Latest news with #guideDogs
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Guide dogs attend Royal Ascot as part of training
Guide dog puppies have been attending Royal Ascot as part of their socialisation training ahead of the race research from the Guide Dogs charity suggests nearly one in eight dogs can be "confused and scared" when confronted with oversized puppies, who range from 12 weeks to 10 months, were exposed to "new sights, sounds, and scents" to help their development advisor at the charity Chloe Southby said Royal Ascot offered a "unique training opportunity" of being exposed to "extravagant hats and fascinators". Ms Southby said: "Some dogs are wary of new or unusual objects like hats and may find them unsettling, especially when worn by someone they know. "It can make familiar people seem unfamiliar."That's why environments like Ascot are so valuable for socialising our puppies – helping them grow into confident guide dogs who can support people."Corporate social values manager at Ascot Racecourse Jacqui Greet said: "We are proud to provide an accessible environment for all racegoers and welcome any guest with an assistance dog." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Dogs attacks could lead to lack of guide dogs in South Auckland.
Blind Low Vision New Zealand is now reluctant to place guide dogs in South Auckland due to roaming dog attacks. File photo. Photo: 123RF Sight-impaired people living in the Southern Auckland could miss out on a guide dog after a savage attack on a handler and his guide dog. Blind Low Vision New Zealand said there had been several incidents, including a roaming dog attack last year that saw one of its clients taken to hospital and the guide dog relocated out of Auckland. It is now reluctant to place guide dogs in South Auckland. Blind Low Vision head of guide dogs Pete Hoskin told Checkpoint it was having a significant impact on the independence of their clients. "This has been an increasing problem over the last two years with no real trigger that we're able to put it down to, but what we're experiencing on a daily and weekly basis is a number of events that are causing us to redeploy our resources across different parts of Tamaki Makaurau." A handler and dog were attacked last year, he said. "He subsequently ended up being in hospital and as a result of the treatment had an allergic reaction to the medication. That was a result of the infection from the dog bite and subsequently spent eight weeks in the hospital requiring a couple of blood transfusions. "The dog still is working and is working very well, but that's not to say that if it was ever put in a situation where it was sprung by another dog, that it would be able to work effectively after that." He said the situation was made worse for clients, as they could not necessarily see or identify the risk before it was right before them. "The incidents that are occurring to able bodied people within Tamaki-Makaurau, one yesterday in the botanical gardens, a four-year-old killed a couple of months ago, they've got the benefit of being able to see and hear. "The vision impaired community don't have that benefit so they're not able to mitigate or minimise that risk." Clients who were deaf and blind were also vulnerable, he said. "[It] just exponentially creates that problem even further for them in the sense that they can't hear any dog approaching them." He said with trainers, there had been seven incidents related to roaming dogs. "Recently, we had one trainer [who] had two incidences in one week where other dogs have physically jumped out of moving vehicles down the main street and then chased them along the street where they've had to then jump into a shop." Blind Low Vision were now reluctant to place dogs in South Auckland, he said. "We do unfortunately have a client in South Auckland that we have said no to placing a dog to due to the severe risk of the environment that the community that the client is in." He said the person had already been attacked twice in the area, while walking with a guide dog. "With no reduction in the amount of dogs in that area and the increase in attacks in that area, that risk is too severe to place a dog." They were investigating potential solutions with AI, although it was in its infancy, he said. "I think there's a couple of things before technology. [We] fully support the release with the SPCA and the council around desexing. "We [also] strongly advocate for some personal accountability. As owners of these dogs, ensuring that their dogs are secure at all times, whether that's in a vehicle or in their home environment, to prevent them from getting out into the community and causing this chaos." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CBC
21-05-2025
- General
- CBC
CNIB to host its 6th annual Pup Crawl
The event asks people to complete five kilometres of movement to raise money and support guide dogs and buddy dogs that are increasingly in demand in Canada. Hannah Veinot has the story.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Hull guide dog user warns taxi drivers to follow law
A man with a severe sight impairment has issued a warning to taxi drivers telling them they have to accept guide dogs by law. Nathan Major-Kershaw, 29, from Hull, said he had experienced drivers complaining when he had brought his dog Jackson into their cars, with one saying he could refuse to accept him as a passenger. The BBC has contacted the taxi firm he uses for a response. In a social media post headed "this is a message for the city's taxi drivers", Mr Major-Kershaw said: "If you do refuse to take a guide dog, you can, and will if it happens to me, be reported to licensing and have your licence revoked." Mr Major-Kershaw said, when he took a taxi in Hull, the driver complained he would have to clear dog hair from his vehicle after the said the driver told him he had the right to refuse to take him as a passenger if he chose. The Equality Act 2010 states taxis must carry guide dogs and other assistance its website, the charity Guide Dogs states: "If the passenger is a guide dog owner, it is a criminal offence to refuse to carry their dog or to charge extra for doing so. "The only exception to this is if the driver has a medical exemption certificate from the licensing authority due to a genuine medical condition that is aggravated by exposure to dogs."Mr Major-Kershaw said he asked the taxi driver if he had an exemption certificate but he did his post he said: "If you're going to drive a taxi, learn your legal obligations when it comes to disabled passengers".Mr Major-Kershaw said he had since got in touch with the taxi company which said it would talk to the driver. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Times
11-05-2025
- Science
- Times
How Terry the guide dog puppy was bred for perfection
On a quiet street in Berkhamsted, a puppy named Terry is embarking on a journey that could one day transform someone's life. At six months old, he is still learning the ropes — how to walk confidently on a lead, how to respond to his name — but there is more to Terry than meets the eye. Terry is no ordinary puppy. He is the result of decades of research into behavioural science and genetics and part of one of the most advanced canine breeding programmes in the world, run by the charity Guide Dogs. For more than 90 years, the organisation has been helping people with sight loss navigate more freely, thanks to these extraordinary animals. Behind each working guide dog, there is an
