they want to do something for a charity. I came in from the dog angle," she said.

A highlight of being a puppy walker was meeting people: "If you have a puppy attached to you, people will stop and talk to you."

Mrs Carter said it was a rewarding experience.

"I look at the puppies like I do with children, you have them for a certain time and build foundation blocks and then you hand them on to somebody else who adds to those foundations ... Then you can look at them in later life and think, 'I had a part in making that'."

Mrs Carter said commitment and patience were needed.

"A puppy or a dog is always a 24-hour commitment ..."

However, walking pups had its difficulties.

"They're not a robot, they're a dog and no dog is perfect. But as long as you listen, learn and take on what the supervisor tells you, you will be fine."

The Bay has four puppy walkers.

Puppy walkers needed

The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind is looking for puppy walkers for about 12 months. As guide dogs, they will bring mobility and independence to a person who is blind or has low vision. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer puppy walker you must:
*Have no more than one pre-schooler at home.
*Have a high fully-fenced and dog-secure section.
*Not work fulltime and have enough spare time to socialise the puppy.
*You also need to be physically fit and active to walk the puppies
*For more information: www.rnzfb.org.nz/puppy-walking