in Rescue

Loyal Guide Dog Who Went Blind Didn’t Let Owner Know He Was Losing His Sight

updated

This is a story about a remarkable hero dog named Abel, he was a guide dog who didn’t let his own blindness stop him from doing his duty.

Ken Williams and his golden labrador Abel were seen regularly travelling to and from their home and Cardiff City in South Wales.

Ken was blind and relied on Abel to guide him, but unbeknown to Ken, Abel was beginning to lose his sight.

But Abel, being the faithful and loyal guide dog he is, continued to lead his human through the city streets.

Abel barely put a paw wrong as he helped his owner (Image: Getty Images)

He barely even set a paw wrong and memorized the city streets, which gave Ken no reason to believe there was anything wrong.

Ken did notice that his loyal guide dog did seem a bit late avoiding others on the pavement, but never considered the reality.

Abel still guided Ken safely, every day without fail, to and from work. This involved crossing a main road, and three side roads and into a train station.

Eventually, Abel went so blind that Ken began to notice, this is when the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association arranged for a replacement named Gay.

But Ken wasn’t ready to part ways with Abel, and the trio still went for walks after work with Gay leading the pair.

What a beautiful story, pulled out of the archives by Team Dogs all the way from 1974.

Check out a photo of the trio in 1974.

Ken’s guide dog was blind. Not once did the faithful old guide dog put a paw wrong as he led his blind master through the city streets. Sometimes the blind man noticed that his dog seemed to be a bit late in avoiding other people on the pavements. But Ken Williams never suspected the truth – his seven-year-old golden labrador Abel was slowly losing his sight. So every day, without fail, in rain or shine, Abel guided Ken safely from his home in the outskirts of Cardiff, South Wales, to work in the city centre. A journey which involved crossing three side roads and a main road into a station where they caught a train. Guide Dogs for the Blind Association arranged a replacement – Gay, a two-year-old black labrador bitch. Now Gay does the office trip, but Abel is still Ken’s much-loved pet, and the trio go for walks together after work, Ken and Abel being led by Gay. Gay leads the way for both Ken and Abel. November 1974 P018618

Written by Joe Kahlo

After years of writing in the financial industry, Joe was finally able to focus his writing on what he loves, Animals!