Follow Hong Kong Immigration and Life in Hong Kong: Since the introduction of the first batch of guide dogs to Hong Kong 15 months ago, the acceptance of guide dogs by merchants and citizens has greatly increased. However, relying solely on the import of two guide dogs from abroad each year cannot meet local demand. The Hong Kong Guide Dog Association announced on the 3rd that it has received a grant of 4 million Hong Kong dollars to purchase dogs and establish local guide dog training. The first batch of 12 locally trained guide dogs is expected to "graduate" in three years, catering to the needs of more visually impaired individuals.
Currently, there are only 4 guide dogs in Hong Kong, serving 4 visually impaired individuals for 7 to 15 months. The Vice President of the Hong Kong Guide Dog Association, who is also one of the first users of guide dogs, stated that after a year, public awareness of guide dogs has significantly increased, and they no longer face discrimination when entering shopping malls and public transport.
The association received a donation of 4 million Hong Kong dollars from the "Li Hsi-Shen Family Foundation" for the purpose of training guide dogs locally. The chairman of the association, Professor Huang Shih-Hsiung, stated that after the first batch of guide dog puppies arrives in Hong Kong, they will first be sent to foster families for a year to familiarize them with human interaction, followed by two years of professional training, including real-world training in shopping malls and on the streets. Meanwhile, the association sent two trainee guide dog instructors to the United Kingdom for training last month.
He stated that currently about 70 visually impaired individuals have applied to use guide dogs, and the first batch of 12 guide dogs will be able to serve visually impaired individuals in three years. The association plans to train 30 guide dogs locally within five years and aims to become a certified organization by the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) to elevate the quality of guide dog services in Hong Kong to international standards.
He estimates that training each guide dog costs about 400,000 Hong Kong dollars, and both users and foster families can receive subsidies for medical care and dog food to ensure that visually impaired individuals are not unable to access services due to financial issues.