Resistance is futile on Guide Dogs Day, so dig deep!

It’s Guide Dogs Day tomorrow (Wednesday, 29 April), and Guide Dogs SA/NT is calling on the community to give in to those puppy dog eyes and recognise the importance of our hardest working puppies and dogs, by donating to support the organisation to raise and train future Guide Dogs.  

Guide Dog puppy eyes aren’t just adorable, they’re life-changing. Guide Dogs provide freedom, confidence and safety for people living with low vision or blindness.  

It takes more than $50,000 to raise and train a Guide Dog, and donations over the coming days will allow Guide Dogs SA/NT to support more people in the community. 

Guide Dogs SA/NT CEO Dan Cox said there were many ways to celebrate Guide Dogs Day, including hosting an event, donating part-proceeds of sales from a business, wearing Guide Dogs merchandise such as bandanas or pins, donning an orange outfit or even bringing your pet to work. 

“Adelaide’s most prominent buildings will be lit up orange tonight as we celebrate Guide Dogs Day, and we want as many people as possible to get involved as we raise money to enable us to raise and train Guide Dogs,” Mr Cox said.  

“It doesn’t take much to contribute, whether it be donating to one of our iconic Guide Dogs coin collection dogs, sharing a morning tea, buying a keyring or contributing part proceeds from sales of coffees, muffins or even pub meals. 

“The more people we can reach the better, even if it’s just raising awareness of what Guide Dogs do. And if people can get together to raise some money, we will all feel like we’re contributing to help increase opportunities for people in our community.” 

Guide Dogs SA/NT will be hosting a telethon throughout the day from its Morphett St office, hoping people will ring in with donations or respond to volunteers calling the community.  

Fun merchandise, including bandanas, puppy eyes sleep masks and socks is also available at the Guide Dogs SA/NT office on Morphett St, at Specsavers outlets across South Australia, at Adelaide Airport retail outlets including Muffin Break, and at community events across Adelaide. 

Other participating supporters include SA Power Networks, Harbour Town, Burnside Village, Anytime Fitness Adelaide, Bank SA, and SOHO Coffee Roasters. 

Specsavers and other corporate partners including Adelaide Airport and William Buck will also double donations tomorrow.  

Key landmarks around the city will light up orange tomorrow night to celebrate, including Adelaide Oval, the Riverbank Precinct Pedestrian Bridge, Adelaide Railway Station, Parliament House, the SAHMRI building, Port Adelaide Lighthouse, Adelaide Town Hall, Elder Park Rotunda, the Adelaide Convention Centre, the City of Prospect Library, the City of Unley Town Hall and Adelaide Festival Centre.    

“It’s hard to resist those puppy dog eyes, but we work with those adorable puppies from when they’re just eight weeks old, and we train them to become working dogs as they support people living with low vision or blindness,” Mr Cox said. 

“It takes more than $50,000 to raise each Guide Dog, and today’s events mean we will be able to train even more dogs to support more people into the future.” 

The community is being encouraged to donate at www.guidedogsday.com.au, to call the Guide Dogs SA/NT team on (08) 8115 6060, or buy some dog-themed merchandise for their pet pooches or favourite puppy friends. 

Find out more about Guide Dogs Day. 

If you would like a visit from a Guide Dogs SA/NT Ambassadog at your media outlet, please let us know asap so that we can try and organise our team between community event visits.