Because of your amazing GENEROSITY we have managed to raise R21,500!!! All going toward those precious Guide Dogs!!!
As you will remember it can sometimes take up to R100, 000 to get a puppy to fully fledged Guide Dog, so this contribution will help them a lot!
We are excited to announce that all proceeds from Innit2Winnit 2017 will be donated to the SA Guide Dogs Association.
Most people would have heard of the Association and the amazing work they do - here are some more interesting facts about them:
- South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind (GDA) was established in 1953.
- GDA trains Guide Dogs for people who are visually impaired, Service Dogs for people who are physically disabled and Autism Support Dogs for Autistic Children.
- GDA used Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Lab x Golden Retrievers and a small percentage of German Shepherds.
- Puppies are placed with volunteer Puppy Raising Families at about seven weeks of age.
- Pups attend weekly socialising classes for the first 13 weeks that they are living with their Puppy Raisers.
- About two thirds of all dogs bred will go on to become Guide, Service, Autism Support Dogs or breeding stock.
- About one third of dogs will not be suitable as working dogs (for either health or temperament reasons). These dogs often stay with their Puppy Raiser as a family pet (the Puppy Raisers has first option to keep the dog). If the Puppy Raiser can’t keep the dog the GDA will re-home the dog as a pet. Careful matching is done to ensure that the dog will be compatible with his new owners.
- It takes about six months to train a Guide Dog.
- GDA trains between 40 and 60 working dogs per year. Eight to 10 of these teams are trained exclusively in Cape Town.
- Most working dogs retire at 10 years of age. Many dogs remain with their owner after retirement age. Some retired working dogs are re-homed into a new loving home.
For more information on the Association and a letter of permission please see the documents below: