A MIDWIFE from Alcester has swapped babies for puppies, to help support sight loss charity Guide Dogs.
Fiona Jones worked at Birmingham Women’s Hospital for 14 years and has lots of experience supporting women giving birth.
Having found out about Guide Dogs needing volunteers to support their doggy mums, Fiona felt she could use her midwifery skills to help.
She signed up as a Breeding Dog Volunteer for the charity. The role involves giving a permanent home to a guide dog mum and supporting her with the birth of her puppies, with support from Guide Dogs.
Fiona said: “I work at one of the largest women’s hospitals in the country and I’ve spent the majority of my career either on the delivery suite or in the birth centre.
“My husband Richard, and I have always wanted to have a dog one day, but never really knew when it would be the right time.
“My father-in-law saw an appeal for volunteers who could give a home to a guide dog mum on the regional news, so I got curious and started looking into all of it.
“We just thought it was a win-win on all fronts. It was a way we could help but also be well-supported with our first dog. It also seemed like a lovely opportunity to exercise my skills and for my children to experience that bit of my work at home.”
Fiona and her family gave a home to Nellie, a two-year-old golden retriever guide dog mum, earlier this year.
Nellie became a mum for the first time in October, giving birth to five future guide dogs.
Fiona added: “Supporting Nellie with her labour was lovely and I feel like I’ve got that different bond with her now – I think she felt safe with us.”
Fiona and Richard’s children, Faye, 11, and Flynn, eight, also supported during Nellie’s birth and Fiona said she was really proud of them both.
“They didn’t seem fazed at all and they’ve seen birth now, which is a really valuable experience,” she added.
“My son was there saying: ‘Come on Nellie, you’re doing really well’.”
The pups will stay at home with Fiona and her family until they are eight weeks old, before moving to start the first stages of their training.
Guide dogs is currently recruiting for more breeding dog volunteers, like Fiona, across the Midlands.
People do not need to have previous experience of owning a dog and Guide Dogs provides all the training volunteers need so people feel well prepared for when a guide dog mum gives birth.
To find out more about volunteering as a Breeding Dog Volunteer for Guide Dogs, visit volattractcentral@guide dogs.org.uk or call 0345 143 0191.
