Go North East (GNE) has partnered with charity Guide Dogs Newcastle to offer free travel for volunteer puppy raisers.
The initiative aims to support the development of guide dogs in training by enabling puppies to gain more experience on public transport. Volunteers who raise and socialise future guide dogs can present their Guide Dogs ID pass to benefit from free travel across the GNE network.
The partnership was launched following a training session on one of GNE’s Voltra buses. Guide dog puppies practised boarding, travelling and disembarking under controlled conditions. GNE says this approach is essential for the puppies to grow into fully trained guide dogs.
Says Rebecca Stranney, Puppy Development Advisor at Guide Dogs in Newcastle: “A huge thank you to Go North East for providing free travel for our volunteers and hosting this training session. Many guide dog owners rely on public transport and so providing real-world settings like this is invaluable to the puppies’ development, helping to prepare them for their future roles as life-changing guide dogs for people with sight loss.”
Adds Ben Maxfield, Business Director at Go North East: “By offering free travel, we hope to help prepare guide dogs for the future, and we look forward to welcoming more puppies and volunteers on board.”
