January 29, 2021
Mt Cambria Reserve (above) provides plenty of rolling green space, ideal for canines to meet and play Chris Wheatley (right) gets the dogs excited with a game of fetch, while (below) Jill Mayo with Bosley, and David Noon with Joy, praise the animals’ efforts Noon said having the social network meant dogs didn’t have to go to kennels when people went on holidays, because friends made at the weekly sessions were often happy to help out. Mayo said other postives of the gatherings was that people learned how to approach dogs and dogs learned how to socialise with each. “One important thing is remembering to pick up the poos,” she added. Robert Weber has been looking after a couple of one-year-old labradors named Inka and Skila. When Skila did not pass her final training as a guide dog, Weber signed up to adopt her. Vaile said it was not uncommon for labradors to fail their guide-dog training but many of them got adopted by their volunteer raisers. Bayswater resident Helen Ryan has been fostering labrador puppies for a few years now. “We get them when they are about eight weeks old and look after them for a year before they go into training,” she explained. Her current charge is Fern, who looks likely to pass in the guide-puppy programme. Tania Young adopted her labrador, Flow, after she was withdrawn from the training programme and says: “The group has expanded to more than just labradors and has become a really nice community for people who love their dogs.”
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 5
