A few weeks ago I unwittingly came across a website called BlindDogs.com. Knowing the majority of sighties refer to Guide Dogs in this way I assumed it was some kind of charity website for some guiding pooch organisation somewhere. I was wrong, it delivered just what it said on the tin: a website all about dogs that are blind.

Having been patronised for years as a blind human being, I wondered how blind canines were treated and eagerly clicked on the link. AS dogs really do have enhanced senses of smell and hearing already, I figured that maybe their visual impairments might render them less helpless or worthy or something. But I was wrong and found a level of patronising that I have only previously found in London cab drivers.

My findings?

Here are six lines of a poem I found on their front page:

I cannot see you Mommy, when you cuddle me so near.
And yet I know you love me, it's in the words I hear.
I cannot see you Daddy, when you hold me by your side
But still I know you love me when you tell me so with pride.
I cannot see to run and play out in the sun so bright
For here inside my tiny head it's always dark as night.

I recognise this variety of schmaltzy sugar talk and it could equally have been written about me I reckon, possibly by that woman who always seems to bump into me at the doctors surgery and has appointed herself my keeper! It doesn't seem to matter how quickly or violently I stuff my Walkman headphones into my ears, she doesn't get the message and is determined to make my day that bit brighter with her cheery disposition ,bordering on old lady mania. I'm sure she'd treat these little blind dogs in the same way. Just so long as she is fulfilled it's OK. (I've just checked myself over and I think I might be getting all upset on behalf of these apparently unpoliticised disabled dogs.)

Worse and more saccharine than that however, the website urges you to send off for a T-shirt which bears the slogan "blind dogs see with their hearts". I noted that this slogan is similar in style to the hilarious bumper stickers like "gardeners do it in their wellies", I've checked for irony however and there is none, they appear to mean every bit of it - though it doesn't necessarily stop you from buying one of the shirts and wearing it with irony.

The website also advertises blind dogs for adoption. Despite being big fans of blind dogs, it seems that the people who run and post to this website are going to quite some lengths to offload their canine burdens. There was a long list of dogs wanting new homes, each had a little story of woe attached. Interestingly if you check the dates they were put up for adoption, you will see immediately that they have been shelved, shunned and seen as unmarketable or useless 'cos some of them are still being advertised 2 years on. Poor little doggies, I suppose that even if we raised enough money to buy one, a special talking computer isn't going to enhance their lives very much.

There was one dog whose story really jumped out at me and I decided to get in touch with it's owner to find out what had happened to her since being put up for adoption. The dog's name was Helen, and here are some highlights of her story as taken from the website. (They read in similar style to my medical notes - Ed.)

Helen is a four year old Springer Spaniel, born with a serious eye malformation that rendered her blind since birth. In spite of that, she was used as a brood bitch and produced several litters before the arrival of a new human baby sent her to the Humane Society

In the HS they found her to have heartworms with early heart failure; and she was earmarked for euthanasia. I happened to be in the neighbourhood and sensed that somehow there was more to Helen than a very frightened, snappy dog.

Helen came into our Rescue a bit over a year ago. In that period of time, she survived heartworm treatment, a pregnancy (which she came with too), rearing five lovely Springer puppies like a model Mom.

Like many blind dogs, Helen does not take well to sudden noise and racket, and children seem to come in this category. She has met children and never hurt one, but their unpredictability seems to rail her up, and other than casual contact, we do not recommend that she goes in a home with children.

Although she likes it here, she would love to have a human all by herself, to be his or her permanent furry shadow.
Mastiff Club of America Rescue Volunteer
Handicapped dog rescue,
Alabama

Touched to absolute buggery, and knowing readers of BlindKiss would want to know more, I sent the following enquiry email to Helen's owner:

hello!

I just visited blinddogs.com and read the heart breaking story of Helen the little blind pregnant heart worm riddled dog.

Her story really touched me. I'm such a dog lover and dogs who are handicapped deserve so much more than is often offered them. They are so brave.

I'm just wiping a tear from my eye thinking about her.

Did she get a home? Is she OK now? How is her serious eye malformation? I think it must be a terrible thing to go blind.

Thank you... and thank you for caring about these dogs. We need more people like you in the world.

Snuffles

Luckily my obvious caring tone brought about a response fairly swiftly, us blind dog huggers have to stick together in this cruel world:

Hi Snuffles!

Thank you for your letter! Yes, little Helen is one of the bravest dogs I know. She happens to be the alpha dog in my household and she does not take BS from anybody!

Helen was born with eyes that are not perfectly round in the corneas and they are too small, so her eyelids sag; with time, the eyes scarred completely. My source is that Helen was blind since birth and was given away by the breeder to a couple because of her being blind, as a little pup. These people used her later for breeding purposes.

Helen is in great shape now, and has had a couple of attempts at being placed. A wonderful lady was approved to adopt her, but she came down with a very serious illness and we had to cancel the adoption. So she is still looking for a home.

If you yourself want or know anybody that wants, a well behaved, loyal, quiet and affectionate housedog for an older person or couple, she would be the best. Again, thank you for your interest in Helen!

Disturbed yet pleased to note that Helen doesn't take BS from anyone, I reported this woman to the RSPCA for attempting to feed her dogs on cattle shit. Just because Helen is blind doesn't mean she doesn't know the difference between Pedigree Chum and animal excreta.