Become a puppy raiser for the Guide-Dogs Association
As part of the GDA working dog preparatory programme, puppies are fostered by ordinary families for socialisation and obedience training between the ages of seven weeks and 16/18 months to prepare them for their final formal training.
Gladys Evans formed the South African Guide-Dogs Association (GDA) for the Blind in 1953 after returning from England where she had been trained with her guide dog, Sheena.
Gladys’ next objective after realising how much a guide dog improved her life was to make guide dogs available to other South African people.
Now the GDA is asking communities in our area to become voluntary puppy raisers. In light of this, here is some useful information you’re probably wondering about:
What services does the Association provide?
The organisation has steadily increased its services to the differently abled people of Southern Africa throughout the years. Their current services include the following:
• Guide dog, service dog, and autism support dog breeding, training, and placement.
• Orientation and mobility support services.
• Training of orientation and mobility practitioners at their College of Orientation and Mobility.
What are the distinctions between guide dogs, service dogs, and autism support dogs?
A guide dog receives special training that allows it to lead a visually impaired person. A guide dog is trained to ignore distractions while safely transporting its person from one location to another.
Also read: The SA Guide-Dogs Association is turning 70!
A service dog aids a physically challenged person. Each service dog owner has unique requirements. The service dog will be taught the exact activities that its user will be expected to do in the final phases of training. Most service dogs are taught the fundamental activities necessary for their position, such as pushing, pulling, and retrieving things that are out of reach of the owner.
Also read: Calling all super dogs for the Dogs Unite Day for the Guide-Dogs Association
An autism support dog gives comfort to youngsters with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children with Autism dislike being restricted; nevertheless, with the companionship of a dog, the youngster is less likely to run away. An Autism Support Dog can improve the quality of life for both the kid and the primary caregiver/family. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder may feel under pressure to keep up with the fast-paced world around them.
Because of the dog’s capacity to accept and deliver unconditional affection, having an autistic support dog reduces the child’s pressure and expectations. The organisation trains and delivers autism support dogs to children between the ages of five and 12 who fit our criteria.
How does one tell the difference between the three categories of assistance dogs?
Service dog: Guide When dogs are wearing a harness with a metal handle, they are on duty. ‘Do not distract’ is written on the handle.
Service and autism support dogs are on duty when they wear bright red jackets with the SA Guide Dogs badge.
Puppies in training: As part of the aforementioned working dog preparatory programme, they are fostered by ordinary families for socialisation and obedience training between the ages of seven weeks and 16/ 18 months to prepare them for their final formal training. They will be dressed in blue jackets with the SA Guide Dogs emblem.
How are the services of the Association paid for?
The Association is supported by private people and families, charity and will trusts, business donations, service organisations, legacy income, and our own marketing and fundraising campaigns.
What are the costs of training and acquiring an assistance dog?
Under the assistance dog programme, our investors pay a few hundred thousand rands to finance a human-canine partnership as a guide dog team, a service dog team, or an autistic support dog team. As part of the contract, each new owner is required to pay a single minimal price of R5 for their dog, R100 for equipment, and R100 for lodging while in residential training – a total of R205.
How can you help?
Members of the public and commercial sectors may help the GDA transform lives in several ways. This includes but is not limited to, signing up for a monthly debit order, volunteering your time by joining their Puppy Raising Scheme, sponsoring the training of one of their assistance dogs or College students, thinking about leaving a legacy to GDA or signing up for their Membership or other projects.
