September 1, 2025 • 29 mins
On this episode of the Seeing Eye Dogs Show, Harriet is joined by two guests.
The first interview is with breeder carer Mena Wang joining us to chat about the life of breeding dog Caspar. We’re chat about her and her family’s life raising and looking after breeding dogs and puppies.
Then we have have Vision Australia NDIS & Aged Care Funding Specialist Lead and dog guide handler Caitlin McMorrow joining us to talk about Vision Australia’s campaign for the Queensland Taxi Subsidy Scheme and extending that to rideshare. For information about Vision Australia’s advocacy and corporate relations work, head to the visionaustralia.org website or head to our social media like Facebook to find this work in the news: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19ueWeFEhB/
We’re looking for more breeder carer volunteers in select regions of Melbourne listed on our website. Breeder carers care for the dogs in their homes full-time, and transport the dog to the Seeing Eye Dogs kennel facility in Kensington, VIC for breeding activities. These dogs are over 1 year old accepted into the breeding colony selected for their lovely natures and maintain their manners during their time in the breeding program. Find out about breeder caring here: https://sed.visionaustralia.org/volunteer/breeding-dog
We're also open for puppy caring and training dog caring across other regions of VIC, NSW & QLD. If you'd like to find out more about Seeing Eye Dogs, the work we do, other caring roles or becoming a handler, head to our website: https://sed.visionaustralia.org/.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:19):
On Vision Australia Radio. You're listening to the Seeing Eye
Dog show with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I
have two guests joining me. The first, I have breeder
Sarah Mina Wang coming to chat about the life of
breeding dog Casper. We're going to chat about her and
her family's life raising and looking after breeding dogs and puppies.
Then I have Vision Australia, NDIS and aged care funding
(00:41):
specialist lead and dog guide handler Caitlin McMorrow joining us
to talk about Vision Australia's Campaign for Queensland Taxi subsidy scheme,
which is about extending that to rideshare. For information about
Vision Australia's advocacy and corporate relations work, head to the
Vision Australia website. Keep listening to hear about this point
(01:02):
to point transport subsidy work from Caitlin. Now let's hear
from breeder Carmen about her life with Casper. Hi Mina,
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S2 (01:18):
Oh, great to be here. Thank you for having me.
S3 (01:21):
Could you please start off by introducing yourself?
S2 (01:23):
I'm currently a data scientist in the healthcare sector. Data
science is both my work and hobby, so in my
spare time, I also write about data science and machine
learning and published open source packages to share with the community.
I have a very supportive partner who helps take care
of our dog, puppies, and two teenage boys who absolutely
(01:47):
love having the puppies at home, and they have been
a great help in training and playing with the puppies too.
S3 (01:56):
And what is your role at seeing Eye Dogs as
a volunteer?
S2 (02:00):
I'm currently a breeder carer because the puppy that we're
taking care of, Casper. He passed one year assessment with
flying colours and is selected as a breeding boy. Therefore,
we'll continue to take care of him while he's doing
his breathing duties.
S1 (02:18):
And how long have you been a carer and what
made you get involved in the first place?
S2 (02:23):
We have been a carer for more than six years
now with Christians. When we came to Australia and found
a church. Uh, we noticed that there is a blind person, Fiona, uh,
at our church and she has a beautiful guide dog, Aussie. Uh,
and we also learned that we could contribute to the
(02:44):
course by being a volunteer carer. So why not?
S1 (02:48):
It kind of makes sense. And I guess when you
see that end of the mission, it really probably inspires
you when you get the young puppy even to kind
of keep going. It's like, this is what I'm doing
it for.
S2 (03:00):
Yes, yes. Yeah. When when we look at this, um,
young puppies, it's just it's just so touching to think
about how they will grow up into such an important
part of the other person's life here.
S1 (03:14):
So can you tell us a little bit about or
introduce your current dog?
S2 (03:18):
Our current dog is Casper. He's a black Labrador. He's
now one year and nine months old, still looking very
much like a puppy. He's a father already. He's very smart. Um,
a bit cheeky. Always enthusiastic about training because that involves food.
(03:39):
He brings lots of laughter to the family, that's for sure.
S1 (03:44):
So how long have you had him for? Have you
had him for the whole time?
S2 (03:48):
Yeah, yeah. We started caring for him since he was
two months old. So, um, more than one year and
a half now.
S1 (03:55):
And what are some of the best things about Casper?
S2 (03:59):
So he's a bit cheeky and that's that's very funny
and make us laugh. So, for example, one thing our
seeing eye dog puppies do in the morning, um, is
to do their business at command. So after we say
do jobs, uh, if they do a we, they get
a cable. If they do a pool, they get a
(04:21):
cable to. Well, so typically two cables every morning for
doing their business. But but somehow Casper is the first
among all the puppies we have cared for so far,
including his father. Bingo. To try and hack the system.
I guess his little mind goes, huh? So when we
(04:44):
want cable, um, what if I do my weigh in batches?
Do I get multiple cables? So he will. He will
weigh a small amount. That's smart people.
S4 (04:58):
And they go back for another small batch, you know? Yeah.
That's smart, I think.
S1 (05:03):
And you can't be that mad about it because he
knew what you were asking for. You're asking for a
wee and he's done it.
S4 (05:09):
So thankfully.
S1 (05:14):
For you guys with two teenage boys and a kind
of bit of a busy house, having a dog that
gives you a bit of kind of like cheek is
probably quite fun. You probably need something that's gonna keep
you all on your feet.
S4 (05:27):
Yes, yes.
S1 (05:29):
So you mentioned that you had bingo as well. So
can you tell us a bit about having bingo and then,
you know, and now his son.
S2 (05:38):
I would say that's the most special thing we had. Bingo.
For more than two years from, since it was a puppy,
till he had three litter, 27 puppies and move on
to become a seeing eye dog. Yeah, he's quite productive.
Both jobs you can probably imagine. It was very hard
(06:00):
to say goodbye at the end. Um, but we we
feel so blessed to be able to care for Caspar.
Feels like, you know, a grand pop to us because
of his daddy. Now, now, Casper, uh, himself also becomes
a breeding dog when he moves on to become a
seeing eye dog. I hope we get to care for his, um,
(06:24):
puppies as well, who will then feel like a great
grandpa pup to us.
S1 (06:29):
You continue on the line.
S4 (06:32):
I know.
S1 (06:35):
Do you find that they're similar?
S2 (06:39):
Oh, actually.
S4 (06:41):
Really different.
S1 (06:42):
Interesting.
S4 (06:43):
Yeah.
S2 (06:44):
Well, I would say they're both very intelligent.
S4 (06:46):
Yeah.
S2 (06:47):
But Casper is trickier.
S4 (06:50):
Than his daddy. Yeah.
S2 (06:53):
And then they're really different in so many ways. I
feel like it's so special to see, like, your kids,
you know, a unique idea.
S1 (07:03):
Not a carbon copy of of either of you guys.
They're different. And like being on Casper. Interesting.
S4 (07:09):
Yeah, yeah.
S2 (07:10):
Very interesting.
S1 (07:12):
So what is it? Kind of typical day in the
life of you and Casper.
S2 (07:17):
Um, so in the morning, you came back to the
house a bit hectic. We're looking for uniform ties, socks, etc..
But Casper, he always waits very patiently for us to
to give him breakfast. Uh, when we're ready. I really,
really appreciate that. And after breakfast, uh, we then walk
(07:40):
with the boys to school. Uh, depending on our schedule.
Sometimes Casper gets to play a bit at the dog
park on our way back then, uh, both my partner
and I will work. Work from home, and that will
be some quiet time for Casper. Uh, at lunch, if
we could, we give him a short walk. But guilty
to say many times we we couldn't due to meetings
(08:02):
or very busy schedule. Uh, then when it's time for
the boys to to go back from school. We then
take Casper out to walk toward the school to meet
them on the way. He loves it when the boys
are at home and can play with him. After dinner
we do. We do a little bit of training too,
(08:24):
with Casper. Then, uh, we pretty much just hang out
in the living room where, um, his bed is. What?
We'll be doing some reading, chatting. The boys will play
their violin. Viola at the same time. Casper will go
to bed when he feels like to.
S1 (08:40):
What does he make of stringed instruments?
S4 (08:44):
Oh.
S2 (08:44):
That's a very good question. I think he's not annoyed
by it. He will listen, but not as attentively as
our second singer dog puppy Kanga. So Kanga will really, like,
stare at the boys when they play their violins. And
sometimes I feel like he was trying to sing along.
S5 (09:06):
Oh, really? Like. Like barking.
S1 (09:08):
Or like groaning or just.
S2 (09:11):
Something like that.
S5 (09:12):
Oh.
S1 (09:14):
Whereas Casper just kind of not as not quite as
animated by it.
S2 (09:19):
Mhm. But he get really excited if my partner plays
a flute.
S5 (09:24):
You're like oh.
S2 (09:27):
We're still not sure whether he's agitated by it or
he really likes it. So my father Alex, he tried
to play upstairs. No. Until, until we're sure.
S5 (09:38):
That's interesting.
S1 (09:39):
I guess it would be a very unique noise for
a dog. It's not like it kind of. It's nothing
like they'll encounter across life. I think especially the flute,
because it's so, like, resonant and high and.
S2 (09:51):
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah. Well, I hope like, like
apps that where you can understand dogs through their box
or the noises they make, they translate their language, It? Maybe.
S1 (10:06):
Yeah. I think you can get that app developed. You
will be a millionaire like a billionaire. Haha. I think
people can.
S2 (10:15):
Tell my to do.
S1 (10:15):
List. Yeah, I think at at it there, I think,
you know, you do data science. You can, I'm sure,
make an app. That is a good next step.
S2 (10:22):
It's hard to verify though like need to think about
how to verify. Did you translate it correctly?
S1 (10:28):
Yeah. Translation is a very specific art. So I guess
dog translation is going to be the next one. So
thinking about kind of caring for a stud dog, I
guess for you guys and for anyone that's not then
aware of kind of the puppies, you know, is there
anything that you have to do to kind of fit
them into your life or, you know, for you guys
(10:48):
are working from home and with the kids, it's kind
of quite, you know, I guess natural at this point
after six years.
S2 (10:55):
Well, I guess I guess for us, we feel really
fortunate to be able to work from home and and
care for them. I think for if I were to
offer advice about to others who consider whether they want to.
I do have a lot of friends who or colleagues
or consider being a carer for this wonderful course as well.
(11:18):
So my advice would be, if you're thinking about becoming
a carer, and I'm not sure how that will fit
into your life, or not sure about training, or about
whether you have enough time to take care of the puppies.
I reckon caring for a breeding dog will actually be
a great place to start because this breeding dogs, they
(11:38):
are adult already. They are very well behaved, easy to train,
and they do not take as much time as small puppies.
Who still needs toilet training?
S1 (11:50):
Yeah, definitely a lot easier to have that stage skip
for you in a way.
S2 (11:55):
Oh, I think also it's it's probably worth mentioning if, um,
caring for, um, breeding dogs, you get to meet their
first litter at the nursery. Oh, that's that's that's an
experience I'll highly recommend.
S1 (12:10):
How cute was Bingo's first litter? It wasn't Casper's litter,
was it?
S2 (12:15):
No, no, Casper's in the third litter.
S1 (12:18):
Ah.
S2 (12:19):
But my colleague actually got to take care of one
of Bingo's first litter. Oh, that's. Oh, that feels so special. Yeah.
S1 (12:30):
That's so nice. It's lovely to see them grow up
and kind of see how they do develop. Um, and
I think, yeah, being able to keep the legacy from
Bingo to Casper is so special. It's. That's so nice.
S2 (12:42):
Oh, I know. Feeling so blessed. Yeah.
S1 (12:45):
So is there anything else that you would like to
share about your time with Casper volunteering or about stud dogs?
S2 (12:52):
Well, I think I'll recommend a book called Thunder Dog
by Michael Hingson. It was recommended to me, actually, by
a lady when she saw me with our very first puppy, Mickey,
at the library. Well, I don't want to spoil the storyline.
Suffice to say, Michael is a blind person and that
(13:16):
this is the story of him and his guide dogs.
And it's very touching and inspiring. From from time to time,
when I look at our puppies, I think about Michael, uh,
his story, his relationship with his guide dog, in particular
(13:37):
with the the Thunder Dog.
S1 (13:40):
I think I, I don't think I've read that book,
but I kind of know of the premise. I think
I might have to add that to my reading list and, um,
and be inspired by it.
S2 (13:49):
It's so touching. Yeah. I hope you like it.
S1 (13:52):
Well, thank you so much for your time and sharing
your story and coming on the show, as well as
all of the work that you've done for so many
years looking after, um, our wonderful seeing eye dogs. Oakes.
S6 (14:02):
You too. Right.
S2 (14:03):
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
S1 (14:11):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. If you're based around our Kensington, Victoria
site or are in select regions of Victoria listed on
our website, you may be eligible to become a carer
for a breeding dog or in regions of Queensland, New
South Wales and Victoria. We are looking for puppy carers.
Head to the website. To find out more about our
(14:36):
volunteering options. Now I'm going to be joined by Vision Australia,
NDIS and aged care funding specialist lead and dog guide
handler Caitlin McMorrow to talk about the Queensland Taxi Subsidy
Scheme and extending that to Rideshare and Vision Australia's work
on that campaign. Without further ado, let's hear from Caitlin. Hi, Caitlin,
(14:57):
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S7 (14:59):
No problem. Thanks for having me.
S1 (15:01):
Could you please start by introducing yourself and your role
at Vision Australia?
S7 (15:05):
Certainly. So my name is Caitlin McMorrow and my role
at Vision Australia is NDIS and Aged Care funding specialist.
So I work as part of our broader advocacy and
corporate affairs team. In my role, I do things like
providing support and training to our staff around funding, but
I'm also involved in a lot of our advocacy work
(15:29):
with government and with funding bodies as well.
S1 (15:33):
I guess that's where the corporate relationship comes in. That's
kind of everyone else, pretty much. And your clients.
S7 (15:38):
Yeah.
S1 (15:40):
So why are taxis and rideshare so important for not everyone,
but for some people who are blind or have low vision.
S7 (15:47):
I think they're important for most people who are blind
or have low vision, because they most closely replicate that
sort of point to point direct transport access from A
to B, which we wouldn't always have access to in
any other way. So, you know, even if you have
fantastic orientation and mobility skills and you travel extensively, um,
(16:12):
and you use public transport a lot, there are always
places that public transport just can't get you to. And
I guess for a lot of people who are blind
or have low vision, having access to taxis or rideshare
is probably the closest equivalent to what a sighted person
does when they jump in the car and drive somewhere. Uh,
it is just often the most convenient and the most
(16:34):
timely way to get somewhere. So I think it's a
key service that a lot of us access and rely upon.
S1 (16:42):
I know because people kind of think, you know, oh, well,
trains kind of get you so far, and sometimes even
you look at the train kind of Google Maps instructions
versus car or Uber or even sometimes walking, and sometimes
the train takes twice or three times or even four
times as long. It's kind of wild.
S7 (16:59):
Yeah, that's exactly right. Or you've got to kind of
do a 20 minute taxi or rideshare trip on either
end of the train trip anyway. So it's kind of,
you know, that decision about, do I just go directly
from A to B and, you know, make life easier
and more convenient or, you know, I guess to for
some people, their vision can be impacted at night and
(17:19):
things like that. So although they might use public transport
during the day, you know, they might be more reliant
on taxis or rideshare, sort of when they're traveling in
the dark or if they feel less confident about that.
So I guess, you know, there's a bunch of different
reasons that people might choose that as an option. And
I think you're part of the reason that we're doing
this work at the moment is really to make sure
that people have those choices about how they access transport and,
(17:43):
you know, as much flexibility as possible in where they
go and how they get there.
S1 (17:47):
This came about with some of the work that has
been done by advocacy team and corporate relations as well,
in the Queensland taxi subsidy. So what are some of
the barriers that you might have taking each mode of
point to point transport?
S7 (18:03):
So I guess for me, as someone living in Queensland,
one of the key barriers that we have in terms
of accessing taxis at the moment is just their availability.
There's been a lot of impacts on that since Covid times,
and it is often the wait times to get a
taxi in particular are quite long. You might wait up
to 45 minutes for a vehicle or just simply not
(18:25):
get one at all because there aren't any in your area.
So that can be really challenging when you know you
need to get to appointments, or you need to get
to work and do things in a timely way and
get to places when you need to be there. So
it has been a big challenge, and we've heard that
kind of spoken about by a number of clients, particularly
(18:46):
in Queensland. There's some slightly different challenges that our clients
typically talk about in New South Wales. They've more recently
introduced a card based taxi subsidy scheme there, and a
lot of our clients tell us that they have issues
with drivers not taking their taxi subsidy card, so they
end up having to pay full fare for the trip.
(19:07):
There's been a bunch of challenges with the implementation of
that that we've heard about from clients. So I guess
it's not uniform across each state, but we're hearing about
quite a few challenges that people are having with access
to transport in that way, either with, as I said,
with availability or, you know, taxis not taking the subsidy
card or particular drivers not accepting it and things like that.
(19:28):
And all those things really increase people's cognitive load and
make travel more stressful. It's part of the, I guess,
the reason that the taxi subsidy or the subsidy trial
that Uber is running currently has been, I think, really
valuable in terms of increasing choice for people and giving
people another option to try. So in some of those
states where, yeah, we are kind of experiencing issues with
(19:51):
reliable transport. So I think overall it's a good thing.
S1 (19:54):
I guess if you've got a doctor's appointment or work
or anything. It's not like you can kind of just
say to the doctors or the work or the appointment, hey,
do you mind if we just like an hour? Flexible timing.
S7 (20:04):
Um, yeah, exactly. Um, I couldn't get there. And then,
of course, you know, sometimes with medical things, you still
have to pay for the appointment, even if you are
kind of a last minute no show, even when that's
not your fault. So yeah. Yeah it does. I think
it does increase stress for people, even things like social
events where you plan a night out with friends and
then either you can't get there or you always have
(20:26):
that thought in the back of your mind of, Will
I be able to get home again? How am I
going to? Yeah. Is there going to be transport available?
So yeah, all of those things I think factor in.
And really the reason that we're kind of advocating for
people to have more choice in the transport options available
to them.
S1 (20:43):
And like you said, even with the kind of just
cognitive load of like by the time that you've gotten
gotten there, you know, sometimes you just probably feel a
little bit less keen to really relax by the time
that you've got there, because the whole ordeal is a pain.
S7 (20:55):
Yeah, that's exactly right. And if you're doing the same
thing of sort of wondering for the whole event what
the the trip home is going to be like, or,
you know, all of those things, I guess. Yeah. Do
factor into your enjoyment and your stress levels and all
of those things.
S1 (21:08):
So the issue of the taxi and the rideshare subsidy,
like you said, it's not kind of consistent Australia wide
like the New South Wales situation is different. So how
does this impact users in different states?
S7 (21:20):
So in Victoria from 2021, recipients of the taxi subsidy
there have been able to use their subsidy with Uber
as well as with taxis. That hasn't been extended to
other states yet, and that's part of the advocacy work
that we're doing. Uh, because we'd like to see that
extended in places such as Queensland and New South Wales,
(21:41):
where at the moment you can only use that subsidy
for taxis and not for rideshare. So yeah, I guess
that's a key piece of the the work that we're
looking at. And um, that in conducting the transport subsidy
trial that Uber is looking to get some data on
as well in terms of how people might use the service.
(22:02):
And as I said, giving them that experience of of
having another option.
S1 (22:06):
How much is the subsidy worth? And I guess, like what,
you know, what does that mean for clients in terms
of accessing it at that difference of cost.
S7 (22:14):
So the subsidy varies in value from state to state.
In Queensland it's $30. In Victoria it's 60. So again
it depends on different arrangements with state governments. In Queensland
for example, the way it works is that you will
get 50% off the value of the fare up to $30.
(22:35):
So if it's a $60 trip, for example, the subsidy
would pay for $30 of that and you would pay
the remaining 30. So in Victoria, where that's been extended
to rideshare as well, it does make transport quite a
lot more affordable for people. It's probably generally known that
rideshare can often be a little bit cheaper than taxis,
(22:57):
and that applies to everyone. So it does mean that
there's potentially a more affordable option for people to look at,
which is good.
S1 (23:04):
And so how is Vision Australia working towards getting that
rideshare subsidy accepted in Queensland?
S7 (23:10):
So we've been doing work with government in Queensland and
New South Wales. There's been lots of correspondence with ministers
and various meetings had and things like that, but there's
still a lot of work to do. And I guess,
you know, part of it is around raising awareness with
government of the experiences that our clients are having in
(23:30):
those states, and that there really are some significant impacts
on reliable transport access. And so, you know, we need
to start looking at other options to improve that situation
for people and make sure that they can participate in
the community and be doing the things that they need
to do. So it's a bit of an ongoing process,
and we are continuing to work with government in various ways,
(23:53):
and hopefully we'll be able to get a result.
S1 (23:56):
And I guess with the kind of media coverage that
you've had of that, it just makes it more and
more clear that there is interest in this as an
issue and that, you know, hopefully the government will kind
of take notice in the fact that it does impact
a lot of people.
S7 (24:08):
Yeah, that's right. It does raise awareness of the issue
in the community more broadly, I think. And that's always
a good thing. You know, whenever you're trying to influence
change and do this type of advocacy work, you know,
and all of the ways that we can increase awareness
are valuable and, and help the cause, which is great.
S1 (24:24):
Is there anything else that you'd like to share about taxis,
rideshare and funding?
S7 (24:29):
I think I would just say that in my experience,
it's been really good to have more extensive options than
just taxis. I've really enjoyed participating in the Uber transport
subsidy trial. I hope a lot of other people will
have to who may not have tried the service previously.
(24:49):
There are certain advantages to rideshare, for example, like the
fact that it's all app based and I can see
where the driver is and how far away he is,
and have that kind of direct contact with him as
the vehicles approaching, so that he knows where I am
and to look out for me and all of those
kinds of things. Sometimes I think that's an option that
(25:10):
we've not always had with taxis, and it's quite nice
as a, you know, someone who's female and often travels
alone to have some additional safety features in rideshare apps,
like the fact that you can add a pin so
that you know the right driver is picking you up,
you can share your trip with somebody else who might
be meeting you at the location, so that they can
see that you get where you need to be. So
(25:31):
there's a bunch of different things, which for me at
least make that quite a good experience. I know there's
been a lot of talk in the community, too, around
dog guard refusals with rideshare. In my experience, that happens
across the board. It happens with both rideshare companies and
taxi companies, and it's certainly something that we're continuing to
(25:55):
work on in the advocacy space on all fronts, really,
because we know that's not ideal for anyone. I would
say that I think dog refusals are certainly not limited
to rideshare. And I have to say, the experiences I've
had with Uber have always been quite positive. There is
quite an easy way to report and dog refusal through
(26:15):
the app, and they always tend to follow up with
me with a phone call or an email to apologize
for the experience. And, you know, often they'll refund the
trip and things like that as well. So I've always
found them quite responsive and helpful, which is great. And
I think, you know, it does demonstrate that they are
committed to making that situation better, which overall is a
(26:38):
positive thing.
S1 (26:39):
I guess the gradual trend is positive and they are listening.
Hopefully it doesn't take too long for it to be
really a zero frequency situation, you know?
S7 (26:48):
Yeah. And obviously that's ideally what we would want to
aim for. But then, you know, we don't get that
with taxi companies who've been who've worked in the industry
for years either. So I think it is, um, you know,
it's an industry wide challenge that we have to tackle,
not just with Uber, but with all transport providers. I
think my record is five taxi refusals in Melbourne in
(27:10):
one afternoon. So. Wow. Um, it's. Yeah. You know, it's
a bit we we often talk about it in the
context of rideshare, but I think it is a more
ubiquitous problem in the industry than that.
S1 (27:21):
Yeah. How frustrating I guess. Yeah. If you know the
work that you're doing kind of hopefully keeps things going on.
And if you've got more choice because of subsidies, then,
you know, that's another kind of step in the right direction.
S7 (27:33):
So and I think, you know, choice is really the
key component of that because it's often, you know, often
as a sighted person, you will look at both the
taxi app and the Uber app and see what's cheaper
and what's going to get you to where you need
to be in the most time effective way possible. And
so I think really, you know, part of what we're
advocating for is just for people who are blind or
have low vision to have that equivalent choice in their
(27:55):
access to transport as well.
S1 (27:57):
Well, lots to consider and thank you to you and
your team for kind of keeping keeping fighting the good fight.
And thank you for joining me on the show and
sharing a bit of information about the rideshare and taxi subsidy.
S7 (28:08):
My pleasure. Thanks for having me on the program.
S1 (28:17):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. If you'd like to find out more
about Seeing Eye Dogs, the work we do, becoming a
handler or carer, or how you can help, head to
our website at. If you'd like to find out about
Vision Australia advocacy, head to Vision Australia's website at Vision Australia.
(28:37):
Thank you for listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show
and don't forget to tune in. Same time next week
for another episode of The Seeing Eye Dog Show.
On Vision Australia Radio. You're listening to the Seeing Eye
Dog show with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I
have two guests joining me. The first, I have breeder
Sarah Mina Wang coming to chat about the life of
breeding dog Casper. We're going to chat about her and
her family's life raising and looking after breeding dogs and puppies.
Then I have Vision Australia, NDIS and aged care funding
(00:41):
specialist lead and dog guide handler Caitlin McMorrow joining us
to talk about Vision Australia's Campaign for Queensland Taxi subsidy scheme,
which is about extending that to rideshare. For information about
Vision Australia's advocacy and corporate relations work, head to the
Vision Australia website. Keep listening to hear about this point
(01:02):
to point transport subsidy work from Caitlin. Now let's hear
from breeder Carmen about her life with Casper. Hi Mina,
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S2 (01:18):
Oh, great to be here. Thank you for having me.
S3 (01:21):
Could you please start off by introducing yourself?
S2 (01:23):
I'm currently a data scientist in the healthcare sector. Data
science is both my work and hobby, so in my
spare time, I also write about data science and machine
learning and published open source packages to share with the community.
I have a very supportive partner who helps take care
of our dog, puppies, and two teenage boys who absolutely
(01:47):
love having the puppies at home, and they have been
a great help in training and playing with the puppies too.
S3 (01:56):
And what is your role at seeing Eye Dogs as
a volunteer?
S2 (02:00):
I'm currently a breeder carer because the puppy that we're
taking care of, Casper. He passed one year assessment with
flying colours and is selected as a breeding boy. Therefore,
we'll continue to take care of him while he's doing
his breathing duties.
S1 (02:18):
And how long have you been a carer and what
made you get involved in the first place?
S2 (02:23):
We have been a carer for more than six years
now with Christians. When we came to Australia and found
a church. Uh, we noticed that there is a blind person, Fiona, uh,
at our church and she has a beautiful guide dog, Aussie. Uh,
and we also learned that we could contribute to the
(02:44):
course by being a volunteer carer. So why not?
S1 (02:48):
It kind of makes sense. And I guess when you
see that end of the mission, it really probably inspires
you when you get the young puppy even to kind
of keep going. It's like, this is what I'm doing
it for.
S2 (03:00):
Yes, yes. Yeah. When when we look at this, um,
young puppies, it's just it's just so touching to think
about how they will grow up into such an important
part of the other person's life here.
S1 (03:14):
So can you tell us a little bit about or
introduce your current dog?
S2 (03:18):
Our current dog is Casper. He's a black Labrador. He's
now one year and nine months old, still looking very
much like a puppy. He's a father already. He's very smart. Um,
a bit cheeky. Always enthusiastic about training because that involves food.
(03:39):
He brings lots of laughter to the family, that's for sure.
S1 (03:44):
So how long have you had him for? Have you
had him for the whole time?
S2 (03:48):
Yeah, yeah. We started caring for him since he was
two months old. So, um, more than one year and
a half now.
S1 (03:55):
And what are some of the best things about Casper?
S2 (03:59):
So he's a bit cheeky and that's that's very funny
and make us laugh. So, for example, one thing our
seeing eye dog puppies do in the morning, um, is
to do their business at command. So after we say
do jobs, uh, if they do a we, they get
a cable. If they do a pool, they get a
(04:21):
cable to. Well, so typically two cables every morning for
doing their business. But but somehow Casper is the first
among all the puppies we have cared for so far,
including his father. Bingo. To try and hack the system.
I guess his little mind goes, huh? So when we
(04:44):
want cable, um, what if I do my weigh in batches?
Do I get multiple cables? So he will. He will
weigh a small amount. That's smart people.
S4 (04:58):
And they go back for another small batch, you know? Yeah.
That's smart, I think.
S1 (05:03):
And you can't be that mad about it because he
knew what you were asking for. You're asking for a
wee and he's done it.
S4 (05:09):
So thankfully.
S1 (05:14):
For you guys with two teenage boys and a kind
of bit of a busy house, having a dog that
gives you a bit of kind of like cheek is
probably quite fun. You probably need something that's gonna keep
you all on your feet.
S4 (05:27):
Yes, yes.
S1 (05:29):
So you mentioned that you had bingo as well. So
can you tell us a bit about having bingo and then,
you know, and now his son.
S2 (05:38):
I would say that's the most special thing we had. Bingo.
For more than two years from, since it was a puppy,
till he had three litter, 27 puppies and move on
to become a seeing eye dog. Yeah, he's quite productive.
Both jobs you can probably imagine. It was very hard
(06:00):
to say goodbye at the end. Um, but we we
feel so blessed to be able to care for Caspar.
Feels like, you know, a grand pop to us because
of his daddy. Now, now, Casper, uh, himself also becomes
a breeding dog when he moves on to become a
seeing eye dog. I hope we get to care for his, um,
(06:24):
puppies as well, who will then feel like a great
grandpa pup to us.
S1 (06:29):
You continue on the line.
S4 (06:32):
I know.
S1 (06:35):
Do you find that they're similar?
S2 (06:39):
Oh, actually.
S4 (06:41):
Really different.
S1 (06:42):
Interesting.
S4 (06:43):
Yeah.
S2 (06:44):
Well, I would say they're both very intelligent.
S4 (06:46):
Yeah.
S2 (06:47):
But Casper is trickier.
S4 (06:50):
Than his daddy. Yeah.
S2 (06:53):
And then they're really different in so many ways. I
feel like it's so special to see, like, your kids,
you know, a unique idea.
S1 (07:03):
Not a carbon copy of of either of you guys.
They're different. And like being on Casper. Interesting.
S4 (07:09):
Yeah, yeah.
S2 (07:10):
Very interesting.
S1 (07:12):
So what is it? Kind of typical day in the
life of you and Casper.
S2 (07:17):
Um, so in the morning, you came back to the
house a bit hectic. We're looking for uniform ties, socks, etc..
But Casper, he always waits very patiently for us to
to give him breakfast. Uh, when we're ready. I really,
really appreciate that. And after breakfast, uh, we then walk
(07:40):
with the boys to school. Uh, depending on our schedule.
Sometimes Casper gets to play a bit at the dog
park on our way back then, uh, both my partner
and I will work. Work from home, and that will
be some quiet time for Casper. Uh, at lunch, if
we could, we give him a short walk. But guilty
to say many times we we couldn't due to meetings
(08:02):
or very busy schedule. Uh, then when it's time for
the boys to to go back from school. We then
take Casper out to walk toward the school to meet
them on the way. He loves it when the boys
are at home and can play with him. After dinner
we do. We do a little bit of training too,
(08:24):
with Casper. Then, uh, we pretty much just hang out
in the living room where, um, his bed is. What?
We'll be doing some reading, chatting. The boys will play
their violin. Viola at the same time. Casper will go
to bed when he feels like to.
S1 (08:40):
What does he make of stringed instruments?
S4 (08:44):
Oh.
S2 (08:44):
That's a very good question. I think he's not annoyed
by it. He will listen, but not as attentively as
our second singer dog puppy Kanga. So Kanga will really, like,
stare at the boys when they play their violins. And
sometimes I feel like he was trying to sing along.
S5 (09:06):
Oh, really? Like. Like barking.
S1 (09:08):
Or like groaning or just.
S2 (09:11):
Something like that.
S5 (09:12):
Oh.
S1 (09:14):
Whereas Casper just kind of not as not quite as
animated by it.
S2 (09:19):
Mhm. But he get really excited if my partner plays
a flute.
S5 (09:24):
You're like oh.
S2 (09:27):
We're still not sure whether he's agitated by it or
he really likes it. So my father Alex, he tried
to play upstairs. No. Until, until we're sure.
S5 (09:38):
That's interesting.
S1 (09:39):
I guess it would be a very unique noise for
a dog. It's not like it kind of. It's nothing
like they'll encounter across life. I think especially the flute,
because it's so, like, resonant and high and.
S2 (09:51):
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah. Well, I hope like, like
apps that where you can understand dogs through their box
or the noises they make, they translate their language, It? Maybe.
S1 (10:06):
Yeah. I think you can get that app developed. You
will be a millionaire like a billionaire. Haha. I think
people can.
S2 (10:15):
Tell my to do.
S1 (10:15):
List. Yeah, I think at at it there, I think,
you know, you do data science. You can, I'm sure,
make an app. That is a good next step.
S2 (10:22):
It's hard to verify though like need to think about
how to verify. Did you translate it correctly?
S1 (10:28):
Yeah. Translation is a very specific art. So I guess
dog translation is going to be the next one. So
thinking about kind of caring for a stud dog, I
guess for you guys and for anyone that's not then
aware of kind of the puppies, you know, is there
anything that you have to do to kind of fit
them into your life or, you know, for you guys
(10:48):
are working from home and with the kids, it's kind
of quite, you know, I guess natural at this point
after six years.
S2 (10:55):
Well, I guess I guess for us, we feel really
fortunate to be able to work from home and and
care for them. I think for if I were to
offer advice about to others who consider whether they want to.
I do have a lot of friends who or colleagues
or consider being a carer for this wonderful course as well.
(11:18):
So my advice would be, if you're thinking about becoming
a carer, and I'm not sure how that will fit
into your life, or not sure about training, or about
whether you have enough time to take care of the puppies.
I reckon caring for a breeding dog will actually be
a great place to start because this breeding dogs, they
(11:38):
are adult already. They are very well behaved, easy to train,
and they do not take as much time as small puppies.
Who still needs toilet training?
S1 (11:50):
Yeah, definitely a lot easier to have that stage skip
for you in a way.
S2 (11:55):
Oh, I think also it's it's probably worth mentioning if, um,
caring for, um, breeding dogs, you get to meet their
first litter at the nursery. Oh, that's that's that's an
experience I'll highly recommend.
S1 (12:10):
How cute was Bingo's first litter? It wasn't Casper's litter,
was it?
S2 (12:15):
No, no, Casper's in the third litter.
S1 (12:18):
Ah.
S2 (12:19):
But my colleague actually got to take care of one
of Bingo's first litter. Oh, that's. Oh, that feels so special. Yeah.
S1 (12:30):
That's so nice. It's lovely to see them grow up
and kind of see how they do develop. Um, and
I think, yeah, being able to keep the legacy from
Bingo to Casper is so special. It's. That's so nice.
S2 (12:42):
Oh, I know. Feeling so blessed. Yeah.
S1 (12:45):
So is there anything else that you would like to
share about your time with Casper volunteering or about stud dogs?
S2 (12:52):
Well, I think I'll recommend a book called Thunder Dog
by Michael Hingson. It was recommended to me, actually, by
a lady when she saw me with our very first puppy, Mickey,
at the library. Well, I don't want to spoil the storyline.
Suffice to say, Michael is a blind person and that
(13:16):
this is the story of him and his guide dogs.
And it's very touching and inspiring. From from time to time,
when I look at our puppies, I think about Michael, uh,
his story, his relationship with his guide dog, in particular
(13:37):
with the the Thunder Dog.
S1 (13:40):
I think I, I don't think I've read that book,
but I kind of know of the premise. I think
I might have to add that to my reading list and, um,
and be inspired by it.
S2 (13:49):
It's so touching. Yeah. I hope you like it.
S1 (13:52):
Well, thank you so much for your time and sharing
your story and coming on the show, as well as
all of the work that you've done for so many
years looking after, um, our wonderful seeing eye dogs. Oakes.
S6 (14:02):
You too. Right.
S2 (14:03):
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
S1 (14:11):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. If you're based around our Kensington, Victoria
site or are in select regions of Victoria listed on
our website, you may be eligible to become a carer
for a breeding dog or in regions of Queensland, New
South Wales and Victoria. We are looking for puppy carers.
Head to the website. To find out more about our
(14:36):
volunteering options. Now I'm going to be joined by Vision Australia,
NDIS and aged care funding specialist lead and dog guide
handler Caitlin McMorrow to talk about the Queensland Taxi Subsidy
Scheme and extending that to Rideshare and Vision Australia's work
on that campaign. Without further ado, let's hear from Caitlin. Hi, Caitlin,
(14:57):
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S7 (14:59):
No problem. Thanks for having me.
S1 (15:01):
Could you please start by introducing yourself and your role
at Vision Australia?
S7 (15:05):
Certainly. So my name is Caitlin McMorrow and my role
at Vision Australia is NDIS and Aged Care funding specialist.
So I work as part of our broader advocacy and
corporate affairs team. In my role, I do things like
providing support and training to our staff around funding, but
I'm also involved in a lot of our advocacy work
(15:29):
with government and with funding bodies as well.
S1 (15:33):
I guess that's where the corporate relationship comes in. That's
kind of everyone else, pretty much. And your clients.
S7 (15:38):
Yeah.
S1 (15:40):
So why are taxis and rideshare so important for not everyone,
but for some people who are blind or have low vision.
S7 (15:47):
I think they're important for most people who are blind
or have low vision, because they most closely replicate that
sort of point to point direct transport access from A
to B, which we wouldn't always have access to in
any other way. So, you know, even if you have
fantastic orientation and mobility skills and you travel extensively, um,
(16:12):
and you use public transport a lot, there are always
places that public transport just can't get you to. And
I guess for a lot of people who are blind
or have low vision, having access to taxis or rideshare
is probably the closest equivalent to what a sighted person
does when they jump in the car and drive somewhere. Uh,
it is just often the most convenient and the most
(16:34):
timely way to get somewhere. So I think it's a
key service that a lot of us access and rely upon.
S1 (16:42):
I know because people kind of think, you know, oh, well,
trains kind of get you so far, and sometimes even
you look at the train kind of Google Maps instructions
versus car or Uber or even sometimes walking, and sometimes
the train takes twice or three times or even four
times as long. It's kind of wild.
S7 (16:59):
Yeah, that's exactly right. Or you've got to kind of
do a 20 minute taxi or rideshare trip on either
end of the train trip anyway. So it's kind of,
you know, that decision about, do I just go directly
from A to B and, you know, make life easier
and more convenient or, you know, I guess to for
some people, their vision can be impacted at night and
(17:19):
things like that. So although they might use public transport
during the day, you know, they might be more reliant
on taxis or rideshare, sort of when they're traveling in
the dark or if they feel less confident about that.
So I guess, you know, there's a bunch of different
reasons that people might choose that as an option. And
I think you're part of the reason that we're doing
this work at the moment is really to make sure
that people have those choices about how they access transport and,
(17:43):
you know, as much flexibility as possible in where they
go and how they get there.
S1 (17:47):
This came about with some of the work that has
been done by advocacy team and corporate relations as well,
in the Queensland taxi subsidy. So what are some of
the barriers that you might have taking each mode of
point to point transport?
S7 (18:03):
So I guess for me, as someone living in Queensland,
one of the key barriers that we have in terms
of accessing taxis at the moment is just their availability.
There's been a lot of impacts on that since Covid times,
and it is often the wait times to get a
taxi in particular are quite long. You might wait up
to 45 minutes for a vehicle or just simply not
(18:25):
get one at all because there aren't any in your area.
So that can be really challenging when you know you
need to get to appointments, or you need to get
to work and do things in a timely way and
get to places when you need to be there. So
it has been a big challenge, and we've heard that
kind of spoken about by a number of clients, particularly
(18:46):
in Queensland. There's some slightly different challenges that our clients
typically talk about in New South Wales. They've more recently
introduced a card based taxi subsidy scheme there, and a
lot of our clients tell us that they have issues
with drivers not taking their taxi subsidy card, so they
end up having to pay full fare for the trip.
(19:07):
There's been a bunch of challenges with the implementation of
that that we've heard about from clients. So I guess
it's not uniform across each state, but we're hearing about
quite a few challenges that people are having with access
to transport in that way, either with, as I said,
with availability or, you know, taxis not taking the subsidy
card or particular drivers not accepting it and things like that.
(19:28):
And all those things really increase people's cognitive load and
make travel more stressful. It's part of the, I guess,
the reason that the taxi subsidy or the subsidy trial
that Uber is running currently has been, I think, really
valuable in terms of increasing choice for people and giving
people another option to try. So in some of those
states where, yeah, we are kind of experiencing issues with
(19:51):
reliable transport. So I think overall it's a good thing.
S1 (19:54):
I guess if you've got a doctor's appointment or work
or anything. It's not like you can kind of just
say to the doctors or the work or the appointment, hey,
do you mind if we just like an hour? Flexible timing.
S7 (20:04):
Um, yeah, exactly. Um, I couldn't get there. And then,
of course, you know, sometimes with medical things, you still
have to pay for the appointment, even if you are
kind of a last minute no show, even when that's
not your fault. So yeah. Yeah it does. I think
it does increase stress for people, even things like social
events where you plan a night out with friends and
then either you can't get there or you always have
(20:26):
that thought in the back of your mind of, Will
I be able to get home again? How am I
going to? Yeah. Is there going to be transport available?
So yeah, all of those things I think factor in.
And really the reason that we're kind of advocating for
people to have more choice in the transport options available
to them.
S1 (20:43):
And like you said, even with the kind of just
cognitive load of like by the time that you've gotten
gotten there, you know, sometimes you just probably feel a
little bit less keen to really relax by the time
that you've got there, because the whole ordeal is a pain.
S7 (20:55):
Yeah, that's exactly right. And if you're doing the same
thing of sort of wondering for the whole event what
the the trip home is going to be like, or,
you know, all of those things, I guess. Yeah. Do
factor into your enjoyment and your stress levels and all
of those things.
S1 (21:08):
So the issue of the taxi and the rideshare subsidy,
like you said, it's not kind of consistent Australia wide
like the New South Wales situation is different. So how
does this impact users in different states?
S7 (21:20):
So in Victoria from 2021, recipients of the taxi subsidy
there have been able to use their subsidy with Uber
as well as with taxis. That hasn't been extended to
other states yet, and that's part of the advocacy work
that we're doing. Uh, because we'd like to see that
extended in places such as Queensland and New South Wales,
(21:41):
where at the moment you can only use that subsidy
for taxis and not for rideshare. So yeah, I guess
that's a key piece of the the work that we're
looking at. And um, that in conducting the transport subsidy
trial that Uber is looking to get some data on
as well in terms of how people might use the service.
(22:02):
And as I said, giving them that experience of of
having another option.
S1 (22:06):
How much is the subsidy worth? And I guess, like what,
you know, what does that mean for clients in terms
of accessing it at that difference of cost.
S7 (22:14):
So the subsidy varies in value from state to state.
In Queensland it's $30. In Victoria it's 60. So again
it depends on different arrangements with state governments. In Queensland
for example, the way it works is that you will
get 50% off the value of the fare up to $30.
(22:35):
So if it's a $60 trip, for example, the subsidy
would pay for $30 of that and you would pay
the remaining 30. So in Victoria, where that's been extended
to rideshare as well, it does make transport quite a
lot more affordable for people. It's probably generally known that
rideshare can often be a little bit cheaper than taxis,
(22:57):
and that applies to everyone. So it does mean that
there's potentially a more affordable option for people to look at,
which is good.
S1 (23:04):
And so how is Vision Australia working towards getting that
rideshare subsidy accepted in Queensland?
S7 (23:10):
So we've been doing work with government in Queensland and
New South Wales. There's been lots of correspondence with ministers
and various meetings had and things like that, but there's
still a lot of work to do. And I guess,
you know, part of it is around raising awareness with
government of the experiences that our clients are having in
(23:30):
those states, and that there really are some significant impacts
on reliable transport access. And so, you know, we need
to start looking at other options to improve that situation
for people and make sure that they can participate in
the community and be doing the things that they need
to do. So it's a bit of an ongoing process,
and we are continuing to work with government in various ways,
(23:53):
and hopefully we'll be able to get a result.
S1 (23:56):
And I guess with the kind of media coverage that
you've had of that, it just makes it more and
more clear that there is interest in this as an
issue and that, you know, hopefully the government will kind
of take notice in the fact that it does impact
a lot of people.
S7 (24:08):
Yeah, that's right. It does raise awareness of the issue
in the community more broadly, I think. And that's always
a good thing. You know, whenever you're trying to influence
change and do this type of advocacy work, you know,
and all of the ways that we can increase awareness
are valuable and, and help the cause, which is great.
S1 (24:24):
Is there anything else that you'd like to share about taxis,
rideshare and funding?
S7 (24:29):
I think I would just say that in my experience,
it's been really good to have more extensive options than
just taxis. I've really enjoyed participating in the Uber transport
subsidy trial. I hope a lot of other people will
have to who may not have tried the service previously.
(24:49):
There are certain advantages to rideshare, for example, like the
fact that it's all app based and I can see
where the driver is and how far away he is,
and have that kind of direct contact with him as
the vehicles approaching, so that he knows where I am
and to look out for me and all of those
kinds of things. Sometimes I think that's an option that
(25:10):
we've not always had with taxis, and it's quite nice
as a, you know, someone who's female and often travels
alone to have some additional safety features in rideshare apps,
like the fact that you can add a pin so
that you know the right driver is picking you up,
you can share your trip with somebody else who might
be meeting you at the location, so that they can
see that you get where you need to be. So
(25:31):
there's a bunch of different things, which for me at
least make that quite a good experience. I know there's
been a lot of talk in the community, too, around
dog guard refusals with rideshare. In my experience, that happens
across the board. It happens with both rideshare companies and
taxi companies, and it's certainly something that we're continuing to
(25:55):
work on in the advocacy space on all fronts, really,
because we know that's not ideal for anyone. I would
say that I think dog refusals are certainly not limited
to rideshare. And I have to say, the experiences I've
had with Uber have always been quite positive. There is
quite an easy way to report and dog refusal through
(26:15):
the app, and they always tend to follow up with
me with a phone call or an email to apologize
for the experience. And, you know, often they'll refund the
trip and things like that as well. So I've always
found them quite responsive and helpful, which is great. And
I think, you know, it does demonstrate that they are
committed to making that situation better, which overall is a
(26:38):
positive thing.
S1 (26:39):
I guess the gradual trend is positive and they are listening.
Hopefully it doesn't take too long for it to be
really a zero frequency situation, you know?
S7 (26:48):
Yeah. And obviously that's ideally what we would want to
aim for. But then, you know, we don't get that
with taxi companies who've been who've worked in the industry
for years either. So I think it is, um, you know,
it's an industry wide challenge that we have to tackle,
not just with Uber, but with all transport providers. I
think my record is five taxi refusals in Melbourne in
(27:10):
one afternoon. So. Wow. Um, it's. Yeah. You know, it's
a bit we we often talk about it in the
context of rideshare, but I think it is a more
ubiquitous problem in the industry than that.
S1 (27:21):
Yeah. How frustrating I guess. Yeah. If you know the
work that you're doing kind of hopefully keeps things going on.
And if you've got more choice because of subsidies, then,
you know, that's another kind of step in the right direction.
S7 (27:33):
So and I think, you know, choice is really the
key component of that because it's often, you know, often
as a sighted person, you will look at both the
taxi app and the Uber app and see what's cheaper
and what's going to get you to where you need
to be in the most time effective way possible. And
so I think really, you know, part of what we're
advocating for is just for people who are blind or
have low vision to have that equivalent choice in their
(27:55):
access to transport as well.
S1 (27:57):
Well, lots to consider and thank you to you and
your team for kind of keeping keeping fighting the good fight.
And thank you for joining me on the show and
sharing a bit of information about the rideshare and taxi subsidy.
S7 (28:08):
My pleasure. Thanks for having me on the program.
S1 (28:17):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. If you'd like to find out more
about Seeing Eye Dogs, the work we do, becoming a
handler or carer, or how you can help, head to
our website at. If you'd like to find out about
Vision Australia advocacy, head to Vision Australia's website at Vision Australia.
(28:37):
Thank you for listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show
and don't forget to tune in. Same time next week
for another episode of The Seeing Eye Dog Show.
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