Guide Dogs Guide Dogs UK Guide Dogs UK always abide by a Breeding Code of Ethics relating to breeding practices and emphasises their commitment to the Health and Welfare of all breeding stock, and recognise their responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Guide Dogs UK take full advantage of all relevant screening processes, including genetic tests as appropriate and available, including hip, elbow and shoulder radiographs, eye tests and heart screens. Guide Dog Mums are bred from the age of nineteen months up to eight years old and will have no more than a maximum of four litters. Guide Dog Dads are used from eighteen months to nine years old. Most litters are born in the home of a volunteer carer although some are born in a National Breeding Centre. Those born in a carer's home have the advantage of experiencing lots more everyday sights and sounds. Conception rates are consistently high at over 95% and average litter sizes are usually 7 or 8 puppies. Dolly, the “Mum” of our Chief Executive – Tom Wright CBE had a litter of ten during lockdown. In 2019 there were 1,135 puppies born and 8,400 puppies and dogs being cared for on any given day. The photo shows one of our local Guide Dog Puppies in training. Retired breeding dogs are carefully assessed to determine the best way forward taking into account the age, health and welfare of each one and may be placed back into training, possibly be used as a “buddy dog” or seconded to other assistance dog charities. Where none of these options are appropriate the dog will be re-homed with care and consideration which in a lot of cases will be with the existing volunteer carer as detailed above. In 2017 there were 900 people on the waiting list for a Guide Dog and during 2019 a further 685 partnerships were formed which, taking into account that nearly 100,000 people a year will be told they are losing their sight, meant the overall figure was reduced to 700. Sadly, the dreaded virus caused a considerable setback and at the end of 2020 the number was back up to just over 850. Guide Dogs have made a commitment to double the amount of support they provide by 2023. The average waiting time for a Guide Dog is currently about 17 months which has increased by roughly six months mainly due to the coronavirus. Nationally in 2019 there were 1,296 more people matched with a sighted guide. Dauntsey Farm Shop continues to forge ahead with their commitment to raise £5,000 to name a
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puppy. We are very grateful to Nev and Sandra from Crudwell who donated a brand new exercise bike for us to raffle. We have also “rebooted” our ongoing plant sale and a very special thank you to Jackie from Malmesbury who has been very generous by donating lots of lovely plants from her garden. Yvonne and I also ran a driveway sale towards the end of April and again our thanks go to Pam, Les, Tina and Brian from Crudwell, Marilyn and Chris from Brinkworth and Gail and John from Chippenham. We raised £107 in the afternoon. A very special thank you to Liz from Crudwell for her very generous cash donation and thanks to all those people donating items for sale, for buying of same and/or supporting Tracey in the many other ways we are raising money – we could not do this without you all. The current name a puppy fund total (at time of writing) was £2,649. Steve Local Group Volunteers: Yvonne & Steve Reay 07966 743492
