Guide Dogs go for a walk on the wild side at Edinburgh Zoo
Guide Dogs Scotland has teamed up with Edinburgh Zoo, as the charity looks to develop their pups’ confidence around animals and wildlife.
Pups Wynter, Oleg and Lyle and their volunteer puppy raisers recently enjoyed a day out at the zoo, getting up close to the resident giraffes, meerkats and chimpanzees.
It is hoped the visits, and exposure to different animals in such a calm environment, will help prepare the puppies for life as working guide dogs.
Puppy Development Advisor Lynsey Anderson-Fell said: “The main benefit is we can prepare our dogs for places they might visit in the future.
“Once qualified as a guide dog, they may well visit a zoo, safari park or farm with their owner and we want them to be able to do this without being overwhelmed.”
Guide Dogs worked closely with staff at Edinburgh Zoo to prepare both the puppies and the resident animals ahead of the visit.
A stuffed black labrador teddy was placed within viewing areas to help the zoo animals become more familiar with dogs. At home, the guide dog puppies listened to chimpanzee sounds and snuggled up to blankets that smelled of giraffes.
Lynsey said: “The zoo kindly provided blankets with the giraffes’ scent on them.
“This meant our pups could get used to the new smells in a relaxed, home environment before they encountered the real thing. When we took the pups into the giraffe house, they were curious but calm, which was just what we wanted to see.
“It’s not easy taking a young dog into this environment and our volunteers and pups did so well.
“At the meerkats, there was just a glass panel in between the puppies and the enclosure. It was a really interesting interaction, with the meercats chasing after the pups as they calmly walked away.”
The visit formed part of a recent collaboration between Guide Dogs and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).
RZSS deputy chief executive, Ben Supple said, “We passionately believe that everyone should be able to access nature, so we’re incredibly proud to be working with Guide Dogs Scotland.
“It is an important collaboration because we want everyone to be able to visit Edinburgh Zoo and enjoy the amazing animals in our care, learn more about conservation and find out what changes we can all make in our lives to protect, value and love nature.”