News
2022 Puppy Graduation!
Over 200 Guide Dogs supporters joined us on Tuesday, 15 February, to celebrate the Graduation of the Q and R Litter puppies-in-training, and formally recognise our newest Guide Dog client and dog teams.
Chief Executive Officer of Guide Dogs SA/NT, Aaron Chia, hosted the event at the prestigious Adelaide Oval, proudly congratulating newly matched clients and graduating dogs. Puppy Sponsors, corporate supporters, major donors, Board members and ‘Buddy for Life’ members were among the special guests eager to see the graduating litter and celebrate the new client matches.
Karen Simpson, General Manager, Dog Services & Beau’s Pet Hotel addressing the crowd.
“Our Guide Dogs, Autism Assistance Dogs and Therapy Dogs, which include Facility Dogs, enable independence, participation, inclusion and wellbeing for people with vision impairment, children living with autism and their families,” said Aaron.
Our first graduate Rocket celebrated qualifying as a Guide Dog and has been matched with a client. Rocket is now completing the final steps of his specialised training program. Our next graduates, Radar, Raven, Quisky, Queenie, Qutie and Quincy decided that working life wasn’t for them, and are now enjoying lives of leisure, providing companionship as much-loved family pets.
Royal was a fan favourite at Graduation with her cheesy smile and lovable walk. She graduated onto further training where she will use her skills to choose the most suitable career path.
Rayne and Rua had a very special update for guests in attendance, they have both chosen the same very rewarding career. The sisters have become PTSD support dogs assisting veterans and other vulnerable clients interstate. We wish Rayne, Rua and the people they support all the best in their new chapters. Our final graduate Remi chose a challenging but very rewarding career to become a brood mum and nurture a future litter of puppies-in-training.
Puppy-in-training Royal on stage.
Bob & Geraldine accepting the certificate on behalf of Tania, Billy and Assistance Dog Ringer.
“There can be no higher calling for a dog than to enable freedom, independence and inclusion for people living with disability.”
Through the dedicated work of our Guide Dog Services team, we matched four clients with life-changing Guide Dogs and Autism Assistance Dogs. Guide Dog teams Alison & Oxford, Bruce & Oakland and Deana & Jojo stole the show with their stories and appreciations of what their new fur-ends mean to them.
Assistance Dog team Billy & Ringer, stole the hearts of many people in attendance, seeing first-hand how one of our dogs can make a real difference to a family. These ‘pawfect’ matches were made possible by Guide Dogs’ national Centre of Excellence, where we bring together the best minds in the field across the country to create the best outcomes for our clients.
Alison Kershaw & Guide Dog Oxford on stage.
Bruce Ind & Guide Dog Oakland on stage.
The success of this national collaboration was also evident when the new S, T & U Litter puppies were presented on stage. Guests were delighted to meet Sage, Seymour, Shadow, Storm, Tag, Tally, Tanner, Tessie, Texas, Topaz, Uki and Urban, who are aged between three and four months old and were helped on stage by their Puppy Raising Advisors. These pups are just beginning their training journeys and we can’t wait to see them develop as Guide Dogs, Autism Assistance Dogs or Therapy Dogs, thanks to the support of our Puppy Sponsors.
Guide Dogs SA/NT supporters.
We thank guests for joining us on this very special day and extend our gratitude to Adelaide Oval for their generous hospitality.
