PLEASE CLICK THE PICTURE ABOVE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF IRIS

We are looking to raise funds to support Guide Dogs for the Blind in memory of guide dog Iris who passed away on 7th October 2024.

Our target is to raise £2,500 in donations as this will enable us to give another guide dog the name Iris in memory of our beloved friend.

Iris was Jean’s guide dog until 1st November 2023 when she retired, having reached the age of 10 in the October. Such was Iris’s popularity 12 dogs and their owners came to her retirement party. Following her retirement Iris stayed with Jean as her companion dog for the rest of her life. Iris performed her role loyally for many years but was much more to Jean than a just a guide when they went out; being her constant companion and comfort both day and night.

I first met Jean and Iris in 2020 when we started to foster our dog Bracken for the RSPCA (who we subsequently adopted). Jean and Iris’s daily walk took them past my house, and we would often bump into them and walk together.

In December 2023 we had heavy snow which I realised would prevent Jean from walking Iris, so I offered to take Iris out. Iris enjoyed it so much that I ended up walking her nearly every day until she passed. We walked hundreds of miles together and had many adventures.

Iris brightened the day of every person and every dog she met. Most people thought she was half her age due to the amount of life and energy she had and is sadly missed by everyone who knew her.

If you weren’t fortunate enough to meet Iris, the video above will introduce you to her, help you understand why she is so sadly missed and appreciate what the ‘new’ Iris could bring to another blind person’s life.

We hope you can help us in whatever way you can to provide another blind person with their Iris to be their guide, companion and friend.

Almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives. Of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and lead lonely, isolated lives.

Guide Dogs works for a world where people with sight loss are never left out of life, for a world where being blind or partially sighted is not what defines you. A world with enough support to make the challenges of sight loss no barrier to fulfilling hopes and dreams.