Guide dogs in training in need of foster homes in Wetherby, Tadcaster and Boston Spa

Volunteer fosterers for Guide Dogs provide temporary homes for future guide dogs, as they complete their specialised training.

Without their incredible volunteers, the charity wouldn’t be able to carry out their life changing work.

A guide dog begins its formal training at around 12-14 months old and, in usual circumstances, most dogs qualify as working guide dogs by the age of two.

Guide Dogs covers the cost of all the food, veterinary care and equipment required for each dog and provides full training and support.

Catherine Hubbard, Regional Volunteering Partner at Guide Dogs, said: “This is a great opportunity for an individual or a family to care for a dog, on a temporary basis, with all the costs covered.

“On weekdays, the dog you are caring for will attend training sessions with a local, specialist trainer from Guide Dogs.

“We’re looking for people who are able to drop off and collect a dog from our training site in Thorner, just like the school run.

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"On evenings and weekends, the dog will then spend time with you and enjoy time out from training sessions.

“After a few months, the dog will hopefully qualify and move on to be partnered with a local person living with sight loss, becoming a life-changing guide.

“Our volunteer fosterers really are an integral part of the guide dog journey – without them, we simply couldn’t deliver our life changing work.”

Guide Dogs is keen to hear from people who live within a few miles’ radius of the charity’s training site at Bramley Grange on Skeltons Lane in Thorner, but they will also accept applications from further afield if people are able to commit to travelling to Thorner to drop off and collect a dog.

If you think you could provide a loving, temporary home for a trainee guide dog, visit https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/volunteering or call 0800 781 1444 for more information about how you can get involved.

Take a look at these 20 gorgeous dogs currently looking for their forever home at the RSPCA York, Harrogate and District branch