When the ‘blind’ guide the blind
Voice of the Valley by Pearl Lee, as published in Malay Mail today. FEAR, uncertainty and doubt have left the future of guide dogs for the blind in this country in uncertainty. From fear of being attacked by a dog, who will pick up the dog’s droppings in a bus, to Islam prohibiting believers not to keep dogs are some of the issues hindering the services of our four-legged friends trained to lead the visually impaired. The article ‘ Man’s best friend not loved by everyone ’ in Malay Mail recently was a test the public’s response towards Stevens Chan, a blind man and his guide dog Lashawn. Stevens and his guide dog were unwelcomed in a shopping mall and found it difficult to hail a taxi or even a bus. The simple study showed how unfriendly our ecosystem is when it comes to guide dogs and dogs in general. It also revealed many do not know the difference between a guide dog and a pet. The article, which went viral online with more than 34,000 “share...