IT WAS a unique Christmas Day this year for Maureen Ross from Redditch – instead of having Christmas lunch with her family, she spent the day supporting guide dog mum Kim who gave birth to seven puppies.
Maureen is a volunteer Breeding Dog Holder for sight loss charity Guide Dogs and, although Kim was due to have her litter on the December 28, her pups made an unexpected early arrival.
Volunteer ‘Breeding Dog Holders’ support Guide Dogs by providing homes for the mums and helping them when they have their litters of life-changing pups.
The charity has launched an urgent appeal for volunteers in Redditch and surrounding areas who could give a loving permanent home to one of their guide dog mums.
Kelly Newton, operations manager at Guide Dogs, said: “It’s very rare for a litter of guide dog pups to be born on Christmas Day, so a special thank you to Maureen and her family for changing their celebrations so they could support Kim and her litter.”
Maureen has been a volunteer Breeding Dog Holder for Guide Dogs for three years.
This was the second litter of puppies mum Kim has had for the charity.
Maureen said: “We were delighted it was Christmas Day when the puppies were born – it seemed apt, Kim giving birth to little Christmas miracles that will change people’s lives.
“It was early afternoon when Kim went into labour and all the puppies were born by early evening.
“She had seven healthy back Labrador pups, four boys and three girls.
“It is an indescribable experience having litters of guide dog puppies born in your home, which we feel honoured to be able to have.”
Volunteers must be aged 18 or over and live within an hour’s drive of the Guide Dogs National Centre, near Leamington Spa.
To find out more, contact Volunteering Coordinator Melanie Brown at [email protected] or call 0800 781 1444.
