Home hunt for puppy carers

By Kath Gannaway
AS A teacher Jenny McCubbin set lots of youngsters on the path to greater things.
Now retired, she is preparing a youngster of a different kind for equally great things.
Becoming a puppy carer with Vision Australia was something Jenny says she had always wanted to do and that she is loving having Labrador pup Vonnie as her constant companion.
Vision Australia provides seeing eye dogs for people who are blind or who have low vision.
The puppy caring program provides the basic training for the puppies who live with the carer for about a year before moving on to ‘tertiary’ training.
New carers have a supervisor to provide guidance in training and caring for their puppy.
Healesville puppy carer Jeni Conquest has cared for eight puppies over the years and, with her 12-month-old pup Eddie as a role-model for little Vonnie, is helping Jenny through her first ‘new mum’ experience.
The puppies are taught basic obedience, house manners, are socialised and trained to walk on a lead and respond to many of the commands they will use as a fully trained seeing eye dog.
Like any youngster, Vonnie is full of energy, playful and on a steep learning curve but she also has the qualities needed to add enormously to the quality of life for her future owner.
All she needs is a guiding hand.
Vision Australia will have an information stand outside Coles in Healesville on Friday 29 July and is inviting people who may be interested in learning more about becoming a puppy carer to stop for a chat.
Information is also available at www.visionaustralia.org/seda or phone 1300 84 74 66.