'Guide dog from Japan gave back my independence'

Zena Meacham's guide dog Yukiko travelled from Japan to become a guide dog in the UK

A woman has said she owes her newly rediscovered independence to a guide dog who had been brought to the UK from Japan.

Two-year-old Labrador Yukiko started life 5,000 miles away at the Japan Guide Dog Association, but moved to England in 2022 as part of an exchange programme run by charity Guide Dogs.

She has now been paired with Zena Meacham, who lives in Stourport-on-Severn.

"She is really stepping up to the mark and giving me my independence back," her new owner said.

Ms Meacham was born with retinoblastoma and is "totally blind" but she said the new addition to her family had transformed her life.

"Yukiko is my third guide dog and she's no different from my last two dogs - you wouldn't be able to tell that she's travelled from Japan," she added.

"Now that I’ve got Yukiko, or Kiko as we call her, I'm able to get the bus into Stourport, without having to rely on friends or my husband to take me."

Yukiko was trained as a Guide Dog after arriving in the UK from Japan

The black labrador lived with a volunteer puppy raiser for a year before she was trained at Guide Dogs' Midlands regional centre in Leamington Spa, until she qualified.

Ms Meacham said Yukiko loved meeting people, especially when they visit friends' homes for coffee.

Yukiko was one of four puppies to be transported from Japan in 2022 as part of the exchange scheme run by Guide Dogs.

Ms Meacham said Yukiko enjoyed visiting people

Her sister Yuko has since become a guide dog mum, joining the charity’s breeding programme.

Tom Lewis, breeding and genetics lead at Guide Dogs, said the scheme was an important way to "preserve genetic diversity" in the charity’s programme.

"When we do exchange dogs, their health and wellbeing is paramount," he added.