CNIB looking for foster puppy parents in Regina

Danson is Ashley Nemeth's new guide dog

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind is looking for volunteers to act as puppy parents in Regina.

The puppies would need to be fostered from the age of eight weeks to around 12 to 15 months. At that point, the puppies would move into formal guide dog training.

The CNIB says the foster families give the puppies a loving home and help the puppy gain some obedience and training skills.

There are 14,300 blind or partially sighted people in Saskatchewan and guide dogs help them with mobility, freedom and confidence, the CNIB says.

“I was lucky enough to receive one of the first graduate guide dogs from this program and my experience has been amazing. I am happy this program is expanding so other people with vision loss can experience this life changing gift of freedom and independence,” Ashley Nemeth, a guide dog handler and advocacy lead for CNIB Foundation Saskatchewan, said in a news release. “I am also excited that raising awareness about the rights of guide dogs and their handlers is a central focus of this program.”

Anyone interested in fostering a puppy can visit CNIB’s website.