Farnworth Guide dog will have to be rehomed after saving owners life

A GUIDE dog who saved his owner's life will be rehomed - as the family will no longer be able to take care of him.

Joshua Seddon, who is visually impaired, was crossing the road after a shopping trip in Farnworth with his family when boy racers nearly struck him down.

The 34-year-old was dragged across the road by his guide dog, Jack, who brought him to the safety of an island.

Hours after the incident, which left both man and dog shaken, the family were visited by a representative from the Guide Dogs charity, to ensure Jack, a white Labrador retriever, was still in working order.

Devastatingly for the family, it was decided Jack was no longer fit to continue working as Joshua’s guide dog.

Joshua said: "Jack wasn’t his normal self after the earlier incident where he pulled me across the road.

"He was already semi-retired as he was 10 years old, and has a neck injury - the cause of which is unknown, but could possibly be due to a trapped nerve.

"But now I’m without a working guide dog and I’ll be on a waiting list for 12 to 18 months while they find me a new one.

"Everything is taking so much longer because of the pandemic.

"I’m so grateful for everything that Jack has done. But it’s such a shame that he has to now retire. I love him and would give anything to have him for the next 20 years if I could."

The family has now been forced to send Jack to a new home - leaving them heartbroken.

Joshua's wife Rachael added: "Part of the reason we will now have to rehome Jack is because once he retires, the Guide Dogs charity will no longer be able to pay his vet bills.

"And our house isn't big enough for two dogs - it wouldn't be fair on him. But we're heartbroken to be losing him - he's like part of the family."

Richard Bounds, deputy operations director at Guide Dogs: “When a guide dog retires from work, we have a conversation with the owner to discuss what would be best for the future.

"Sometimes that means the dog staying with the guide dog owner until the end of the dog’s life, and sometimes that means the dog finding a retirement home elsewhere, such as with a family friend."

“This is all down to individual circumstances and all sorts of factors, such as who lives in the guide dog owner’s home, whether there is a new guide dog coming in, and what medical needs the retiring guide dog may have.

“When it comes to financial support, we also discuss if the guide dog owner is able to contribute to the retired dog’s costs now that is a pet. If they are unable to afford any elements of its care, they are very welcome to request support from Guide Dogs and we are on hand to help.”

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