New Zealand designers and artists have harnessed their skills to help raise funds and awareness for Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dog Services.
Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Francis Hooper, and Dick Frizzell are among 40 artists from around New Zealand who have collaborated with Blind Low Vision NZ to help raise funds for more guide dogs.
The artists’ brief was to give a new LEASH on life to the old Blind Low Vision NZ Donations Dogs.
The painted guide dogs have taken up residence in shops, restaurants, and shopping malls in Tāmaki Makaurau as part of the Paws for Purpose interactive art exhibition and fundraising auction.
Both Denise L’Estrange-Corbet and Francis Hooper’s painted dogs sit together on the trail in WORLD.
Joining the art exhibition is artist Angie Dennis who has been a guide dog puppy walker for a number of years. Her dog design has braille on it (the words Harness and names of the birds and flowers on the design).
Angie has also ensured her work is tactical by painting, cutting then sticking her art to the Pup. This way, people who are blind or low vision can feel the shapes of the artwork and read the braille to understand the origin of the birds and flora.
The Puppy Dog Trail is free for all to view, and those not in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland can participate in the online bidding before the final auction on 23 March at Park Hyatt.
Blind Low Vision NZ’s Guide Dog Puppy Appeal March 2023 will raise money to build a new and fit-for-purpose kennel for guide dogs in training.
Blind Low Vision NZ is the only organisation to train and breed guide dogs for New Zealanders who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision.
A guide dog gives freedom, independence, and confidence to a New Zealander with vision loss. There are currently 180,000 New Zealanders who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. It’s estimated that due to the ageing population, this number will increase to 225,000 by 2028.
Each year, Blind Low Vision NZ breeds around 100 potential guide dogs, of which around 40 will graduate. However, each year, they also have a waiting list of up to 50 New Zealanders waiting for a guide dog to support them to live independent lives.
The current waiting time to receive a guide dog is around two years. The anticipated increased demand over the coming years will extend the waiting time unless more dogs can be successfully trained as guide dogs.
Images supplied