Guide Dog Tram Pat and Chat

UPDATE: JANUARY 31, 2019 — Due to a broken tram, today's Guide Dogs will now be riding around Melbourne on a route 19 tram. They'll kick off at 2pm from the Flinders Street Station and travel along Elizabeth Street, then up Sydney Road. To make sure you catch the right tram — the one filled with many golden balls of fluff — keep an eye on the Tramtracker app and on the Guide Dogs Victoria Facebook page.

Next Thursday, January 31, get ready to take an extra-long lunch break, because Public Transport Victoria is about to throw a one-off on-board pup party. And we're all invited.

Four- and two-legged employees of Guide Dogs Victoria will be riding around on a route 19 tram, which runs along Elizabeth Street, from 2pm. They'll be chatting about their work and what it takes to raise and train little guide dogs (which is something you can sign up to do).

If you do put up your hand, you'll get a puppy for about a year year — from its eight-week birthday to when it turns 14 months. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a guide dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, there's a lot more involved, too — but you can ask the staff all about it aboard the tram.

Image: @sammietheguidedog.