SHANGHAI: If you love dogs and prepared to help physically challenged people, here is an opportunity.
Call the Shanghai Association for the Disabled to
apply to foster a labrador the city's first group of seeing eye dogs.
"One of the major conditions for applicants is they
can't keep another animal in the house, and have sufficient space for the dog to
move about," a staff member surnamed Mo told China Daily.
During six-to-eight-month period when the dog is with
the volunteer, he or she is expected to properly look after the animal and treat
it as a member of the family.
"They are not supposed to give the dog any special
training, but to bond with it, so it gets used to living with humans," Mo said.
Six puppies are now with foster families, and will
start their training as seeing eye dogs when they are 6 to 8 months old.
The puppies are being provided by Nanjing's Police
Dog Institution, and trained by Japan's Seeing Eye Dog Association.
"We chose labradors because they are the best breed
that can be trained as seeing eye dogs," Mo said.
"We also considered German shepherds, which are very
obedient after proper training, but people are often afraid of them.
"We have received hundreds of applications so far,"
Mo said.
However, she could not say how many families would be
recruited, or how many puppies would be sent to foster homes.
"We have just started this project. So there is still
much to be decided," Mo said.
The cost of training a seeing eye dog is expected to
be more than 100,000 yuan ($12,300). Besides Shanghai, Dalian also has a
training program for seeing eye dogs, Mo said.
Shanghai has a total blind population of 160,000. The
first group of dogs will be given "to the most needy".
