With the training of guide dogs exceeding $50,000 per dog, a local Dubbo butcher has developed a simple but powerful incentive to drive donations to help fund this important community service that receives little government funding.

Darling Street Meat House proprietor Nathan Gunter gives away free dog bones to customers who make donations to the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT donation box in his store.

The simple, effective “Guide Dogs for Bones” incentive has resulted in the Darling Street Meat House donation box being recognised as the best performing of the 27 to be found across the region, generating significant support for the training of guide dogs.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT rely heavily on donations to be able to provide trained dogs to people with blindness or low vision. The classic donation boxes featuring the signature Golden Retriever sitting on them are an integral part of the fundraising process for the training of guide dogs like six-year-old Zeek, who provides essential support to Dubbo resident Bobby Brien, who is legally blind.

Dubbo Photo News got to meet Zeek and Bobby earlier this month when they visited Darling Street Meat House with Guide Dog volunteers Sue Clarke and Ellen Mortimore to thank the business for supporting the cause.

Bobby said the support of businesses like Nathan’s and the general community cannot be understated. The 42-year-old has been legally blind for 20 years and relies heavily on Zeek for his independence, confidence and safety while away from home.

Guide dogs are trained from a young age in major urban centres to expose them to a wide variety of everyday situations that they may not find in slower-paced regional communities like Dubbo, Bobby said.

“What people don't realise is it's not just walking around or walking in a straight line,” Bobby explained.

“It's crossing streets. You're taking escalators, elevators, stairs, traffic, people, taking the train, other dogs in public. It is so much more than people realise.

“In the country, you don't have the crowds, you don't have all the crossings,” he added, grateful to have a well-trained guide dog to assist him.

Sue Clarke said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is very grateful to Nathan for giving away saleable product in return for donations to their organisation.

“Nathan has very generously said to his clients, if you put money in the guide dog box, I'll give you free dog bones,” Sue said.

“Nathan has achieved an amazing fundraising effort by working with his clients,” she added.

Quietly spoken butcher Nathan Gunter couldn’t be more pleased with his customers’ response to the worthy cause.

“I said, let’s give them away for a donation and call it ‘Guide Dogs for Bones,’” Nathan told Dubbo Photo News.

The response has been tremendous.

“I don’t want to take cash for the bones, I want them to donate to the box,” he explained.

“Those not carrying cash will come back in and say ‘this is money I owe the Guide Dogs,” he concluded.