Local dog owners and their four-legged friends can put their best feet – or paws – forward at the end of this month to raise money for a guide dog charity.

The Go Walkies event, organised by the Bentley Bridge branch of Just For Pets, takes place on October 30 at Baggeridge Country Park, Sedgley, at 2pm.

During the walk, which lasts approximately an hour and a half, participants can get to meet other dog owners and have a great day out while raising funds for charity Go For Guide Dogs.

Previous events have been a great success, with many people choosing to walk the route in fancy dress and have fun while raising money for a worthwhile cause.

Families are welcome and shorter walks are also available on the day. Participants who don’t have a pooch are also encouraged to take part and can even add to the fun by dressing up as a canine companion.

A leisurely walk is something many people take for granted, but, for a blind or partially sighted person, it can be a huge challenge. By choosing to Go Walkies for Guide Dogs, people will be helping Go For Guide Dogs reach out to those people. The charity aims to get the whole country taking part and, during the first year of these events, at least 3,000 people took part nationwide.

Every penny raised is vital in helping Guide Dogs  keep its lifetime promise to provide each owner with a guide dog for as long as they need one. It’s a big promise but it’s one that is only possible with public support. For example, the total lifetime cost of a guide dog is more than £40,000 and each person can have up to eight dogs during their life.

The charity aims to increase the number of guide dog partnerships by a third by 2020. However, as Go For Guide Dogs receives no government funding, it depends upon the kindness of supporters to raise the necessary funding.

Visit the charity’s website or pop into the Bentley Bridge branch of Just For Pets for more information.