By: Keely de Vries 
I started my journey with CNIB Guide Dogs in 2022 as a Dog Care and Welfare Attendant (DCW) at the CNIB Guide Dogs Canine Campus in Carleton Place, Ont. The DCW team is responsible for caring for the guide dogs in training that live on campus. From vet care to feeding, grooming to socialization, cleaning to enrichment, we aim to support the dogs to flourish in their training. Arriving at the Canine Campus marks the start of their formal training after approximately a year of living with a dedicated volunteer puppy raiser, learning basic obedience and house manners.
Watching CNIB Guide Dogs grow has been an incredible honour. What started as a small team caring for a small number of dogs has now doubled in size with more staff, dogs, and space in the building.
My love of animals extends past my job and into my home with my border collie puppy and two cats. In my free time, I enjoy scouting out delicious vegan food, yoga, music, sewing, writing, drawing and taking my high-energy pup on adventures with my husband.
With an education in Health Sciences and Veterinary Technology, as CNIB Guide Dogs grows and new opportunities arise, I hope to move into a role that focuses solely on the dogs’ veterinary care. Working with CNIB Guide Dogs has been a rewarding journey I hope to be a part of for a long time to come.