(CN) Nothin' but a guide dog, helpin' all the time

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Nothin' but a guide dog, helpin' all the time

By Wang Zhuoqiong

China Daily

2007-12-20

 

Ping Yali is a Lucky person.

 

The former Paralympic athlete, who suffers from partial blindness, is now the

proud owner of Beijing's first guide dog.

 

" He is like my eyes, " Ping gushed yesterday. " It is like I can see things

again. "

 

" Lucky " is a 19-month-old golden retriever, one of the first five guide dogs

that recently graduated from a training center affiliated to Dalian Medical

University in Liaoning.

 

Ping, who won China's first gold in long jump at the 1984 New York Paralympic

Games, was chosen as one of the first recipients of the new seeing dogs; and

Lucky has been assigned to her for the next 10 years.

 

But after having Lucky for only four weeks, Ping realized that she cannot fully

take advantage of her companion's abilities.

 

Regulations in Beijing restrict ownership of large dogs; and dogs are barred

from entering public places.

 

In addition, the city does not recognize guide dogs but Ping said police

informed her that Lucky could be taken outside, but in a self-defeating

compromise - only in the company of an able-bodied person.

 

She has been advised to go to Beijing's animal husbandry and veterinary bureau

to get Lucky recognized as a guide dog, which would then enable police

registration without charge.

 

Ping said she hopes regulations are amended so that visually impaired people and

their seeing dogs are exempted from the restriction.

 

" We were not allowed to enter subway stations, buses and sometimes even taxis, "

Ping, a torchbearer for the 2008 Olympic Games, said.

 

Setbacks aside, Ping has already established good rapport with her new friend.

 

During her first walk with Lucky, the dog helped guide her down stairs, one of

the more difficult challenges for a blind person.

 

" At that moment, I virtually burst into tears, " Ping said. " Lucky reduces the

risk of injuring myself when I go out. "

 

Their relationship began with Lucky's trainer, Song Yali, familiarizing Ping

with certain commands.

 

" He never bites anyone, " said Song, who stayed with Ping and the gold-furred

Lucky for four weeks so that the transition was smooth. " They are one of the

nicest breeds in the world. "

 

Lucky guides Ping across roads, not by recognizing the color of traffic lights,

but by watching traffic flows.

 

Lucky recognized the word " Gongyuan " , which means park, after being shown it

only a couple of times.

 

Golden retrievers are considered one of the best breeds for guide dogs because

of their intelligence and friendly disposition.

 

The Dalian Medical University Center, where Lucky was trained, was established

two years ago.

 

It is now training some 30 canines for visually impaired athletes to raise

awareness about facilities for the blind.

 

It takes eight months and costs about 100,000 yuan ($13,500) to train a guide

dog.

 

Ping's first exposure to guide dogs was at the New York Paralympics, where many

blind athletes from European countries and the United States had their own

seeing dogs.

 

" It has taken more than 20 years for China to have guide dogs, " Ping said

wistfully.

 

About 12.3 million people in the country suffer from some form of visual

impairment, including total blindness.

 

Some blind people work as masseurs, and Ping herself runs a massage clinic.

 

The first training schools were established in Germany during World War I to

help returning veterans blinded in combat.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-12/20/content_6334320.htm