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Hsieh welcomes US-trained guide dogs for sightless

Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday declared Kaohsiung a "friendly city" after he tagged two guide dogs used to help the blind.

Hsieh and Taiwan Guide Dog Association officials presented the guide-dog certificates to two visually impaired people -- Yu Jung-ching (尤榮清) and Lin Tsui-ping (林萃蘋) -- and ID collars to the two seeing-eye dogs, named McGregor and Kate.

The extensively trained animals were handed over by representatives of the US in a ceremony held at a department store.

After the presentation ceremony, the mayor led the visually impaired, the guide dogs and others on a walk around the department store to show that the dogs will be allowed to enter public places.

Hsieh said the Kaohsiung city government has conducted a survey whose results show that more than 20 percent of urban residents, mostly elementary-school children, know that the government is promoting a guide-dog policy.

This, said Hsieh, shows that the ideals of a friendly city started with the young and are deep rooted, a fact of which he said he was proud.

Hsieh said that because of the city government's efforts, the US has responded by donating the two dogs.

What is more exciting, Hsieh said, is that the Legislative Yuan has passed a protection law for the physically and mentally disabled to ensure that guide dogs will be allowed access to public places.

He urged the citizens to exercise the "three noes and one inquiry" practice with regard to the dogs and their partners -- no petting, no barking and no feeding, but asking the visually impaired if they require assistance.
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