Cork college staff and students encouraged to home pups for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind

Ably assisted by Slinky, Rocco, and Otter are Michael Loftus, Vice President of External Affairs at Munster Technological University (MTU) with Maggie Cusack, President MTU, and Tim O'Mahony, CEO, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between MTU and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind at MTU Arena, Bishopstown in January this year. Picture: Pauline Dennigan

Staff and students of a third level college which opened its campus to help train guide dogs are now being encouraged to open up their homes to the pups too.

Munster Technological University (MTU) signed a special partnership deal with Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) earlier this year to allow the charity establish guide dog training routes in and around its rapidly developing Bishopstown campus in Cork.

It plans to expand that training route idea to MTU’s six other campuses across Cork and Kerry over the coming months.

But now MTU is encouraging its staff and students to open their homes to IGDB puppies in training, and to become puppy raisers or temporary boarders as part of the charity’s life-changing volunteer programme.

The IGDB says these roles are essential to supporting puppies to become future guide dogs or assistance dogs.

Volunteers can foster puppies as young as nine weeks old up to 14 months and spend that time socialising the puppies and preparing them for their full-time training.

People who volunteer as temporary boarders provide short-term care for dogs in training, offering key support to trainers during the different stages of the training programme for each dog.

The IGDB covers all the expenses including veterinary costs, equipment and food, and the charity provides full support to the volunteers throughout the entire process through its puppy raising supervisors team and its technical training team.

'Incredible opportunity'

MTU’s vice president for external affairs, Michael Loftus, said community engagement is at the core of what MTU stands for and supports.

“Through our wonderful partnership with Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, our students and staff now have an incredible opportunity to play a crucial role in improving the quality of life for a significant number of people in our community,” he said.

Niamh Daly, the puppy raising supervisor team Lead at IGDB, said puppy raisers come from all walks of life.

“Whether you work from home, have hybrid working arrangements, have children or animals or are retired you can get involved,” she said.

“It’s a great way to meet new people in our puppy raising community. Seeing the pups personality grow and the skills they learn through our puppy raisers’ dedication is hugely rewarding.” 

Anyone interested in becoming a puppy raiser or a temporary boarder can contact: [e-mail] or phone [phone].