Campaigner urges Rishi Sunak to sort out guide dog shortage

A campaigner for unsighted radical has urged the premier curate to assistance benignant retired the shortage of usher dogs crossed the UK.

Jill Allen-King, 82, from Westcliff, Essex, met Rishi Sunak astatine an lawsuit to observe assemblage champions connected Wednesday evening.

She is facing the anticipation of her ain dog, Jagger, being retired owed to his property successful June.

The Guide Dogs foundation said determination had been a shortage of usher dogs owed to the restrictions of the pandemic.

The lockdown successful 2020 meant a intermission connected breeding and puppy grooming was hard owed to the closure of restaurants and different nationalist spaces.

Mrs Allen-King, who has had 7 usher dogs successful the past 51 years, said she was disquieted astir losing her independence.

Jagger was inactive "so acceptable and well", she said. "He wants to work, I can't spot wherefore helium can't enactment until August erstwhile they tin springiness maine different dog".

Her MP, Southend's Anna Firth, has asked the Guide Dogs foundation to marque an objection and let Jagger to proceed moving alternatively than permission her without a dog.

Jagger has been assessed by the foundation and she is waiting to perceive the outcome.

Peter Osbourne from the foundation said it was important to equilibrium the owner's needs arsenic good arsenic the dog's wellness and its quality to work.

"As a canine gets older though they whitethorn inactive beryllium healthy, their reactions tin dilatory and their willingness to usher whitethorn trim which tin bring associated risks to some the canine and usher canine owner."

Speaking aft her gathering with Rishi Sunak, Mrs Allen-King said: "I held onto his manus and told him determination were a 1000 unsighted radical waiting for a usher canine and helium truly did look shocked by that," she said.

"He said to Anna my MP, 'let maine cognize however I tin help' and I'm definite she volition fto him know," said Mrs Allen-King.

The activistic had to person 1 of her eyes removed arsenic a babe owed to measles and mislaid her show afloat aged 24, connected her wedding day, owed to glaucoma. Since past she has campaigned for amended entree rights for unsighted and partially sighted people.

She came up with the thought for textured pavements astatine roadworthy crossings and was fixed an OBE for her services to disabled people.

You tin perceive much astir Jill Allen-King's gathering with the PM connected Justin Dealey's BBC Local Radio show connected Saturday 25 March betwixt 22:00 and 01:00 GM and connected BBC Sounds.