The charity are looking for volunteers in Kirkcudbright who could look after guide dogs in training. Volunteer boarders look after the dogs in advanced training for around 10 weeks at a time. The dogs will be in their final stage of training before being matched with someone with sight loss, offering independence to their new owner.
Boarders will look after the dog in evenings and weekends, but should be flexible if the dog is not required for training that day. The trainer will collect the dog for part of the day to carry out the dog’s training, and then return it to the volunteer.
Current boarder Joanne said: “We have sponsored a guide dog puppy for years thinking it would appease our daughters as they have always wanted a dog. When I heard about boarding we thought this was the perfect solution for us. We arrived at the training thinking this was the answer to our daughters’ wishes, it would be like having a real dog of our own, all sorted! It is so much more than that. When we worked with the dogs at our training and then listened to a lady with a visual impairment tell us about her life with a guide dog, wow! We started boarding for us; but now we really are doing it for the right reason – to give someone independence. The support from our Guide Dogs staff member Fiona is amazing. We’ve enjoyed learning about the different dogs and their personalities, enjoyed having a dog in the house with us and letting them go, well that’s a wee bit harder but reminding yourself of the difference they make to someone else is easy. Go on, give it a try! The dogs will always hold a special place in your heart, and be the eyes of someone else. As a family, we love boarding and it enriches our lives.”
This valuable volunteer role is essential in the dog’s journey to become a guide dog, providing independence to someone with sight loss.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering for Guide Dogs, you can visit our website: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering-for-guide-dogs/volunteer-role-descriptions/boarder/. To register your interest, contact Fiona McCreath on 07468 712 011 or email: [email protected].
Like to get involved, but this role isn’t for you? We are also keen to hear from people who could join our Dumfries and Machars fundraising groups, organising or taking part in fun events around the area, to raise money to support our life changing services.
