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Raise a puppy, change a life |
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Thursday, 07 May 2009 |
Guide Dogs for the Blind chapter to open in Bishop
Staff Report
 Photo courtesy Betsy Thomsen Raider, one of Bishop’s newest guide dog puppies, could soon have lots of company if local Guide Dogs for the Blind volunteers are successful in starting up a local chapter here.
Guide Dogs for the Blind will present an informational community meeting about puppy raising at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 18 at First Presbyterian Church, 585 N. Main St. in Bishop (across from McDonalds) in the Fellowship Hall.
Guide Dogs Community Field Representative Jim Russell will present information about puppy raising and about the club the organization is planning to start in Bishop. Potential puppy raisers of all ages are encouraged to attend.
Guide Dogs for the Blind uses yellow and black Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Lab/Golden crosses as guides. The puppies are born at the Guide Dog kennels in San Rafael and placed in the homes of volunteer puppy raisers when they are 8-10 weeks old.
According to Russell, the puppy raisers teach their pups basic obedience, socialize them and train them to be good canine citizens by introducing them to new experiences.
The pups are returned to Guide Dogs for formal guide work training when they are 14-18 months old. Following the completion of the training, the dogs are matched with blind students enrolled at the school. The new person-dog team completes an intensive in-residence course culminating with a graduation ceremony at which the puppy raiser formally presents the dog to the dog’s new visually impaired partner.
Guide Dogs for the Blind has been creating life-long partnerships in the community by providing Guide Dogs free of charge to visually impaired individuals since 1942. The organization receives no government funding and depends entirely on private donations.
For more information on the new Bishop puppy raising club, contact Betsy Thomsen at (760) 258-1189 or
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Additional information on Guide Dogs for the Blind may be obtained by visiting www.guidedogs.com
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 May 2009 )
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