Maverick and Winston are two adorable dotsure.co.za sponsored puppies currently in training under the SA Guide-Dogs Association. Based in Cape Town, cross Labrador/Golden Retriever, Maverick and black Labrador, Winston are set to become assistance dogs.
Before these puppies are ready to change lives they must undergo extensive training at the SA Guide-Dogs Association. Their journey begins from the age of eight weeks, when they are fostered by caring Puppy Raisers who not only look after and socialise the puppies, but also expose them to as wide a range of experiences, places, people and animals as possible on a repeated basis.
At around eighteen months the puppies undergo training to become the “eyes” of a visually impaired person, or a trusted companion to a child with Autism. Some go on to become an assistant that is always by your side to people who are physically disabled. These special animals are taught to guide their owners, to help navigate the world independently and to enjoy the freedom of movement. Maverick and Winston will also become the beloved companions and guardians of the hearts and minds of their owners.
The core ethos at dotsure.co.za is to uplift people and communities thereby helping to create a better world for humans and their furry friends. As South Africa’s leading pet insurance company, the partnership between dotsure.co.za and the non-profit SA Guide-Dogs Association is a perfect fit. “The sponsorship of the training of some of the future assistance dogs and covering the costs of more than 50% of the organisation’s total monthly vet bills, means dotsure.co.za is able to help give people living with sight disabilities better quality of life,” says Glen Anderson, Managing Executive, dotsure.co.za. From puppies to becoming fully trained assisting adult canines, dotsure.co.za’s ongoing commitment to the SA Guide-Dogs Association ensures the dogs are kept in optimal health throughout their lives and their owners don’t have to worry about medical or health costs.
“As a company, we believe it is our responsibility to create a generous spirit by creating Soft Landings so we can do good, think good and be good for the betterment of those around us. Lending our support to make sure the life-changing process continues with the best veterinary care, is what dotsure.co.za is all about.” adds Glen Anderson.
Melanie Nel, SA Guide-Dog Association says “As a non-profit organisation that relies solely on the support of the public and partners to provide the life changing services to our disabled clients, Dotsure’s support is invaluable! We simply cannot do what we do without partners like Dotsure that support our mission of changing lives and ensuring that all our dogs are top dogs!”
As young puppies, Maverick and Winston were named after interaction on dotsure.co.za’s social media pages and input from the team at the company’s head office. Maverick loves water. He swims whenever he can and never misses playing in puddles. Gentle but outgoing Winston is the third puppy to be raised by his “puppy mum”, Rowena. Supported by dotsure.co.za and thanks to proper nutrition, regular exercise, socialisation, and veterinary care these healthy puppies will go on to successfully learn special skills before being matched with a visually impaired individual. Once matched, the pair undergoes further training together to ensure they work seamlessly as a team.
dotsure.co.za supports the guide dog journey by partnering with the SA Guide-Dogs Association to ensure optimal pet care from puppies to training and adult hood, so that the work of the guide dogs may continue; ultimately changing a life. With dotsure.co.za, it’s an opportunity to make a difference in the world.
42nd Street
In 2015, Ran Neu-Ner and Gil Oved sold their business, The Creative Counsel for an estimated R1 billion. The Creative Counsel is the largest advertising agency in South Africa employing more than a thousand permanent staff and tens of thousands of temporary staff every year. The Creative Counsel launched an incubator to support transformation within the industry. Start-ups in media, marketing, digital and mobile industries will receive support and mentorship from the agency\’s management team. In 2017, Ran Neu-Ner pledged R50 million to assist young entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. Gil Oved went on to become one of the \”dragons\’ on the South African edition of Dragons\’ Den, as well as one of the \”sharks\’ on M-Net\’s Shark Tank. In 2016, Both entrepreneurs won the EY Southern Africa World Entrepreneur Award for 2016 in the Exceptional category.