How a guide dog led a blind Hong Kong athlete to a better life
Charity hopes for funding to encourage more of city’s visually impaired to use trained animals
A blind athlete who once contemplated suicide because of his disability has completely transformed his life and receiving a guide dog contributed to this, boosting his confidence while giving him a “big sense of security” to explore Hong Kong.
Gary Leung Siu-wai described how Gaga, his black Labrador from the Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association, had enabled him to become more independent since she came into his life in April this year.
The 50-year-old runner, who will attempt a 1,200km run over 19 days in Taiwan this October, said his new dog was far more effective than using a cane for daily navigation around the city.
“My life has changed a lot,” he said. “I go to shopping centres every day and take minibuses, and previously I always had to ask people for help. But now I have a guide dog, I just give her an order and she will help me.
“It is like I having a new friend living with me; I even treat her as my daughter. It really helps my interactions with other people – it seems all the people around me are friendly now.”
Gaga was named after an employee at one of the association’s sponsor companies, the Link Reit, a real estate investment trust, but Leung admitted he sometimes referred to Lady Gaga, the American pop singer when strangers in the street approached to pet his dog and ask about her.
Since birth, Gaga has been trained to respond to English commands, but Leung, who has another dog called Hugo, will start to combine these with some Cantonese instructions as she learns the tone of his voice.
