By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Little ones were in for a treat this past Monday, July 24th, as the GOFI (Golden Opportunities for Independence) Service Dogs came for a visit to the Walpole Public Library (WPL). All were welcome to pet each dog and ask any questions they may have had.
GOFI is a local service dog program that breeds, raises, and trains English Type Golden Retrievers for people with disabilities in order for them to gain independence. They have a variety of annual events to help raise money for their cause. This program in particular is a great way to get the dogs used to children as well as work on their additional training.
All together, GOFI brought along five dogs, two of which weren’t actually service dogs but rather very good dogs that volunteered. While all dogs received endless amounts of attention, there was one dog in particular that stood out to most of the kiddos. Her name was Joy and what made her extra remarkable was that her tail was dyed pink and purple. Her trainer stated, “She has always had her tail dyed. It’s not harmful to her in any way. Today’s color really matches both her personality and her name.”
One of the non-service dogs, Lemonade, was going to be a service dog but the little girl who originally needed her no longer did. Her trainer stated that since she had been training Lemonade all her life, she decided to keep her as her own. When asked about Lemonade’s unique name, her owner laughed, saying that she has always had that name and it fits her extremely well since her mother’s name is Peaches. Going forward, Lemonade will become a breeder and have some pups of her own.
If anyone did not want to pet the service dogs, activities were set up around the Community Room for all to indulge in. There was an array of service dog books set up for kids to read so they could learn more about what exactly they do. Additionally, there was a coloring area filled with many different doggy coloring sheets that the kiddos could choose from.
All in attendance were giddy with excitement over these amazing service dogs. They will be returning twice next month to the WPL on August 7th and 21st. For information about this event, please visit the WPL website at www.walpolelibrary.org.
