Huiguang Guide Dog School Welcomes 5 Puppies, Seeks Foster Families for Training

(CNA, reporter Huang Hsu-sheng, New Taipei, July 8) Huiguang Guide Dog School's "Guide Dog Mom" Tessa recently gave birth to 5 puppies, injecting new hope into the cultivation of guide dogs in Taiwan. School Principal Tseng Han-lin stated today that they are recruiting foster families to assist the newborn puppies in socialization and habit training.

Tseng Han-lin, principal of Huiguang Guide Dog School located in New Taipei City, said that the mother dog Tessa, from the Ibaraki Guide Dog Association in Japan, recently gave birth to 5 puppies. The father dog Elvis is from the Australian sister school, Guide Dogs Victoria. Both parent dogs are Labrador Retrievers. This is the result of joint cooperation between guide dog institutions in Australia, Japan, and Taiwan, with the hope of continuing excellent bloodlines to cultivate warm and reliable guide dogs.

Peng Hsiao-han, secretary-general of Huiguang, told CNA reporters by phone this afternoon that after two months of age, guide dog puppies must enter foster families to receive group puppy classes and home visits. The foster families will lead the puppies through approximately one year of socialization training to develop good living habits and help the puppies adapt to human social environments, preparing them for their important future tasks.

Peng Hsiao-han stated that foster families play an indispensable and crucial role in the guide dog cultivation process, allowing puppies to grow in an environment filled with love, building their confidence and stable personalities. "We are still actively recruiting; currently, only 2 families have confirmed their participation, and we still need 3 more. We hope that willing individuals will accompany them on their journey to becoming angels paving the way," helping more visually impaired individuals achieve safe and convenient lives.

Peng Hsiao-han mentioned that there are currently 8 visually impaired individuals waiting for a guide dog match. Guide dogs are important companions for the visually impaired, not only enhancing their mobility and safety but also providing companionship and mutual reliance in daily life, fostering deep emotional bonds.

She added that the 5 adorable Labrador puppies, born about three weeks ago on June 20th, consist of 2 black and 3 golden yellow pups. They have visibly grown and are quite cute. The school and its sponsors provide all food, medical care, and related supplies during the fostering period, so foster families do not incur any costs.

Huiguang stated that in recent years, they have continued to collaborate and exchange with international guide dog organizations. In May of this year, Nicky Long, CEO of Guide Dogs Victoria, led a delegation to Taiwan for a visit. In addition to understanding Huiguang's guide dog cultivation and user training programs, they also specifically visited Daisy, a mixed-breed puppy born in Taiwan and Australia in February of this year. (Editor: Li Hsi-chang) 1150708

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.