PEOPLE are needed to foster guide dog puppies.

Guide Dogs Cymru needs volunteers from Gwent to raise guide dog puppies from the age of six weeks, until they are a year old and ready to return to the charity for specialised training.

The cost of basic equipment, food and veterinary bills will be covered, but volunteers need access to a car and a securely fenced garden.

Responsibilities for fostering a guide dog puppy include teaching them obedience, getting them used to home life - as well as noisy towns - and preparing them for work by taking them into shops and on public transport.

Volunteers must be able to commit, as the puppies must be supervised most of the day and taken to different environments.

Retired couple, Helen and John Rothwell, started raising Dobby - a black Labrador retriever - last November.

Ms Rothwell said: "We’ve had three pet dogs of our own, so knew what to expect, and Dobby soon settled in. He has a good appetite and, at nine months, he’s really grown.

"Our grandchildren think he is wonderful and make such a fuss of him. It’s good for the puppy to be in a family environment where he can socialise.

"We’ve taken Dobby into many shops in Newport, and on the bus, train and even a boat. The public are generally aware he is in training and have lots of questions for us. We tell them it’s our role to teach him good manners.

"The support from Guide Dogs is brilliant. If you want a holiday, you can take the puppy with you or ask the charity to organise a boarder while you are away.

"Obviously, we’ll be sad when the time comes to hand Dobby back, but we have known from the start that he will be going eventually. We will be interested to hear how he gets on and look forward to visiting him at training school."

To find out more you can leave a message for Steve Kersley on 07785 907728 or email Steve.Kersley@guidedogs.org.uk