This Halloween, guide dog puppy Pumpkin helps highlight urgent need for more volunteers in Doncaster

This Halloween, a guide dog puppy called Pumpkin is helping Guide Dogs appeal for more local people to volunteer as puppy raisers, with the charity particularly keen to hear from people in Doncaster.

Pumpkin is one of three guide dog puppies in Guide Dogs' North East region to share the same seasonal name. A three month old Golden Retriever cross Labrador, while she's busy learning about the world around her, the charity is hoping her story will inspire more people locally to consider opening their homes to a future guide dog.

Volunteer puppy raisers play a vital role in a guide dog's journey, welcoming a puppy into their home for around 12 to 14 months and helping them experience everyday life.

From getting used to household noises and meeting new people to visiting shops, cafes and travelling on public transport, these early experiences help puppies develop the confidence and skills they'll need as they progress to the next stages of their specialist guide dog training.

Guide Dogs provides volunteers with training, ongoing guidance and support throughout their puppy raising journey, so previous experience of dog training isn't essential.

Laura Lloyd-Anderson, Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs in Doncaster said:

“Our volunteer puppy raisers make an enormous difference to the lives of the puppies they welcome into their homes. They're helping them take their first steps towards becoming a guide dog by introducing them to the world around them and giving them the confidence to experience new things.

“We're particularly keen to hear from people in South Yorkshire, including Doncaster, where we urgently need more volunteer puppy raisers.

“It's a really rewarding experience, and you don't need to have raised a puppy before. We'll provide the training and support you need along the way. You could be helping to give a future guide dog the very best start in life, while making memories of your own along the way.”

Volunteers need to be able to welcome a puppy into their home and commit to helping them learn about the world for approximately 12 to 14 months. They receive support from Guide Dogs and all essential costs are covered throughout this time.

To find out more about volunteering as a puppy raiser, visit http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser