A guide dog gave Andrew his life back. Now he’s building hope for others
The voluntary organisation Guide Dogs Malta, which he has launched, is specifically partnered with Lund Guide Dog School in Norway
Two years after a nationwide crowdfunding effort helped change his life, a blind man is paying that generosity forward by setting up a voluntary organisation to support others in need of guide dogs.
“Two years ago, the people of Malta gave me the best gift ever – my guide dog Vilma. She gave me back my independence. Now I want to help others who need a guide dog experience the same thing,” said Andrew Mark George, who has launched the registered voluntary organisation Guide Dogs Malta.
Unlike the existing Malta Guide Dogs Foundation, which offers a range of assistance to the visually impaired, Guide Dogs Malta is specifically partnered with Lund Guide Dog School in Norway. The school trained his labrador Vilma and is already preparing a black labrador puppy for a Maltese man whose guide dog is due to retire in around four months’ time.
After that, the school will start working on training a guide dog for a Maltese woman who needs one.
George was diagnosed at the age of three with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an eye disease that gradually breaks down the retina and leads to blindness. His sight deteriorated further when he was aged in his 20s and he was registered as legally blind.
He later approached the UK charity Guide Dogs, which funded his first guide dog, Briar. The German Shepherd entered his life in his early 30s and restored the independence he needed.
In 2022, Briar died suddenly of a heart attack. Briar’s death also meant the loss of George’s independence.
George applied to Guide Dogs UK for a replacement but no longer qualified as he had become a Maltese resident.
The complex, close bond between a visually impaired person and their guide dog is genuinely miraculous – a unique partnership of affection, trust and cooperation. A guide dog is both a best friend and a vital necessity- Andrew Mark George
Determined to find a solution, he contacted the International Guide Dogs Federation, which put him in touch with several guide dog schools across Europe. The Lund Guide Dog School offered to help.
Professionally trained guide dogs cost around €40,000 due to the intensity and duration of training, which typically takes about 18 months. George launched a crowdfunding campaign and was reunited with Vilma at Christmas 2023.
“About a year ago, I realised just how successful my pairing with Vilma had been. That’s when I thought: I’m going to do this for someone else,” he said.
He began the process of setting up Guide Dogs Malta, partnering with the Lund Guide Dog School, which agreed to reduce the cost per dog to €30,000.
This covers 18 months of training, flights, a one-week training programme for Maltese clients in Norway, and follow-up support in Malta from visiting experts. The organisation aims to raise funds to sponsor guide dogs.
Describing guide dogs as “super dogs”, he said: “The complex, close bond between a visually impaired person and their guide dog is genuinely miraculous – a unique partnership of affection, trust and cooperation. A guide dog is both a best friend and a vital necessity.”
Anyone who wishes to support Guide Dogs Malta can find more details on the website https://www.guidedogsmalta.org/donate