26 Aug 2025
This International Dog Day, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is celebrating its loyal and iconic companion; the humble Donation Dog, with the launch of its statewide ‘picture pawfect’ Seek and Snap competition.
Guide Dogs is inviting the public to become a Donation Dog detective and take part in Seek and Snap, the ultimate scavenger hunt for people as curious and clever as Guide Dogs. Running for over six weeks, the scavenger hunt is completely free, making it the perfect activity for school holidays!
How to join the mission? Participants will receive a series of fun new picture challenges, from wrapping the Donation Dog in a cozy scarf to styling them with funky sunglasses or a summer hat. With paw-some prizes up for grabs for Best Story, Most Locations Visited, and Best Photo, it’s time to get creative and turn these much-loved hounds into runway-ready superstars.
From shopfronts to shorelines: To kick off the mission on International Dog Day (Tuesday 26th August), Gulliver, the 5-metre-tall Guide Dogs mascot, will make special appearances at iconic beaches across Sydney creating perfect selfie moments and spreading the word to encourage the public to help find his Donation Dog friends.
Celebrating our local icons: For more than 50 years, Donation Dogs have stood in shopfronts, post offices, and supermarkets across Australia, watching over the community and raising funds to provide life-changing services for people living with low vision or blindness.
As digital donations become commonplace, iconic Donation Dogs remain a beloved symbol of community generosity and giving. The Seek and Snap initiative aims to celebrate their heritage and the impact these humble local heroes continue to make on the lives of people living with low vision and blindness.
Sydney based Guide Dogs Client Sibylla explains how much her Guide Dog Velvet has changed her life, and the incredible impact that donations make. “Velvet has completely transformed my life. She is my first Guide Dog and before we were matched, I felt like my world was shrinking and I was becoming so isolated. Velvet opened my world up and. Things became so much easier and more enjoyable.”
“None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the community. Every single coin dropped into a Donation Dog helps make matches like ours a reality, and I’ll always be grateful for the independence that support has given me.”
Alex Murphy, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT’s Donation Dog Specialist, said: “For generations, Donation Dogs have been more than just collection boxes – they’re nostalgic icons that many of us grew up with. For countless Australians, dropping a coin into these pups was one of their first lessons in giving, and over time they’ve become a significant part of our cultural fundraising landscape.
Even in today’s digital age, this type of fundraising remains a vital channel. It’s incredible to think that these loyal fundraising companions have helped fund life-changing services. This International Dog Day, we’re inviting everyone to get involved, join the fun and help us celebrate the beloved Donation Dog.”
Gulliver will be landing at Clovelly Bowling Club at 11.15am -12.15pm on Tuesday 26th August. Followed by Manly Beach at 2.15pm, Sydneysiders are welcome to join learn more about how to get involved with the competition, pat some cute pups and snap their first pics!
To learn more and sign up to the competition visit the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT website https://nsw.guidedogs.com.au/seek-and-snap/