Many communities have had their lives changed for the better or worse since the pandemic hit. But many might not be aware that Covid-19 has also impacted the visually impaired here in Singapore.
After countless challenges, Guide Dogs Singapore (GDS) finally welcomed a new guide dog trainee, Eve, in July.
The 17-month-old golden retriever-labrador mix will be the 1st guide dog locally trained here.
On 29 Jul, GDS welcomed their newest dog-in-training, Eve, from Osaka, Japan.
The 17-month-old will undergo 5 months of training by a guide dog mobility instructor, Ms Christina Teng, in Singapore.
During her training, she will learn guiding skills, such as:
Following her 5-month training programme, Eve will then be matched with her visually impaired handler.
The pair will then undergo 1 month of training together, as they can learn to work in tandem with one another.
In a press release, GDS said Eve was born on 1 Mar 2020 in Osaka, Japan, where she had undergone basic training. There, she was also trained to be familiarised with crowded public spaces.
She is known to be an extremely affectionate and active dog.
Her trainers in Japan expressed that they’re confident Eve will make a fine guide dog.
When her training is complete, Eve will be paired with an eligible visually impaired person who will work with her for up to 9 years, as long as conditions permit.
GDS will support Eve and her future handler in gaining the skills to navigate common locations like malls and offices.
GDS’s guide dog instructor will assess them annually to ensure they maintain a long and healthy relationship.
Guide dogs allow visually impaired persons to move about with increased levels of safety and efficiency, allowing them to live with greater independence.
Besides that, they also offer companionship, alleviating the mental stressors of daily life.
GDS shared that in Singapore, guide dog teams still face accessibility issues such as being rejected from public spaces like restaurants and private hire cars.
Often, this is due to a lack of awareness about guide dogs here.
With the arrival of Eve, GDS expresses hope that Singaporeans will be more accepting of guide dogs and their amazing ability to help visually impaired folks.
To fully train a working guide dog costs between $45,000 to $50,000. GDS also took the opportunity to thank their donors for making the training of Eve possible.
Guide dogs certainly provide life-changing support to visually impaired persons, giving them increased mobility and independence.
There are currently 6 guide dog teams and 6 visually impaired individuals waiting to be paired here.
If you’d like to contribute to training these awe-inspiring creatures, you can donate here.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image courtesy of Guide Dogs Singapore.
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