Volunteer puppy fosterers, boarders and our breeding dog holders play a very important role in helping us achieve our mission. Puppies and dogs thrive in a home enviroment so we do not have or use kennel facilities. This also means we can keep our overheads as low as possible allowing us to utilise more of our rescources into delivering our mission.
PLEASE NOTE: At the moment we are only operating our puppy foster care programme in the Munster & Dublin regions.
Puppy Foster Volunteer
Every puppy is reared and socialised by loving volunteers in the puppy foster care programme for the first 12 – 15 months of their training journey.
This is a vital role to our service providing a solid foundation for our puppies before their formal training.
Puppy Foster Carer Criteria
No experience is needed but you must meet the following criteria
Do you have time to care for, feed and train a puppy under the guidance of our Puppy Foster Care Supervisor
Are you at home for the majority of the day – puppies can’t be left alone for more than 2 hours
Do you have time to spend on different activities, taking the puppy into different environments. The puppies wear a jacket and have access to public places
Do you have a secure enclosed garden
You must be allowed to have a dog in your home – we will need written permission if it is rented accommodation
Do you drive or have access to a car and are willing to get the dog to a vet in a case of emergency.
It is fine if you have other dogs but they would have to be walked separately from the puppy.
We cover all costs including veterinary fees and food and equipment are provided.
If you would like to get involved in this rewarding role and can commit to training a puppy to be a life line to a child with autism and their family, then we would love to hear from you.
Puppy & Dog boarding volunteer
As we don’t use kennels for our dogs and puppies, we look for kind hearted dog lovers for both long and short term boarding. If you feel a 6-12month commitment is too long as a puppy fosterer, then this could be the opportunity that you are looking for.
Long term boarders
Boarding still involves the same role as the puppy foster carer, ensuring that the puppy is well socialised, living in your home with your family, but boarding can be different lengths of time, depending on what you feel you can genuinely offer
Short term boarders
This is to cover holiday periods for puppies with foster carers and could be for a weekend or one to two week period.
Evening and weekend boarders
This role involves taking care of the assistant dog in training when they are not working. This is usually for evenings and weekends. It is essential that you live close in Little Island, Cork or the surrounding area so the dogs do not need to travel long distances daily. You may be asked to drop and collect the dog you are boarding from our training center in Little Island. Typically the dog would need to be at our training centre every weekday, a bit like school. There is some flexibility regarding drop off and collection times so this opportunity may suit somebody who is working or dropping children to school in the Little Island area.
Breeding dog holders
Why become a Brood Bitch Holder?
Being a brood bitch holder will mean that you get a well socialised dog to live with you as part of your family.
You will be helping us to continue our work by raising more puppies that will go on to be life changers
What does the role involve?
You will have the opportunity to raise litters of puppies under the guidance of our staff.
This is a rewarding but demanding role during the whelping process.
The pups will live in your home from birth to 8 weeks before being placed on our Puppy Foster Care Programme.
You will follow a programme with the pups from 3 days old ensuring they have the best start in life.
What support will you receive?
Regular ongoing support and guidance
We provide all equipment, food, veterinary costs etc
Who can become a Brood Bitch Holder
You do not need to have any prior experience, as all of the relevant support and training will be provided.
However, to care for one of our breeding stock you must meet the following criteria:
Live in the Munster region
Be a dog lover and have a calm and caring disposition
Have time to devote to the brood and her litter. The time needed changes prior to whelping and when she has a litter of puppies
Have space within the home for the brood bitch and her litter
Have access to a car and be willing to drive the brood bitch on essential journeys such as vets appointments and pre-mating tests as required
Have good communication skills
