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IT is common knowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought much despair to individuals, families, companies and industries.
While we have been preoccupied in these troubled times, a voiceless group have also taken a big hit.
Man’s best friend, who have been trained and hired to aid in our daily lives, are also feeling the stress of the pandemic and lockdowns.
Recently, visually impaired activist and YouTuber Molly Burke shared her experience with her guide dog, Gallop.
Burke, who has been a prominent figure in bringing awareness for the visually impaired community, has been working with Gallop, a black Lab and Bernese Mountain Dog mix, for the past six years.
Gallop came from the Mira Foundation just outside of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, after Burke’s first guide dog, Gypsy, died.
For those who have been following Burke and Gallop’s journey, Gallop’s gentle nature paired with Burke’s evident enthusiasm is what keeps the duo so balanced and fun to watch.
In the last weeks of December, Burke posted a heart-breaking video titled, ‘My Guide Dog Retirement Plan + My Next Dog… *very emotional*’
In the video, Burke explained her situation and how over the months during the lockdown, she has witnessed Gallop’s lack of drive to continue working.
Unlike domesticated pets, service animals have been specifically chosen and trained to work. If they don't, they will get stressed.
For these helpful beings, working is what gives them a sense of purpose. They thrive on and crave the working sensation.
As repetition and reinforcement are crucial to keeping these animals alert, the lockdown has been a major undoing for their skills.
Burke explained to her viewers that ever since lockdown – where travelling, doing shows and even recording has not been possible – Gallop has slowly regressed.
The only time the duo has been able to leave the house is when they go for their daily walks. But, daily walks on the same paths are different from the everyday challenges of going to different places for shows and performances.
After a while, Gallop started behaving more like a domestic pet dog than a service animal.
Burke shared an example where Gallop, who would never have stolen food off the table, started to do so when she turned her back.
Most importantly, Gallop started to pull on his harness during walks to sniff and explore his surroundings. This can be dangerous and life-threatening for Molly, who relies on Gallop to keep her safe.
Molly knew that it was time for Gallop to go on retirement and fully enjoy life as a pet dog.
Unfortunately, this would leave Burke without a guide dog for a long period as Mira Foundation is closed due to the pandemic.
As the foundation is unable to take in and train more dogs for service, Burke has been put on a waiting list. Which means that it might take up to more than a year before she gets her next dog.
This may sound trivial to us, but, for Burke, who has been relying on guide dogs most of her life, going back to using a cane to navigate the world will be extremely challenging.
Burke’s emotional announcement has helped shine a light on how the pandemic has affected everyone, regardless of shape, size, abilities and species. – The Vibes, January 10, 2021
