Guide dogs are ready to serve

Four guide dogs have graduated from a gruelling 18 months of preparation and are now ready to help their visually impaired humans navigate the world.

The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind in Paulshof, hosted a special graduation ceremony on 24 March for the canine heroes as they prepared to travel to their new homes.

“Four guide dogs are graduating today,” said Melanie Nel, in charge of marketing and administration for the association. “Two of our recipients are from Gauteng while the other two are from KwaZulu-Natal.”

The dogs embarking on their new careers were Enid who is going to Joanne Garrett from KwaZulu-Natal, Demi who will be taken by Tamlyn Bell from Pretoria, Dale who will be in the employ of Otillia Barnes from Howick, and Dandy who will be the eyes of Martin Lotter, also from Pretoria.

The work animals are raised from puppies to become service dogs and from the age of about 12 months, the dogs go through at least six months of intensive training before they graduate.

“For the past two weeks, our members have been doing training with their new dogs,” said Pieter van Niekerk, the association’s head of marketing.

“They need to bond with the animals and how to work with them. An instructor will also go home with each dog and their owner to help with the transition into their new homes.”

Although the association has been hosting graduation ceremonies for their service dogs for years, this ceremony was with a difference. For the first time, the individuals and families responsible for raising the four dogs from puppyhood were present and were the ones to hand over the new dog harnesses to the new owners.

A few videos were also screened for the audience showing the dogs navigating obstacles as they will have to do day-to-day.

“I want to say a huge thank you the Guide Dogs Association,” said Garrett when she addressed the audience.

“You have given us hope, freedom and independence for the future.”

Details: www.guidedog.org.za