Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association - Guide Dog story

With the help of a guide dog, people who are visually impaired would be able to live a happier life of greater independence. By way of training, the puppies are first sent to live with ‘foster’ families for six to eight months during which the puppies are to acquire good guide-dog habits. At the end of it, the puppies go through a further training period of six months after which they would be recommended to applicants looking for a guide dog, such as Leon.

Leon used to love his job and was active in sports. He went blind in his left eye at a young age but he went on with life to bring up his two sons. Four years ago, he lost the use of the other eye and that broke him. Then he came to know The Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association and made an application for a guide dog in early 2014 – he finally got one, Anna, in the summer of 2015. Leon spent three weeks to get to know Anna; after that, Anna is able to take Leon to places he wants to go – avoiding the many obstacles in between - which makes Leon very happy. “Not only does Anna show me my way, she has become part of my life - she takes away my mental and physical stress, now I can live with independence,” said Leon.