Please do not disturb
The emotional toll of having to prematurely retire her Guide Dog Mister because he became too anxious as a result of harassment and attacks from other dogs, is clearly evident when speaking to Canberra's Jay Roe.
"Mister wasn't just a mobility aid", says Jay. "I worked with and relied on him 24/7 for the past four years, and in a matter of moments, he's no longer here. It's left a great hole in my life."
Jay, who has been severely vision impaired all her life, is one of the alarmingly high 89% of people whose Guide Dogs have been distracted from doing their job by the public, be it an unruly pet dog or a person wanting to pat her dog.
"Distracting a Guide Dog directly affects the safety of the handler and often the dog," said Jay. But she hopes her experience will send a strong message to the community, so that other Guide Dog users won't have to retire their Guide Dogs prematurely.
To help raise awareness about this important issue, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT launched an educational campaign about the proper treatment of Guide Dogs, on International Guide Dog Day, 28 April.
The campaign reminds the public to keep pet dogs on leads and under control, and to not pat or feed Guide Dogs in harness.