See if a new best friend could change your life at Vision Australia

A canine roadshow is coming to Wollongong this month – and it could change your life.

Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs is bringing its expert staff and dogs-in-training to town, to help people who are blind or have low vision learn more about the service.

The free session on 19 March at Vision Australia in Market Street will offer free information sessions and trial walks to all who attend.

Letisha Watson from Seeing Eye Dogs said the roadshow was open to anyone who thinks a Seeing Eye Dog could help them be more active and independent.

Currently, the wait time for a Seeing Eye Dog is just four months and the organisation is keen to increase the number of handlers in NSW and the ACT.

“We’ve worked hard to reduce the wait time and with Seeing Eye Dog instructors now based permanently in NSW, we are really keen for more people across the region to make the most of our Seeing Eye Dogs,” Letisha said.

“Every person who is matched with a Seeing Eye Dog benefits from the two years and almost $50,000 it takes to train one of our dogs.

“Our instructors continue to work with handlers after they’re matched with their Seeing Eye Dog to ensure the partnership is working.”

Wollongong resident Cassie Hassall was matched with her Seeing Eye Dog, Neesha, five years ago.

Despite having a condition from childhood that means she has no central vision, Cassie wasn’t sure she qualified for a Seeing Eye Dog.

As her eyesight and hearing deteriorated, she realised she wasn’t venturing out of her comfort zone any more.

Her job demanded regular travel, which was more stressful as Cassie became less confident in her ability to get around independently.

She decided to find out if a Seeing Eye Dog could help.

“I can’t imagine life without Neesha,” Cassie said.

“I can walk safely around now, but I also have to own up to being vision impaired.

“Walking into a room by myself, I always felt a bit nervous because someone could be in there waving at me and I’d have no idea.

“With Neesha, people instantly know I’m vision impaired, and by the time she has found us a chair and I’ve settled her in, I’ve had a few minutes to acclimatise to what’s going on.

“You have someone to interact with and don’t feel as isolated as you might otherwise.

“She’s also made me more independent. I often take the bus now instead of relying on lifts because Neesha enjoys the bus so much.”

Cassie said before she found Neesha, she always assumed a Seeing Eye Dog wouldn’t be a good fit for her.

As a dog lover with a pet dog already, she thought she might ruin the dog’s training by spoiling them.

She also worried that Seeing Eye Dogs didn’t get much of a life.

Since she was matched with Neesha, however, Cassie has discovered she didn’t need to worry.

“When they’re off their harness they’re just like any other dog,” she said.

“At the end of the day, we come home and she curls up on the lounge, has her dinner and a treat and watches TV with me.

“She’s so social, we promote Seeing Eye Dogs when we’re out and about by talking to people.

“I can tell when she’s made eye contact with someone at Coles because I can feel her tail start to wag.

“She’s a really special girl.”

Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs is the only national provider, trainer, and breeder of Seeing Eye Dogs in Australia.

Letisha said the roadshow sessions were an opportunity for prospective handlers to gain detailed information about the application process and training program.

For handlers who already have a dog guide, there’s help with how to work through the process of retirement when the time comes.

There will also be information about what funding may be available to help access Seeing Eye Dog services.

Cassie encouraged anyone on the fence to check it out.

“A lot of the things that mean the most to me are not the things I thought about when I got Neesha,” she said.

“Go and see them, they know their stuff and they’ll talk you through all the practical aspects.”

A Seeing Eye Dogs Roadshow session will be held at Vision Australia, 2/106 Market Street, Wollongong, on Wednesday, 19 March, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.