Wheelchair users who are vision impaired are benefiting from a unique program that pairs them with seeing eye dogs. Vision Australia says their training program is part efforts to support people who are blind or have low vision.
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00:00Lily Alford moves around her community with a trusty companion by her side.
00:08The 24-year-old was born legally blind and uses an electric wheelchair with the support
00:12of her specially trained seeing eye dog, Prince.
00:16He's allowed me to become independent.
00:18I would not be the same as a power wheelchair user and being blind.
00:24The program really aims to work with people using an electric wheelchair and require a
00:29primary mobility aid to navigate in the community.
00:33The dogs are trained to identify different obstacles that handlers face on a daily basis.
00:37Before using their dog guides, they were using the cane and so the ability to smoothly travel
00:44along a footpath rather than sort of being stopped every couple of metres because the
00:49cane's getting stuck or be able to navigate around obstacles is quite a big thing for
00:55a wheelchair user.
00:56We're looking for them to find the accessible bay and so they're going to come in, identify
01:01a seat and then we want them to tuck on under so that way they're not presenting any hazards.
01:08This program now means that Lily can confidently move through the community with Prince by
01:12her side and return to the activities she used to do before she started using her wheelchair.
01:17I go to TAFE, I go swimming, I go to friends and family's houses.
01:21We travel quite a bit.
01:22The program is funded entirely through donations from the public.
01:26It's a huge sort of advantage that we have is the generous sort of support that we have.
01:31Lily knows she'll eventually have to find a successor dog once Prince retires, but for
01:36now the pair will carry on as a team.
01:38I feel like he is perfect for me.
01:42We've made lots and lots of life changes together.