The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a number of unique challenges for people who are blind and partially sighted.
“We understand social distancing,” Diane Bergeron with CNIB Guide Dogs said. “It’s just not always possible.”
Bergeron said she’s heard some troubling feedback from Canadians who are partially sighted or blind who have been judged for being out with their sighted guide during the pandemic.
“We’ll see two people out together who are maybe not related and they’re getting criticized.”
A sighted guide is a person who guides a person with blindness or vision impairment.
“We do recommend that if you need a sighted guide who is not living with you that you use gloves and a mask to keep yourselves and everyone else safe,” Bergeron said.
Bergeron is blind and has had different guide dogs to help her over a span of more than 30 years.
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Currently, she’s paired with a two year old golden retriever named Carla.
Bergeron said while Carla is cute and well cared for, it’s important that people don’t try and touch her.
“At the best of times you should never touch a guide dog without the owner’s or handler’s permission because that dog is concentrating,” she explained.
Bergeron also pointed out while it’s important for humans to limit the surfaces they touch when they’re out in public, touching animals also poses a risk.
“Our dogs don’t understand social distancing, please just stay far away.”
“I think its important for everybody to just demonstrate some understanding and empathy at this time and to try and make sure we’re all there for each other.”
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