By LUKE VOOGT
Leopold housemates Phoebe Wilkens and Donna Lindsay recently welcomed the newest member of their household – Hunter the seeing eye puppy.
“Now we’ve got a new housemate,” Phoebe said.
“He’s the new ruler of the house, I think.”
Both adore four-month-old Hunter who has followed them to work, parties and restaurants for the past two months.
Donna described him as a playful, hyperactive and mischievous puppy whose favourite past time is chasing seagulls and kids.
She said Seeing Eye Dog Australia (SEDA) encourages carers to take their puppies to work and social situations to prepare them for life as seeing eye dogs.
“We’ve got to do certain things with him but it’s not as full-on as people think,” she said.
“We’ve just got to take him everywhere.”
Under the SEDA Puppy Carer program, volunteers care for an eight-week-old puppy until it is a year old. SEDA covers all the puppy’s expenses.
“Everyone loves a puppy but knowing what he’ll grow up to be – that’s probably the best part,” Donna said.
“And you don’t even have to pay for anything.”
The pair will miss Hunter, their first guide dog puppy, when he leaves for training.
“Everyone’s asked how we’re going to give him up,” Donna said.
“I think we’re in denial – we haven’t looked that far ahead.”
“We might have to get another puppy,” Phoebe added.
SEDA program co-ordinator Wendy Lake said the charity is searching for puppy carers in Geelong, which are essential to its breeding program.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for people to get involved without having to contribute financially.”
SEDA will hold an information session on puppy caring at Vision Australia in Belmont on 21 July.
For more information visit seda.org.au.
