It's time to give power to the puppies!

It's time to give power to the puppies!

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind's (RNZFB's) Red Puppy Appeal is on from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 April.

During the Red Puppy Appeal, the RNZFB aims to raise more than $1 million to fund its Guide Dog Services.

The RNZFB provides guide dogs to its members for free, but each guide dog costs over $22,500 to breed, raise, train and match to a blind person.

So what?

The RNZFB receives no government funding for Guide Dog Services.
We rely entirely on public donations.

You can help us continue to provide guide dogs by spreading the word about the huge difference that guide dogs make to blind, deafblind or vision-impaired
New Zealanders.

In return, we can offer you:

Inspiring, personal stories with
a local news angle

Real-life profiles of dedicated
volunteers

High-resolution images

For more information or to register your interest contact:

Teuila Field, RNZFB Communications Coordinator, phone 09 355 6906 /
021 810 003 / tfield@rnzfb.org.nz

Caitlin Sinclair, RNZFB Communications Coordinator, phone 09 355 6884 /
021 802 095 / csinclair@rnzfb.org.nz

Footer: 0800 RED PUPPY (0800 733 787); www.redpuppy.org.nz; Before Guidance Comes Trust Bayleys Principal Sponsor of; RNZFB Guide Dog Services.

Puppies by numbers…

There are around 240 guide dog teams in
New Zealand.

About 40 people are currently waiting for a
guide dog.

The RNZFB aims to breed around 110 “Red Puppies” this year. (Our puppies are
identified by their bright red coats.)

Each guide dog costs over $22,500 to breed, raise, train and match to a blind person.

During the Red Puppy Appeal, the RNZFB aims to raise more than $1 million to fund its Guide Dog Services.

The RNZFB receives no government funding for Guide Dog Services.

The average time spent waiting for a guide dog is 6-12 months, but it can take longer if people have particular needs.

It takes about 2 years to train a guide dog (including puppy walking).

The average working life of a guide dog is 8-10 years.

Guide Dog Services was established in Manurewa, South Auckland in 1973.

Donate $3 by texting RED to 2450

Donate $20 by calling 0900 RED PUPPY (733 787)

Give online at www.redpuppy.org.nz

The Red Puppy journey

It takes about two years to become a world-class
guide dog. These are the steps that Red Puppies
take along the way:

Brood bitches and stud dogs are carefully
selected and mated either naturally or artificially
at the RNZFB’s Guide Dog Services.

At around eight weeks old, puppies are placed with volunteer puppy walkers as part of the Guide Dog Puppy Development Programme. Puppy walkers socialise the puppies and introduce them to everyday situations they will encounter as guide dogs, like escalators, shopping malls, supermarkets and cafés.

Red Puppies are assessed regularly to see how they are developing and how they act in different situations.

After around 12 months the puppies return to Guide Dog Services for assessment. They are checked on a variety of personality and temperament traits, health aspects and guiding tasks. This covers things like dog, cat and food distraction, how fast or slow they walk and manners. On top of this, guide dog puppies are taken on walk assessments to see how they react in a range of different situations, like rural and residential areas, heavy traffic, and at night.

After passing their assessments, the puppies spend six intensive months training towards becoming a guide dog.

Successful puppies who qualify as a guide dog are then matched to a blind, deafblind or vision-impaired person. Together, the guide dog handler and guide dog graduate, and become a guide dog team. After having some time to bond, the team then has two to five weeks of training with a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor.

A guide dog normally works for around 8-10 years and during this time, the team develops a unique partnership.

Guide dog handler “tails”

Full house

Lavinia lives in Taupo with her husband, her two children
aged six and nine, retired guide dog Sam and working
guide dog Obie – it’s a full house!

For Lavinia, “Having a guide dog means getting out
there and not having to rely on other people to do
things,” says Lavinia. "I don’t look blind, so it’s good
that with Obie, people immediately know I can’t see.”

“I’ve been a Foundation member since I was born,
and my sister and I have the same eye condition.
It’s funny, because she has a guide dog too, and both
our guide dogs look the same!”

“My husband and I have our own construction business,
and I can do all the accounting and administrative
support using a range of adaptive technology. I have
a talking computer, a closed-circuit television and a
talking cell phone.”

Southern story

Gordon lives in Invercargill and has been working with
guide dog Danyon for over seven years.

“Danyon is my second guide dog - he’s a Golden
Retriever. He’s great because he can avoid obstacles and
find places much more intuitively. Before I had a guide dog
I used a white cane, and that wasn’t nearly as easy.”

“I’m a real car guy and I’m into outdoor pursuits –
everywhere I go, Danyon goes too.”

“I’m a member of the Southland ‘All British Vehicle Club’
and I’m the only member with a Morris Marina. I cut my teeth on them. I just got a 1982 Morris pickup truck, and I’m hoping to start restoring that soon.”

Last year, Gordon started working as an administrative assistant at his local RNZFB office. He notes, “Work is great, and I’m developing lots of new skills. I’m working more hours than I’ve done for 10 years, it’s brilliant.”

The coolest dog in the universe

Vicki, a yellow Labrador Retriever, is Richard’s third guide dog
and because of her almost creamy white coat, he calls her
"my blonde".

“We graduated last September, and we’ve bonded very
successfully,” says Richard. “My youngest daughter calls
Vicki ‘the coolest dog in the universe’.”

“I present a fortnightly music show on Christchurch's
Community Access radio station Plains FM 96.9 and
have lots of other musical engagements, so I really
value the independence that Vicki offers.”

Richard adds, "Vicki always goes with me to my
performances – leaving her at home would be a rarity.”

“I’ve worked with my local Guide Dog Mobility
Instructor to develop six destination walks, including
two to hospital chapels where I provide music. The
training is ongoing, and we’re working to develop
further routes so that I can be more flexible."

“I’d be lost without my guide dog”

Verna has lived and worked with guide dog Oram in
South Auckland for almost three years, and he means
the world to her.

“I’ve had different guide dogs since I was 19, and,
without them, my lifestyle would totally change. Having
Oram means total independence for me. Mobility-wise,
I’d be absolutely lost without him.”

Verna has been a Foundation member since the 1960s,
and says, “Even though I can still see some types of
light, having a guide dog just makes things easier.”

“I have a successful business as a massage therapist,
and I think sometimes being blind is an advantage because clients think I have a more sensitive touch!”

Ends

© Scoop Media