VODICI PES association is a non-profit organisation providing support to people with sight malfunction using the help of a guide dog. It was established a few years ago and its activities lead in different directions.

Mission

The main mission is to help and support blind people, who, with the help of their guide dog, can take part in the common life of our society. Guide dogs follow them everywhere an ordinary person usually goes – to work, school, doctor's appointment, friends or elsewhere. They are reliable friends and companions, leading their masters safely and with confidence.

Cooperation with the guide dog training school in Brno

Our activity number one is regular practice and training of the dogs to keep them in top working condition so that they can always stay focused and work for their owners reliably. Vodici pes association cooperates with the instructors of the guide dog training school in Brno, which itself is a member of The International Guide Dog Federation, a prestigeous organisation for guide dog training. The instructors are available every other week to offer help and advice to blind people and their dogs about training and everyday issues. This work is then linked to other activities. Annual summer training camp does not only give everybody a chance to practice their skills intensively but its also a good way to start new friendship. People and dogs take part in different activities that are linked by the same topic – the guides and the guided on their way through life.

Cooperation with other organisations

VODICI PES association also cooperates with other organisations. Spring season annualy starts in cooperation with regional affiliate of United Organisation for the blind and weak-eyed in Blansko by organising a contests of blind people and their dogs called "A walk in the Dark". It mainly serves the purpose of having fun and reuniting with old friends. Another significant feature about this race is that it helps break ice and barriers between blind people and the rest of our population. People get to know there that a blind person with their four-legged companion is able to live a full-fledged life; they can learn many other things and eventually lose their bashfulness in contact with blind people. The blind can participate in normal life of the society they only need our goodwill and respects.

The beginning of summer has always been marked by the cooperation with Guide Dog Holders' Club and a guide dog training centre in Prague, namely by regional qualification for the guide dog national championship in Brno. People can enjoy the day there and either show or see great work of the guide dogs.

Together with Okamzik (Minute) association we produce publications and leaflets presenting life of the blind. They are meant for both the users themselves and general public.

Registered social service

VODICI PES association is a registered social service in the area of social rehab. It is an open organisation which bases its services on the needs and impulses of its users. We offer services to all guide dog owners who want to keep their helpers in good working condition, want to have fun and, on the top of that, gain new knowledge during educational freetime activities.

Services for general public

A significant part of the association’s work is focused on presentation of the world of blind people and their dogs to children at schools and laymen in general. On request, seminars can be organised that introduce basic responsibilities of a guide dog and also include for example suitable ways to help a blind person.

A puppy patronage and eleemosynary collection

The association, being a non-profit organisation with social mission, holds, apart from gathering money for common activities with our clients, patronage over the puppies included in the guide dog training programme. It needs to provide money for the first year of the puppies' life – money for good quality food and available vet care that ensure good health and condition for their future service. For that reason we try to raise funds through registered eleemosynary collection, using volunteers with money boxes collecting money from general public in the streets of Brno.

A puppy patronage and eleemosynary collection The association, being a non-profit organisation with social mission, holds, apart from gathering money for common activities with our clients, patronage over the puppies included in the guide dog training programme. It needs to provide money for the first year of the puppies' life – money for good quality food and available vet care that ensure good health and condition for their future service. For that reason we try to raise funds through registered eleemosynary collection, using volunteers with money boxes collecting money from general public in the streets of Brno. Very substantial is also our cooperation with the non-profit sector. Individuals or organisations donate on the base of certified donation contracts part of their available financial means for the benefit of social care. Thanks to those donors we are able to go on with the puppy patronage programme and fulfill the motto from the book Little Prince by S.A. Exupery: "What is important the eyes cannot see, truly we can see only through our hearts."