Fire investigation dog goes blind "overnight"

Kai worked as a Fire Investigation Search Dog for West Midlands Fire Service

A dog working for the fire service has gone blind "overnight", leaving his handler devastated and confused.

Kai, 10, worked as an Investigation Search Dog for West Midlands Fire Service, with handler and owner Mat Dixon.

Mr Dixon said Kai went to bed on 5 January "100% normal" and woke up the next morning "completely blind".

However, the dog's job has helped him navigate through his new life as "he is used to relying heavily on his nose".

Mr Dixon said Kai had been coming to work with him for the past 10 years

"I am amazed at how he has adapted - within minutes he was navigating around," said Mr Dixon.

He said he was alerted to the problem when Kai "tripped [over] his bed" and "walked into a door".

Currently, the cause of the issue is unknown and Kai continues to go for regular check-ups and tests.

"It could be sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS), diabetes, a disease or neurological disease," Mr Dixon said.

Kai's job was to sniff out arson

Kai was rescued as a puppy ten years ago by Mr Dixon who trained him for service.

The dog's job was to go into the site of a fire after it had been extinguished and sniff out whether an accelerant had been used and arson had been committed.

Mr Dixon said Kai's eye condition was nothing to do with his work and that he had never been injured on duty.

"We always made sure he was safe at work and he had regular check-ups," said the former RSPCA inspector who became a dog handler in 2005.

"If I wasn't happy about going in somewhere, Kai wasn't going in either," he said.

Mr Dixon said Kai was always kept safe at work with PPE

Mr Dixon has been giving regular updates about Kai on Twitter and has received, he says, an overwhelming response from people.

"It's quite humbling and moving," Mr Dixon said.

While Kai's career has come to an end, Mr Dixon said it was time for him to retire anyway as he had "started to slow down".

Kai continues to live his life and recently found a tennis ball in some bushes despite his sight loss.

"He continues to amaze me," Mr Dixon said.

Kai lives with Mr Dixon's other pet dogs