'I've lost my independence' - Conwy man says he has been waiting 4 years for a guide dog
A man from Colwyn Bay says that waiting for a guide dog has taken a toll on his mental health and has left him without his independence.
Nigel Gary has been waiting for more than 4 years for a dog, which he says will give him his "mobility back".
He says he's now taken himself off the Guide Dogs UK waiting list and hopes he can get a dog quicker through the Seeing Dog's Alliance.
Nigel Gary lost his sight after an eye condition damaged his optic nerve more than 40 years ago when he was 19.
He said: "In August 1977, I developed a condition called optic neuritis, which is inflammation on the main optic nerves that carry any messages from the eyes to the brain."
Nigel describes what followed as: "three years of depression before starting to come to terms and accepting that I was faced with living the rest of my life with blindness."
He received his first guide dog in 1980, a moment Nigel says gave him his "freedom back".
He lost his German Shepherd, Jack, in 2019 and now the dad of three says his independence has been taken away and his life is
He told ITV Wales: "I have lost my mobility and most importantly independence, and independence when you're blind is the finest thing under the sun.
"I've got four years of my life taken away from me.
"I've not had my freedom taken away from me because, thank God, I've got my lovely wife Karen.
"She has given me that freedom. She's walked me eight miles per day just to keep my faith in."
Nigel has spent most of his life fundraising to help others facing the same challenges as him.
He and his wife, Karen have run a charity in North Wales since 2017 called 'Wales Accessible Holiday for Blind and Visually Impaired'.
The charity rents out two accessible static caravans for people who are blind or visually impaired.
According to Guide Dogs UK, the average waiting time for a guide dog in Wales is 16 months and there are around 100 people waiting for one.
Pete Osbourne, the Deputy Chief Executive of Guide Dogs UK said: "It is unfortunately the case that people are having to wait a bit longer and we're really sorry for that.
"But waiting this long is unusual and we are doing everything possible to make sure we find the right dog for the right person."
He added: "It's really important that we get every single match right so that the partnerships work long into the future and there is a very carefully crafted process."
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