00:10 S1
On Vision Australia Radio, you're listening to the Seeing Eye Dogs Show - with me, your host, Harriet Moffat. First I have Kim Ryan of Guide Dogs Tasmania and Western Australia, and part of the EDI Training Conference of Oceania Organising Committee, coming on to chat about the exciting inaugural EDI training Conference for Oceania, held at Seeing Eye Dogs in November 2024. Then I'm going to be joined by Oliver Fanshawe, seeing eye dogs handler to Sadie. Ollie was our youngest client ever when he was matched with seeing eye dogs at just age 14. Ollie, who is an athlete of blind cricket and blind tennis, has just graduated high school and is going to share some of his story and chat with us about life with seeing eye dog Sadie. Now here's my interview with Kim talking about the Addy conference. Hi, Kim. Thank you for joining me on the show today.
01:11 S2
Hi. Thank you.
01:12 S1
Just to start off, could you please introduce yourself?
01:15 S2
So my name is Kim Ryan. I'm the business manager of Guide Dogs Tasmania and Western Australia. Um, I've been in Tasmania now for 19 years supporting the program and more recently also supporting across Western Australia as well.
01:28 S1
You've also been part of the Adi Um conference that was hosted at Seeing Eye Dogs in November. Um, what was your role in the conference?
01:35 S2
Yeah, so I was lucky enough to be selected to be part of the conference organising committee. So it was a wonderful opportunity. The inaugural conference in Oceania regions. So we had delegates there from across Australia, New Zealand and a person from Taiwan attended as well. It's the first time that we've had something practical through Assistance Dogs International come to our side of the world, so an amazing opportunity. We were so grateful that it could come about. And just to bring the organizations together to collaborate, to share knowledge, to network, to have so many amazing minds in the one building for three days was just astounding. And it was a real honor to be part of the organizing committee and get that up and running.
02:20 S1
How did the organizing committee come about, and did you have people from each school or.
02:24 S2
We had nominations from um, schools across New Zealand and Australia. So we had a delegate from Virgin Australia, a delegate from New Zealand and myself, and then we had a lot of support from the Vision Australia team as well as we led up into the conference.
02:39 S1
As a bit of background and I think I maybe said, Adi, I'm not sure if I said Assistance Dogs International. Um, but I guess it's good for people to know, uh, what does Assistance Dogs International do?
02:50 S2
So Assistance Dogs International is a global industry setting good standards for assistance dog work across the world. Its goal is collaboration and networking and also education so that teams and under IT organizations working under it can really provide a service that is excellent, respecting the clients that it's working with, providing amazing welfare and working outcomes for the dogs. And their focus at the moment really is trying to increase education, increase networking opportunities. So by having these regional workshops and training practical sessions with each other, it's really sort of promoting that they are there to support, to grow the industry and also set really, really high standards for our industry as well, which is really, really exciting.
03:32 S1
It's quite nice to think for anyone that's not aware that there is so much collaboration within the industry because, you know, I guess at the end of the day, we're actually all working for a similar goal, whether that's a seeing eye dog or a, you know, dog guide or a hearing dog.
03:46 S2
Yes, certainly. And there's been a big shift in that over the last few years as well, which is really exciting to see. So throughout my career, there's been times when you're like, oh, should I tell them what I'm doing? Should I share that information? But we're all here for the same end goal. We're here to supply amazing dogs to amazing clients and increase independence and access and, um, quality of life for the clients out there. So we're all working towards an end purpose and to see we had brand new cadets that had been in the job for a matter of months, through to instructors that have been in the industry for over 20 years. At the conference, we had puppy raising staff, we had trainers, we had instructors, we had therapy teams. So to me, and that's what we were talking about in the committee afterwards, to just see us all in the same room, sharing knowledge, sharing ideas. Yes, there are times when we compete for volunteers, we compete for the best dog breeds and things like that, but we're all here for the same end goal, so where we can support each other, provide amazing outcomes. That's that was just so delightful to see. And the buzz in the room from even just the day one meet and greet was just such a big turnaround from previous years.
04:53 S1
And what member organisations are involved with Adi?
04:57 S2
So we have a number of different organizations from assistance dogs, hearing dogs, guide dogs or dog guides, dogs that service people with PTSD. So we had around about 13 different organizations represented at the conference, and it was just really exciting to hear what other people are doing with dogs, different ideas and their training methods, different ideas and breeding to see what we can implement across all different programs and really just exciting future.
05:26 S1
I think it was quite cool to because there's so much different knowledge and, and like you said, people that are newer and people that are older and also, you know, even trainers that work with completely different tasks, you know, it's it's not the same. Like, I know we had a lot of conversations. I think, you know, a lot of people think of seeing eye dogs or guide dogs or dog guides as, you know, the quintessential service dog or assistance dog. But hearing how other people kind of tackled it and the really interesting, insightful questions about the other tasks their dogs did was quite fascinating. Which schools attended the conference.
05:59 S2
So we had assistance dogs. Australia. Australian lions hearing dogs. We had dogs. Best friends from New Zealand. Every ability guide dogs we had guide dogs. South Australian Northern Territory's. Guide dogs Victoria. Guide dogs Queensland. Guide dog Foundation, Taiwan. Integra dogs. Mobility. Dogs in New Zealand see differently and Vision Australia seeing eye dogs and I'm hoping I've got them all because I was just running through my head of who was there. Um, but the exciting thing too, is our industry is not a huge one, and it takes a lot to train and become an instructor and to become a trainer. And I think if we sort of promote more of these things, promote more of what these wonderful organisations are doing across Australia to try and get those new people into industry as well and share that knowledge. So we want to keep growing, we want to keep dogs going out there across Australia and New Zealand, and we want to see more and more of this happening.
06:50 S1
So what were the goals for the conference?
06:53 S2
There were many, many committee meetings and the topics that we throw up on the board to start with was huge. We thought, how are we going to fit all these in? So and also following the conference, the topics on the whiteboard that came through afterwards were really exciting because it showed that people wanted these to continue into the future as well. But our goal was sort of to sort of to start that initial conversations between our schools that are closer to us. So historically, a lot of the training workshops, a lot of the big conferences, a lot of the development opportunities have been on the other side of the world. Yes, since Covid, we've been able to join a lot of that online. But then it's the middle of the night, and learning capacity at 3 a.m. in the morning kind of dwindles. So our goal was to bring people together to network and collaborate, but also share current methods and current ideas of what we're doing. So we had the wonderful Michelle Pagliari joining us virtually on the big screen, and she would sort of teach us an idea, teach us a concept. And then we broke into teams with dogs, a dog each for the whole period of the training workshop, and to be able to work with three different individuals from three different schools, from three different backgrounds and three different dog types to work on that one common theme, and to discuss how we could implement that into our program. So it's really exciting. So I think our goal was just initially get everyone together and get it, get it started and get it going, and then it's just going to grow and grow and grow from there. But also just to really start to bring those networks together, education opportunities to this side of the world. I think in.
08:16 S1
Particular, when you talk about Addie as the whole thing and, you know, schools all across the world as, as as internationally would, I guess, suggest, you know, we're also looking at organizations that don't necessarily have the funds to fly people across the world. It's not necessarily, you know, what they want to be doing. So it's amazing to kind of think that you can, I guess, get a lot more in your backyard, which is accessible to the smaller organizations, too.
08:41 S2
Yeah, definitely. And a lot of these organizations start out as volunteers as well. So a lot of these organizations rely heavily on volunteers. So for them also to be able to put up their own money to fly to the other side of the world to learn is very, very hard. So of the around about 159 accredited members at the last survey for Assistance Dogs International, 12 of those schools are currently in the Oceania region, with a few more candidate programs coming on. So our region is growing. It's really exciting that we've got a breeding co-op now with our within our region, as well as now trying to get these trainers workshops up and running. So yeah, it's just exciting that those small schools that have 1 or 2 instructors and again, even if they've got the funds to fly to the other side of the world, if they do and they're only a 1 or 2 instructor school, that's people gone out of Australia or New Zealand for that week or two, and there's no one on the ground to support the teams back here. So huge opportunities in our own backyard. Like you said.
09:35 S1
What was on the program and what types of practical work was done?
09:39 S2
We tried to sort of grow it as we went, so we sort of started off setting the foundations and working sort of because we had such a scope of individuals there, from puppies to people that were learning the industry right through to people working with clients. So we sort of set out we wanted to set it up like what our end goal is, is to provide amazing dogs for wonderful clients and just really getting those outcomes happening, and then sort of, okay, well, what are our foundational skills? What can we be doing in the puppy program? And then leading that through to working with our training dogs, new techniques. What what are the common problems that are occurring across different programs? So yes, there might be a common program with dog guides, but that might also be happening with the hearing dogs, with the mobility dogs. And it was really interesting to chat about that and go, oh yeah, distractions is our, uh, still quite a popular one across the. Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that in your industry as well. So and then working towards the end goal, we had a client come and chat to us on the last morning to really say the wonderful outcome that she's had with her dog, and then how we can support that through the clients. And what I think we don't realize is we're always teaching. So yes, we're teaching the dogs, but we've also got to teach our volunteers that are looking after our dogs. We're working with our clients, we're working with our apprentices and cadets. So we really wanted to sort of set those little groups up in the training session where, yes, You might not have a dog at the moment, but think about how we're coaching someone and how we're training someone through it. Looking at all the aspects of it. And we had Michelle also do some remote coaching sessions, so we were able to present a challenge with the dog. Some volunteers got up the front and she could coach them through it and sort of show us how she would do that as well, when we're working with our volunteers or our clients.
11:09 S1
It was quite cool to have someone from the US on zoom kind of looking down on the big screen and giving that specific advice as it was going in real time. If you said to someone 20 years ago that that's what happened, they would probably tell you you were crazy.
11:25 S2
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean, we all say yes, we all complain about Covid, but it has actually created some amazing opportunities. And I think that's what we need to think of more as these organisations spread out. I'm working across the two states, but also the states that I'm working with are very remote with our clients and our instructors spread across those states. So for me to be able to watch something on a video or be able to be on a teams chat with a client when they're actually walking down the street in life time and go, oh, okay. Yeah, I can now see what the issue is. Yep. Now I understand what you're meaning and be able to coach them through that instantly before the problems develop. But to have someone in America sitting there watching, integrating as part of the conference, like she was laughing with us, she was chatting with us just as if she was in the room as well. So I think that's a really big board for the industry. And to be able to give people in Australia and New Zealand that access that we haven't had before to some of this really specialized high level training.
12:19 S1
So do you have any feedback from the conference attendees?
12:24 S2
Yeah, we were a little nervous on the last day because we gave everyone post-it notes and said, can you just put some ideas? Do you want this to happen again? And we're a brand new committee, brand new workshops. So how do we get this up and running? But we asked them to write down feedback and topics and what they would love to see. And the post-it notes just kept flying up onto the wall. So very, very exciting. And the feedback was that it was sort of better than expected with just that networking opportunity as well. I think our takeaway is give them more time just to mingle and share those ideas, because the buzz, the conversations in the room is just as important as the actual sit down and training sessions or the physical training sessions with the dogs. But everybody is super keen to keep going. Their common theme to is to learn about each other's programs, which was really exciting. So rather than the historical, this is what we do, we're not going to sort of share it. Everyone's like, oh, can we have a workshop where everyone can sort of get up and present on their own programs and what's happening around Australia and New Zealand and share what everyone else is doing too. And I think that's really neat that we're not we have a client come to us and say, hey, this is the type of dog I need, but we can't provide it that we are now able to network with people that are through Assistance Dogs International. We know they're providing good standards, good service, and we can share the information with those clients as well.
13:34 S1
Maybe kind of touched on it a little bit in a roundabout way. But how will clients of participating schools, you know, benefit from the learnings of the conference?
13:42 S2
I've already seen it with things that our team have brought back, the buzz that the people that attended have come back and shared with the teams on the ground and the, oh, we could change it a little bit to come to this. So not only the clients that are going to sort of see more skills that the dogs could do or sort of adapt, not just sort of be in that little bubble or that little pathway that we used to do. We can actually do this and this and this with our dogs as well. But I also think the biggest takeaway that that my team brought back was just the way that we work with our volunteers and our clients with that, that coaching side of it. So yes, we might be brilliant dog trainers we can get the dogs through, but just the different ideas of volunteer support, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retainment as well, because it is volunteer numbers are dwindling. We know volunteer numbers are dwindling worldwide, so how can we provide them a little bit more training, a little bit more coaching, a little bit more of them seeing the outcome, the end product as well to get it through. So I think exciting future to see. And yeah, looking forward to more and in the coming months, in the coming years of just that networking happening. More information for clients. More information for volunteers, even the connection programs. We've all been sort of siloed doing our own thing. Why reinvent the wheel if someone else has got an amazing program that you can sort of get the skeleton of and work on that as well? We're sort of coming out of the conference. So yeah, I think that's the big exciting thing. We don't have to reinvent anything. There's knowledge out there. Let's let's get out there and share it.
15:06 S1
Well, thank you so much for joining me on the show and chatting about the amazing conference.
15:10 S2
No worries. It was a wonderful time and thanks to Assistance Dogs International, but also thanks to Virgin Australia for being our amazing hosts for the workshop.
15:22 S1
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Kim Ryan. We're looking forward to future collaboration with other amazing schools across the world to help bring the best outcomes to all Assistance Dogs handlers. Now we have an interview with handler Ollie, who was our youngest handler, sharing his story about life at school, on the tennis court and on the cricket pitch while working with a seeing eye dog. Hope you enjoy. Hi, Ollie. Thank you for joining me on the show today.
15:51 S3
No worries. It's good to be here.
15:54 S1
Could you please introduce yourself?
15:55 S3
My name is Oliver Fanshawe and I'm 17 years old and I'm from Brisbane. And I really like playing blind tennis and blind cricket.
16:02 S1
A bit of an athlete. And have you also been at school this year?
16:05 S3
I have, yeah. So I finished about a month ago now and yeah, it's been pretty cool to do that.
16:11 S1
So could you also please introduce your Seeing eye dog and tell us how long you've been working together?
16:16 S3
My seeing eye dog's name Sadie, and she's a purebred golden retriever. And I've had her for about three and a half years.
16:23 S1
I think you might have been our youngest handler ever. Does that ring a bell to you?
16:28 S3
Yeah, I was, um. So that was definitely cool to sort of set the trend there a little bit for other people that are wanting to get a dog and a bit younger. Quite a big change to me, like coming to school and having a dog there and everyone adapting to that and, you know, going, oh, there's a dog next to me in class. But hang on, it's not like my pet at home. So yeah.
16:46 S1
I can't really imagine how some of those conversations would have gone with your classmates and you're like, oh, yeah. So I'm maybe going to, you know, be going and training with the dog and then I'm going to come back and next time you see me, I'll be with this dog.
16:58 S3
Yeah, it's even funnier because, um, they actually went to camp where I did all my training. So it's sort of like I came back. I didn't even really disappear because we weren't in classes, and I came back with the dogs, so.
17:08 S1
So what was it like working with a seeing eye dog at only 14?
17:12 S3
Oh, it was pretty cool. Like a bit different. Um, obviously going from having a cane where you can, you know, just pack it up and leave it when you get home. Um, to having a dog where you have to, you know, feed it, groom it, take it out to the bathroom, everything like that sort of take care of it. Even things like, you know, checking your dog every day. Like if you're giving it a pat, you feel something like, oh, what is that? Or, you know, just making sure your dog's healthy. And, um, yeah, it's definitely a lot of responsibilities that come with it, but I really enjoyed it.
17:39 S1
So thinking back to the early days, how much has, you know, changed in your lives together?
17:46 S3
Um, I think quite a bit like just having my dog with me all the time and knowing almost where to go, like when I go to the bus stop every morning or go from the bus stop to school when I was there, it sort of just becomes a bit of a routine, and you'd probably feel a bit lost without it. Like, I went to school, I'd be like, oh, where's my dog? She wasn't there. Like, she's been with me. So, um. But yeah, it just feels like part of my life now. Having her with me?
18:08 S1
I'm guessing so. You. Have you still kind of got good cane skills or. I mean, yeah, usable cane skills.
18:15 S3
Because, um, I've gone overseas a few times for sport, and I haven't been to bring my dog, so. Yeah, I have to sort of keep them intact or even some tournaments. I go away and I don't bring my dog just because it's quite, a, quite a long time for her to sit on the sideline, you know, like, say three days straight, just sitting on the side of a tennis court. But I've got a lot of games on between the three events. I play in the junior men's and doubles, so there isn't a lot of time to spend with the dog. So yeah, I I've had to queue up my cane skills for times like that.
18:42 S1
What does she do when you're out doing your sport, even just your training? Is she sitting there watching? Yes.
18:47 S3
She doesn't like it too much, as you can imagine. Like when I'm not there. So she sort of just, um, sits there on the sideline if I'm playing sport. Like at training. Um, I normally have my mum and my dad and my brother or someone looking after her. Um, if, like, without, because she doesn't really like it. If I sort of just leave her there. She's like, oh, where am I? Like, come and clean me. Or, um, if I go away to a tournament for a weekend, she will, um, let me stay with my mum because she's she's pretty good friends with my mum. I would say like she's sort of her number two. So she, she's not too upset if it's only a few days and she's left with my mum. Yeah.
19:21 S1
I can imagine. She probably is like, well, you know, I could help you with the sport, you know, like, I'm really good at running.
19:27 S3
I'll fetch the balls for you.
19:28 S1
Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you just put me on the court, I'll be a great doubles partner.
19:34 S3
Yeah. She comes on a tennis court at home because we have one at home. So yeah, she often comes out when we play with the family.
19:41 S1
So what was life like taking her to school with you?
19:44 S3
Um, it was quite a big change. So catching the bus and getting there. The first day I actually went to school, I had a filming episode with the ABC news. So I got there and there were cameras all on me, and I, um, spoke an assembly at school the first day everyone was back from camp and just sort of explained to them about, um, how to treat the dog and what the differences are, etc.. Um, so, you know, not feeding her, um, not panning unless they ask those sort of things just what to expect. And if they had any questions to answer them.
20:17 S1
What, you know, what did they kind of think about it or, you know, your classmates happy or. Yeah.
20:24 S3
They're pretty pretty excited actually, because they got we got a dog sitting next to me in class now, um, that sort of thing. They were I think they were probably almost a little bit of disbelief or something like, because they go, oh yeah, I didn't really tell too many people. And I saw this rock up to school with the dogs going, oh, what's this about? So yeah.
20:41 S1
Yeah. And she's not exactly subtle being a kind of pretty golden retriever, right?
20:47 S3
Yeah, she's quite a fair sized dog too. So, yeah.
20:51 S1
So you have just finished school. How do you feel about, you know, graduation and. Congratulations. Nice.
20:58 S3
Yeah. It's pretty exciting to finally get there. I guess it's obviously been the same lane for everyone. It feels like quite a long journey, the whole school system. So yeah, it was pretty exciting. And she was at my graduation and she actually gave her a little gift, which was a little, um, I don't know what they're called. They're like a scarf around her neck. Um, like a triangle shape. Like a band. Yeah, yeah, yeah, one of them. And, um, it had her name engraved on it in the school colors, so that was pretty cool.
21:25 S1
Oh, that's so cool. I mean, I suppose they probably haven't had a dog walk past the graduation stage ever before.
21:32 S3
No.
21:34 S1
So do you have any kind of plans for your next adventure?
21:38 S3
Um, I'm thinking about a few things, but maybe go to uni and do exercise physiology next year. I think I'd be good with my sport and everything with my interests.
21:46 S1
You do have quite a few of your kind of sport interests, not just. And it is funny to me that, you know, you do tennis, but then you also do like three different types, like or three different types of tennis. So it's not even just like you're competing in the kind of one division thing you have to do all of them. Yeah.
22:01 S3
That's it. Yeah. Get some more games. And and obviously doubles is quite a big thing because it's not about sides. If you are playing with someone who's the weaker partner, who doesn't have as strong a shots, but maybe they're more consistent, you sort of have to get used to letting them hit the ball, and you sort of sitting back and being ready for the occasional one, which could actually be harder at times, like you're sort of getting zoning out or you're getting impatient. You're like, come on, hit me a ball. It's a different game, really, when you when you play doubles for singles.
22:29 S1
It's probably one of those things where having a good, you know, sporting or working relationship with that person is probably as important as anything else.
22:35 S3
Yeah. Oh for sure. I got to my best doubles partner has been like the ones who have a good relationship with outside of the sport. Like, you really communicate well on the court and everything, so you get on and have a laugh. You brush things off if they're not going too well, you know. So yeah, every.
22:50 S1
Game is kind of just like a thing that you can put behind you, whether it's like good or bad, you know, on to the next one. Exactly.
22:56 S3
Yeah.
22:57 S1
It sounds like you've had a pretty big year this year with, you know, all of your sports and, you know, year 12. What's Sadie's role in your life being?
23:06 S3
She's sort of gotten me to and from places. So when I've gone to school every day, she's come on the bus with me and everything. Um, when I've had training, when I go to the, I go to the gym every morning and she comes with me there, and she sits at the, she sits, um, near a machine and just lays down the sleeves. So, yeah, she's really good like that. She just sort of switches off there and um. Yeah. So at times I was like I said, she hasn't been able to come with me on trips, but but before them, she's definitely helped me a lot.
23:34 S1
Do you think that it's a bit unfair? Actually, when you're at the gym and you're working really hard and you look over or you know, you know, she's just lying there?
23:43 S3
Yeah. Yeah, I'm here sweating and. Yeah. So he's just lying down.
23:47 S1
So and then probably huffing at you to some degree, like, can you please be quicker? Yeah.
23:54 S3
She doesn't seem to mind because sometimes I go over and she's like, oh, is it time to leave already? She'll just be laying down. So I think she feels quite at home there, which is good.
24:02 S1
I mean, every day, you know, it's a pretty solid routine. So I guess by that point she's like, kind of feels like part of the furniture.
24:09 S3
Oh, yeah. Sure. And the staff there are really awesome with us. So they looked after her.
24:14 S1
What does sport bring to you and your life?
24:17 S3
I think it brings a lot of happiness. And, um, you know, sort of almost a sense of, like, purpose, like what I'm going to do next. So right now, without being at school, it's still like, oh, what are you doing? But it's I've got lots of sport on and training and preparing for the next event. So I really think that's something I've, I've liked and I've enjoyed. And then also a lot of friendships like, um, my best friend I've met through sport and, um, yeah, I just think it's really good for you.
24:43 S1
So for any kind of, you know, other young people out there, especially, you know, potentially a kid who's blind has low vision. Would you recommend getting into into blind sports?
24:51 S3
Oh, yeah. For sure. I think, um, there's not really anything to lose from doing it. And it helps you with everything. Like, you know, having something that's fun you look forward to. Um, your fitness and friendships. So I think there's nothing to lose from joining it. So. Yeah.
25:05 S1
And if you can make that kind of your career and go on to. Yeah, something like your exercise physiology, it'd be amazing. It'd be a very cool way to have your whole life kind of fun and active.
25:15 S3
It would for sure. Yeah. And helping other sports fans, I think would be really good. Yeah.
25:19 S1
So fingers crossed for you for uni.
25:22 S3
Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
25:24 S1
So at home, what does having Sadie kind of mean to you? I mean, I'm guessing you do have some downtime, right?
25:30 S3
Yeah, I don't really get a lot. I'm always doing something like, I'm at home, I might go for a run, or I actually do quite a lot of woodworking. So I'll be downstairs in the shed. Um, either helping dad with something like, um, as in gardening wise, or making my own things, like maybe some cutting boards or a table or something I'm working on. I'll be down there. So when I'm at home, I don't really have a lot of time. But yeah, I sort of washed the dog to wash Sadie or, um, you know, groom. I give her a brush, that sort of thing. If I am upstairs alone with her, like, you know, as in not doing anything.
26:03 S1
So what are your favourite things about being a senior dog handler?
26:07 S3
Um, I think it's just pretty cool. Like being able to bring your dog everywhere with you, like it's something. Something you really love and, you know, grow close bond with, um, being able to bring her everywhere you go, I think is really special. Like, you know, sometimes you leave your dog like, I leave our chocolate Labrador and go see her mate, you know? And then Sadie gets to come with me. Like, I think it'd be a bit different if you didn't get to bring your dog with you.
26:29 S1
I can imagine that when you are at the tournaments, it does feel a bit strange to not have her there. Like, yeah it does.
26:37 S3
Yeah. Well, it's more of the night times when you go out to dinner or something. Like during the day you sort of focus on tournaments and you don't take too much note. Like, I guess it's almost nice having a day off, but you wouldn't want it, as in, you don't want every day. But it's like, oh yeah, I'm not having to look after her. But, you know, for the for the whole weekend, you go, oh, I'm missing her. You know, especially when you're going out somewhere.
26:59 S1
Do you have any other messages that you'd like to share for any listeners of the show?
27:04 S3
Oh, I don't know. I'd probably just say don't let your vision impairment hold you back or anything. If there's something you want to do, like if you want to get a dog or if you want to, you know, play sport or anything, just just do it. Like if you there's nothing you want to do, just do what you enjoy. Yeah.
27:18 S1
Thanks so much for joining me on the show, Ollie, and sharing your story.
27:22 S3
No worries. It's good. Good being on here. Thank you.
27:31 S1
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Kim Ryan about the inaugural Adi Trainers Conference for Oceania region, held at Seeing Eye Dogs in Kensington, Victoria in November 2024, and my interview with handler Ollie Fanshawe about his story and life with singer Adi. If you'd like to find out more about seeing Eye Dogs, the work we do, or how you can help, head to our website at Sydney Vision australia.org. If you'd like to learn about Assistance Dogs International or Adi, and what it means for seeing eye Dogs to be an Adi accredited school, you can head to their website at Assistance Dogs international.org. Thank you for listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show. Don't forget to tune in! Same time next week for another episode and have a lovely week.
