Kilwinning rural group hears about guide dogs for the blind

Oct 31 2008 Irvine Herald

MEMBERS of Kilwinning Rural Institute met in the Mansefield Trinity Church Hall on Tuesday, October 21.

Despite very rough weather there was a good attendance to hear guest speaker for the evening, Robert Blackwood.

Robert, from Irvine, and his dog Kirk gave the meeting a most interesting and humorous account of the Guide Dogs for the Blind organisation.

When Robert was diagnosed as blind, he was faced with the decision, a dog or a white stick.

He took the meeting on a virtual journey from his home in Irvine to Glasgow Airport, both using a stick and using a dog.

It was evident he made the right choice.

Kirk is his third guide dog and a much travelled one, even with his own passport.

Robert and Kirk fly to Europe, where they give introductions to the work of the society, and also use planes within the UK. In fact, Kirk loves flying and cannot wait to get on board.

He is not so keen on the Arran Ferry though, especially if the crossing is rough.

Dogs were first used as guides for the blind since 1918 when a doctor at a German Military Hospital observed a German Shepherd dog befriending a blind soldier.

The breed is still a favourite and many are trained for rescue in the Swiss Army.

Other breeds now used include Labrador and Cross.

The most recent being the Labradoodle, which does not shed its hair, but needs regular clipping. The working life of a dog is from 10 to 14 years and it costs £10 per day to keep a dog for its whole life or £36,500 per dog.

The demand is high and fundraising goes on continually. There are over 10,000 dogs working in Scotland.

The association was formed by Dorothy Harrison-Eustace, who started a training school in the USA. Murial Cook and Rosamond Bond took up training in the UK in 1920s after a London meeting.

The two British Training Centres have done sterling work, but have proved very costly to run, now only one operates in Scotland to train the dogs.

Training the handler to settle in with its new dog is done in a residence or hotel, where the two are taught to work together by a guide dog mobility training officer. Both dog and handler get to know their home area.

This is proving much cheaper and very successful.

A vote of thanks was given by President Nina Craig and the ladies made a collection for the work of The Guide Dogs Association.

Competition results for the evening: A quarter pound of tablet – 1 Anne Adrain, 2 Christine Winton, 3 Margaret Withers.

The next regular meeting will be on November 18, “Cooking for One or Two” with Mrs M. Montgomerie.