Puppy love: Second batch of Hong Kong-born guide dogs ‘could be here by end of the year’

Hong Kong may see the birth of a second batch of locally-born guide dogs for visually impaired people around the end of this year, a charity aiming to meet the city’s huge demand for their services said today.

The news came as the city’s first four locally-born guide dogs, Holly, Herbact, Hardos and Happy, were appointed ambassadors for an upcoming charity fundraising concert to develop guide dog services.

The four dogs were born in March and have been living with four families to familiarise themselves with people.

Raymond Cheung Wai-man, chairman of the Seeing Eye Dog Services, said the organisation had identified two dogs that would reach the age of one around the end of this year and would be suitable for breeding.

He said the two dogs had passed physical and psychological examinations required for breeding guide dogs.

“The technology in breeding seeing-eye dogs has become more and more mature,” he said. “In fact, if we need to further promote the breeding and training of seeing-eye dogs in Hong Kong, we must realise localisation.”