Call For Puppy Raisers: International Guide Dog Day
Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs is appealing for puppy raisers in Auckland as International Guide Dog Day rolls out on Wednesday.
Sara Leavy has been a puppy raiser for Blind Low Vision NZ for the past 3 years.
The Stanley Point resident, on Auckland's North Shore, is relishing raising third pup Emma.
Her first two charges Ivy and Aztec both qualified for the guide dogs programme, which only accepts the best dogs.
Getting the phone call to hear your pup has been matched is one of the best moments, Leavy said.
“It makes you so unbelievably happy and weepy," she said.
“To know that after all the work that’s gone into the pup – from the breeding centre, trainers, vets, boarders, as well as our patience and time – has all been worth it.
"That the dog will now meet their new handler and together they will be a team, exploring the world together, is an amazing feeling.”
Saying goodbye to a pup as they left for formal training was a mixture of sadness and excitement, she said.
“I have three kids and I see the pups like my kids. I want to make them well socialised, well-mannered and then I want them to go out into the big wide world as a working adult making a difference.”
Her youngest son, smitten with their first puppy, started to research the difference guide dogs made in people’s lives.
“He would talk about a girl who had become blind at 13 years old and hadn’t left the house until she got her first guide dog at 17," Leavy said.
Her world just opened up.
Rochelle Corrigan, Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs Puppy Placement and Development Manager said puppy raisers were essential.
“Our puppies need to have as many experiences and social outings as possible in the first year of their lives to best prepare them for life as a guide dog and this could simply not be achieved without the dedication of our fantastic volunteers.”
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
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