SIGHT loss charity Guide Dogs has announced its first litter of puppies in 2024 were born in Evesham.
Guide dog mum Hali, a black Labrador, gave birth to seven healthy pups on January 2, making them the first guide dog puppies of the new year.
Hali lives with Guide Dogs’ breeding dog volunteer, Anthea Smith, in Evesham. She gave birth at home, with support from Anthea and specialist staff members from the charity.
Anthea said:
“It’s all going really well. This is Hali’s second litter, and she was a good mum last time, but is even better this time.
“She has just been fabulous – she is very attentive to the puppies.
“The first litter was a litter of seven, and we have a litter of seven healthy pups this time too.
“Six of the pups are black and one yellow.”
The charity’s Breeding Dog Volunteers have a guide dog mum-to-be living with them full-time. It covers all the costs covered.
These volunteers look after these doggy mums like any other pet dog. When the time is right, they help them to give birth at home to the next generation of guide dogs.
They can then enjoy the company of a litter of guide dog pups for around eight weeks, before they move out to start the early stages of their training.
The litter was fathered by guide dog dad, Uran, a yellow Labrador, who also lives with a Breeding Dog Volunteer.
Kelly Newton, Operations Manager at Guide Dogs, said:
“It’s fantastic to be able to announce the birth of our first litter of guide dog puppies in 2024.
“This year, we’re looking for new volunteers who could give a permanent home to one of our guide dog mums, and help to support them when they have their litters of future guide dogs.
“To do the role, you need to be 18 or over and live within an hour’s drive of the National Centre, just outside Leamington Spa.
“To find out more, please do get in touch.”
Breeding Dog Volunteers look after guide dog mums until they retire, at around six years of age.
After this, they are then given the option to keep the mum they have cared for as a pet dog.
To find out more about becoming a Breeding Dog Volunteer and giving a home to a guide dog mum in 2024, contact Volunteering Coordinator Verity O’Donnell via [email protected] or call 0800 781 1444.
