A VISUALLY impaired Cork woman has appealed for her guidedog to be returned after the dog was removed to partake in a weight-loss programme.
Lena Gourley, Gurranabraher, Cork who’s guidedog Elsa was taken away from her to go on a weight loss programme. Picture Dan Linehan
Lena Gourley from Gurranabraher feels housebound and dependent on others without her guidedog Elsa, whom she has had for eight years.
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) said they were forced to start Elsa on a supervised weight management program after the dog consistently gained weight despite warnings.
Ms Gourley said that she has already fallen on Shandon Street when she ventured out without Elsa and injured her hands, and narrowly escaped getting run over when she veered onto the road another day.
“A stick is not as good as a dog. It’s terrible, I can’t go out without her. My neighbours have been great but no one can replace the dog. I can’t get into town and I can’t manage the footpaths without her,” Ms Gourley said.
However David McCarthy of the Guidedog Association said that the stark reality was that if the dog’s weight was not managed, she would have to retire within months, and Ms Gourley would have to join the waiting list with others who need a guidedog.
Guide dogs must complete a rigorous training process before they can be allocated homes, and as IGDB is not heavily funded and depends on fundraising for 80% of its costs, it cannot suddenly ramp-up production.
“We try to keep dogs working safely for as long as possible. We hope that this intervention will give her two and a half more years working with Lena.”
The IGDB are using Hydrotherapy to allow the dog exercise without putting weight on its limbs, and they have tried to support Ms Gourley by taking her to Mass and bringing her to the centre to visit with Elsa.
“Taking the dog was a last resort. This is the only dog that we have had to do this with this year.” Mr McCarthy hopes to return Elsa to Ms Gourley in the coming weeks, and consistently check the dog every month to ensure that she is maintaining a healthy weight.
But Ms Gourley said that she has lost her independence without Elsa, and she finds asking others for help demeaning.
“I miss her terribly. My dogs are like children to me. When I go out to visit her she’s delighted to see me, but when I leave without her she looks really hurt and abandoned. The poor misfortunate dog, my heart and soul and divinity are broken over her. We’ve never been separated before.”
Ms Gourley insists that Elsa is big boned not dangerously overweight.
She said that she walks Elsa up and down the hills of the north side to Mass each day and into town.
“She’s a big structured dog and she’s fit, you could put Ruby Walsh up on her and she’d win a race for him.”
Ms Gourley lost her sight in her early 30s due to detached retina and has relied on guidedogs for 35 years. She keeps the cremated remains of her last dog Judy in a gold-engraved urn in her living room.
“Elsa pushes the urn away when I have it close to me as if to say, ‘I’m the dog here now.’” Although Judy was very pious and would always get Ms Gourley to Mass on time, Elsa is is very reticent about entering the building, even when coaxed in by the priest.
“She’ll go anywhere apart from Mass. Not even the Friar at St Francis’ Church can convert her. He threw Holy Water on her but she does not like the Church, and St Francis is the Patron Saint of animals but Elsa does not care. She always turns her back on priests.”
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