Blind Dogs for the Guides

Former Guide Dog Barney(left), with Gemma Radley(right) - the Tawny Owl of the 2nd Towcester Girl Guides

For years highly-trained dogs have been used to give new freedom to visually-impaired people - but what happens if they themselves become unable to move around in the same way?

According to national charity Guide Dogs for the Blind, there are caring homes available for most of their retiring or ill canine companions - except, ironically, if they lose their sight:

"A visually-impaired dog takes a lot more looking after. Simple tasks like running after a stick, or sniffing another pooch's posterior can become difficult, or even hazardous", says chief vet Kimberley Harris, "So an elderly person, or sight-impaired person finds it difficult to give that extra level of care. That means it's difficult to re-home them."

The charity was struggling with a growing problem when the Girl Guides decided to step in, forming a sister charity called 'Blind Dogs for the Guides' to rehome short-sighted Shitzu's and blind Bulldog's.

Kerri, 7, is all in favour of the idea: "It's brilliant right, cause they're like so funny and also like so sweet. And we like play hide and seek like."