• Introduction
• Responsibilities of adopting a Foundation dog
• Placing dogs in their new home - priority process
• Adoption Agreement
• What happens next?

Introduction

At different stages of their lives and for various reasons, our dogs will need a career change. Usually this is because they need to be retired from working guide dog life for health reasons, or simply through old age. Sometimes it's our younger dogs who have shown that they are not suitable for guide dog work and have been withdrawn from the training programme.

This is when we look to place our dogs in new, permanent homes where they will be well looked after and thought of as one of the family. With the right home environment these dogs can make wonderful pets.

We encourage people interested in adopting one of our dogs to register with us, so that we can match up our dogs to their new home.

These pages include all the information you might need to know about adopting one of the Foundation's dogs, including an application form to register your interest.

Responsibilities of adopting a Foundation dog

Adopting one of our former guide dogs, or a dog that has been withdrawn from training is a big responsibility and isn't the same as bringing a new pet home.

Before completing the Adoption Application Form, please consider the following points:

1. The dog will be totally dependent on you for food, veterinary requirements, company and play.

2. Dogs can be expensive, and responsible ownership costs money. Feeding, housing, fencing, worming, vaccinations, veterinary health checks, registration and holiday boarding are costs which must be met in order to adequately care for a dog.

3. You must have a secure, or where appropriate, a fully-fenced section.

4. Most importantly, you must have time. All dogs need basic care and attention, feeding, grooming, exercise and careful training. If a dog is deprived of company and attention, it may result in anti-social behaviour e.g. chewing, barking, aggression or a breakdown in toilet habits. If you lead a busy lifestyle and you do not have time to spend with the dog during the day, you would be unwise to get a dog.

5. Whilst most of our dogs looking for a new home are young (aged 12-18 months), sometimes retired guide dogs (aged 9-12 years) will also become available. Most retired guide dogs are retired solely due to their age, so they can enjoy life as a pet dog. Occasionally a puppy under the age of 12 months may be found to be unsuitable to continue on the Puppy Development Program and may be available for adoption.

6. Dogs may be career changed or retired for a number of reasons. These reasons can include characteristics/medical conditions that are normal for many pet dogs, but are not acceptable for a guide dog. Often these characteristics/medical conditions can be managed or reduced with additional medication or training.

• Over awareness of noise or objects
• Over distraction with other dogs or animals
• Anxiety
• Heightened excitability

Some of these conditions may require your support, and may also be helped with obedience or other training.

Some of the more common medical conditions are:

• Hip or elbow dysplasia
• Arthritis (elderly/retired dog)
• Eye problems
• Skin problems

Some of these conditions may require extra veterinary care, and in some cases require ongoing medical treatment – this can be costly.

7. The most common breeds used by Guide Dog Services are German Shepherds, Labradors, Standard Poodles, Golden Retrievers and Labrador cross Golden Retrievers. On occasion we may have Labrador cross Curly Coated Retrievers who we also need to find homes for.

Placing dogs in their new home - priority process

When GDS sees that one of our dogs needs a career change, we're committed to finding the best possible place for the dog’s future. To make sure our dogs get the very best quality of life, we have to apply the following priority process each time a dog comes up for adoption.

The usual procedure is to offer the dog, as follows, to:

• Former guide dog handlers (this applies to retired guide dogs). If a working dog has been retired from guiding, its handler or the handler’s family can choose to keep the dog.
• Another service provider (if the dog is suitable). For example, the police (for use in the detection of drugs, solvents, explosives), NZ Customs Service, Search & Rescue, MAF, Epilepsy Assist and more.
• A Companion Home. If the dog is suitable as a companion for a disabled person who does not require a guide dog.
• A friend of GDS. This will apply if special circumstances exist where a friend of GDS, such as a donor, wishes to adopt, and the dog is suitable.
• The former Puppy Walker. The volunteer who raised the puppy from 7 weeks of age through to 14 months when the pup came in to GDS for assessment.
• A Pet Home. Any person who would like to adopt a dog from us.

Adoption Agreement

If you wish to adopt one of our dogs, you'll need to sign an agreement stating that you will take full care and responsibility for the dog’s health, welfare and security. You must also ensure it is registered and vaccinated annually.

The dog must not be used as a guide dog for a blind person and the dog must live inside as a member of the family.

If you would like to adopt one of our dogs, it is expected that a donation of between $200 and $600 will be made to Guide Dog Services. (Donations are tax-deductable).

If you're still interested in adopting one of our dogs, please complete our online application form.

What happens next?

Once we receive your application form, we'll send you confirmation that you're on our register. When a suitable dog becomes available, we will contact you.

Thanks very much for your support!