Sisters raise their hand to foster learner guide puppy
Raising awareness is key for two sisters who have taken on the task of raising a guide dog for the South African Guide Dogs Association for the Blind.
Two sisters rose to the challenge of rearing a future guide-dog from Paulshof’s South African Guide-Dogs Association for the blind.
Necia and Stephi van Vuuren have co-raised Labrador Hamley for a year, with more time left to go.
Hamley is their first guide dog. Both have found it easier for two people to raise a dog than one. “It’s easier if you have someone else to help you. If you’re by yourself, you have all the responsibility and have to go to all the classes, ” said Stephi.
She added that there is comfort in knowing Hamley will help a visually impaired person. “It’s quite challenging to know that we are going to have to give him up. We have other dogs at home and have trained. But we look at him and know we have to give him away after he’s become such a huge part of our lives,” she said.
“I actually wanted a puppy but knew it was another 13-year commitment. This helps because I have another puppy and I get to do volunteer work which feels really amazing.”
The association calls for volunteers for puppy-raisers when a new litter is born. The sisters say the community within the association are extremely good natured.
“The community is amazing. The trainers are amazing. We learn so much from one another, and raising awareness is key,” said Necia.
“The number of times we get stopped where people see our dogs and we can explain what a guide dog is. That’s part of spreading the knowledge we love. Guide dogs are allowed to go with us everywhere, but there are some places where they are a little hesitant. We don’t want to put people into uncomfortable positions.”
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