Paul Johns knows too well the importance of guide dogs in the community and this International Guide Dog Day, Mr Johns is sharing his story of how his guide dog changed his life.
The Thornton resident was born with Dominant Optic Atrophy (DOA) and said he used to use a cane and was initially in denial about getting a guide dog.
"I just got sick of people saying 'it's over there,' whereas with a guide dog you get more support," he said.
"I had to swallow my pride and get a guide dog and Keith has changed not only my life but so many others as well."
Mr Johns got his first guide dog Keith almost a decade ago in his late forties and he said Keith is full of character.
Keith who will be 10 on May 4 is now retired, but he will stay with the Johns family who have grown quite fond of him.
"I decided to keep Keith at home with me because he is very special to me and my family," Mr Johns said.
The reason why Mr Johns knew it was time to retire Keith was because he was just getting too tired.
"Keith was one of the oldest guide dogs still working and I just knew when we were on the train that he was getting too tired," he said.
Now Keith spends his days in the company of the family he has spent almost a decade helping.
"Keith sleeps on the bed with my son Noah who also has the same vision problem as me," Mr Johns said.
The 56-year-old now has a second guide dog, which is two-year-old pup Tate.
"Tate's a good dog but unfortunately he came with a sore ear so we've been battling a sore ear since day one," Mr Johns said.
Like Keith, Tate travels to work with Mr Johns on public transport and travels to events throughout NSW. He also attends TAFE with Mr Johns.
"Guide dogs play a very special role in the community and they should be acknowledged by the community because they change peoples lives," Mr Johns said.
Although having a guide dog has many benefits, Mr Johns said it also comes with its fair share of problems.
"I've been refused into a number of places over the years because I have a guide dog," he said.
Guide dogs are funded through NDIS on individual plans, worth about $71,000 and Mr Johns said he has always had a good plan until he had to get a new plan review when he retired Keith.
"When I got my new plan updated, I lost three quarters of my plan with a new guide dog," he said.
"If I didn't retire Keith my plan would have just rolled over but he was just getting too old to work."
Now that Keith is retired, there is no support available for retired guide dogs.
"I've been canvassing with Guide Dogs to try and get some sort of financial support because now everything for Keith is out of my own pockets and we want to be able to keep him in our family," Mr Johns said.
International Guide Dog Day is on Wednesday, April 24.
