My beautiful Guide Dog Fable died in March this year. She was only 8 years old and was still loving her work, in fact she lived up to her motto, work hard play hard, until just 5 days before becoming unwell. Making the decision to help her cross the rainbow bridge peacefully was one of the hardest things I've ever done but with the support of Guide Dogs staff I knew without a doubt it was the best thing  for my girl,. She had put me first for 6 and a half years and now it was my turn to do the same for her. 

Since that heart breaking  day life hasn't been easy, I miss her every day, both as my guide dog but also my constant companion. I have started the application process for my next guide dog, which I know she would be pleased by, I made her a promise while I stroked  her head that final day, that I would keep living the life she showed me was possible and I've been trying hard to keep that promise. Using my long cane again is hard work, it finds the obstacles in my way rather than avoiding them like Fable did. It doesn't prevent me from walking into overhanging branches or stop if I don't see a bike while crossing the road. It's definitely not as much fun and much more tiring but I am grateful for the cane skills guide dogs staff taught me as I have been able to maintain some independent mobility while I wait for Fable's successor. 

Since fable died I have been fundraising to name a guide dog puppy in her memory. With the support of my amazing friends and family we have raised just over £4,500 which is incredible in just 6 months. I've been amazed  by how many lives Fable touched and how many people loved her. 

So this is the final push to get to the £5000 to name that puppy in honour of my first guide dog Fabulous Fable. To mark what would have been her 9th birthday on 7th November I am going to take a dip in the (cold) sea at one of her favourite beaches and one of the places I scattered her ashes. She loved the beach and the sea so I think she would approve of this. She would love it if some of her 4 and 2 legged friends could join us too. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, I very much appreciate your donations.  Guide Dogs really do change lives and I will be forever grateful to Fable for the independence, love, loyalty, acceptance and fun she brought to my life. 

 Happy rainbow bridge birthday beautiful girl 🌈 🐾 

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