Steve Bradley and his guide dog Archie. Video / Mike Cunningham
A charity appeal this weekend is highlighting how some four-legged friends give freedom and independence to people who are blind or have low vision.
March 25 and 26 is Blind Low Vision NZ's Guide Dog Puppy Appeal and the goal for this year's appeal is to raise $600,000 to help the hundreds of New Zealanders who hope to one day be paired with their own guide dog.
Whangārei local Steve Bradley knows how valuable a guide dog is, admitting he would be "dead in the water" without his dog Archie.
Bradley was diagnosed with glaucoma at 16, but wouldn't begin to accept his vision loss and reach out for help until 15 years later.
Bradley said his co-workers had started to notice the deterioration of his eyesight, but he dismissed their concerns.
Bradley credits one friend, in particular, Tracey, and her persistence with helping him as the beginning of his journey of accepting that he was visually impaired.
"Thirty to 40 years ago I was a very quiet, very meek sort of person, and I knew I had problems then but I didn't know then how bad my eyesight really was."
Bradley said he eventually discovered his eyesight was so impaired he never should have had been driving, something he gave up 20 years ago.
When discussions began about the possibility of Bradley getting his first guide dog, he said he felt "upset" and admits "he looked down on it", a perspective that has now changed entirely.
"I seriously rebelled against the guide dog thing, but they were right and I was wrong."
"It was about accepting it instead of covering up."
Steve Bradley with his 21-month-old guide pup Archie, as part of the Blind Low Vision NZ's Guide Dog Puppy Appeal. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Bradley now thinks that having a guide dog makes his life "so much easier" because people around him know he can't see.
"The difference between having a dog and not having a dog is as big as the ocean."
These days, Bradley has done a "couple hundred" work trips to Wellington with his guide dog, who helps him to navigate the planes, airports, taxis and accommodation.
"You put your absolute trust in the dog ... they give you total security.
"He gives me my confidence back."
Bradley has had three guide dogs, his first being Casper, then Hadley and now Archie, who he got in July 2021.
"For a seriously visually impaired person, a guide dog is like having a car. Putting the harness on is like turning the key in a car, it gives you mobility and you can essentially go to most places.
Archie directs Bradley to work every day, across busy roads, nudging his nose at poles with buzzers.
"Once they have got a route in their head, they just don't forget."
At 67 years old, Bradley is retiring next week, but it's just the beginning of his journey with Archie, who he continues to share the streets of Whangārei with.
Guide dogs can take up to two years to be trained, a process that relies on "puppy raiser" volunteers and sponsorships before they are matched to a candidate.
"You have to be grateful to them because I get the end result," Bradley said.
