Britain’s worst guide dog’s new leash of life
A CANINE companion forced into retirement after being dubbed Britain’s worst guide dog has found her forever home as a pampered pet.
Four- year- old black Labrador Victoria was assigned to help Frankie Tipton but she preferred being a family pet and struggled to remember her training.
On one occasion Victoria almost led Frankie, who is registered blind, off a railway platform after being distracted by another dog.
She would also wander off and eat food from bags under desks at Thames Water in Reading, Berkshire, where Frankie works.
Guide Dogs tried to retrain Victoria and improve her behaviour but she eventually had to retire as she was not enjoying working life.
Victoria has now been adopted by Frankie’s workmate Kirsty Halford and her family.
Kirsty, from
Didcot,
Oxfordshire,
had walked Victoria several times and agreed to adopt her “in a heartbeat” after being asked by Frankie.
Kirsty said of Victoria: “She loves the fact she doesn’t have to be walked on the lead everywhere she goes and absolutely loves playing catch with her ball when we go out for long family walks.
“Guide Dogs worked with Frankie
and Victoria to try and retrain her and look at her behaviours, but it wasn’t meant to be. It is sad, but she wasn’t enjoying being a working dog – she just wanted to be a family pet.”
Kirsty added: “It was better for his sake and hers that she retired early and we’re so happy to be able to give her the life she wanted.”
Frankie, of Didcot, hopes to be reunited with Victoria over Christmas but he wants to give her time to settle into her new home. He said Victoria was a “lovely soul” but she never settled as a working dog.
He said: “At first she was great but she had too much free will and would often just stop in the middle of the street, which wasn’t ideal.”
He added: “I’m on the waiting list for another guide dog but can still get around with my white cane.
“I do miss Victoria as a family dog. I’m just so happy my friend and colleague Kirsty and her family have been able to take her on. I know all their lives will be so much happier as a result.”
A spokesman for Guide Dogs said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have so many people offering fantastic new homes for our withdrawn and retired guide dogs.
“We rehome our dogs for a variety of different reasons and their new owners always leave with advice to help settle in their new dog.”