Darcie Hayward will have her five-year-old Alaskan Malamute, Sora, put paws on the pavement every day of the next month to raise funds for Guide Dogs Australia's PAWGUST campaign.
The initiative, which encourages Australians to walk their dogs for 30 minutes a day for 30 days, is a cause close to the 29-year-old's heart, Her younger blind brother Lachie, 27, was recently matched with a guide dog of his own, black Labrador Eddie in May after 18 months of tests and compatibility (相容) training.
"Since Eddie arrived, Lachie has been able to walk around without his cane (手杖), feeling like he is just walking his dog," said Darcie, who lives in Langwarrin, Victoria. "They are best friends." Seeing the difference a guide dog made to her brother, Darcie was overjoyed to be raising funds, so other Australians could one day have their own companion dogs, like Lachie.
"Many people see a guide dog and go, not realizing how much it takes to raise a guide dog puppy so I want to raise some awareness," said Darcie. "It's amazing to see how Lachie's life has improved, but there are many people without that companionship. It's really nice to be able to contribute in any way I can. I shared the experience on our local community web page, mentioning we are raising money for guide dogs. Surprisingly, a couple of strangers donated."
It seems that Eddie has already been a popular pup with the locals. "There are so many kids who have been asking to pat Eddie that Lachie has to reject them," Darcie added with a smile. Excited to be making a positive impact by walking her own dog, Darcie is eager to encourage more people to fetch their leashes (牵狗用的皮带) and tie up their trainers to take action.
