 George Hewitt said his guide dog is his lifeline |
A pensioner from Kent who is blind and deaf claims he will lose his independence because he has been refused a new guide dog. George Hewitt, 82, from Deal, was told by the charity Guide Dogs for the Blind that he will not be able to cope with the demands of a new dog.
Mr Hewitt described his present dog as a "lifeline" and said he was told he is too old to have a new one.
The charity said its decision was down to safety and not Mr Hewitt's age.
'Risk too far'
Mr Hewitt's guide dog is due to retire later this year and Guide Dogs for the Blind said although they admit they make a good team, the skills and speed of reaction needed to cope with a younger dog would prove too difficult.
Spokesman Oliver Barton said: "Combining a dog with a blind or partially sighted person is always a risk.
"We will take a reasonable risk if we feel we can, but this is a risk too far for us.
"We have to consider the safety of the client and what is right for the dog."
Mr Hewitt has been offered training with a long cane but he said it would not be the same.
"It's 100% important to me because it is my independence to go out," he said.
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