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Cassandra Chiu resigns from Guide Dogs Association of the Blind

SINGAPORE — Ms Cassandra Chiu, known for being one of the first guide dog owners in Singapore, has resigned from the Guide Dogs Association of the Blind (GDAB), the association confirmed today (April 18).

Cassandra Chiu and her guide dog Esme. Photo: Don Wong

Cassandra Chiu and her guide dog Esme. Photo: Don Wong

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SINGAPORE — Ms Cassandra Chiu, known for being one of the first guide dog owners in Singapore, has resigned from the Guide Dogs Association of the Blind (GDAB), the association confirmed today (April 18).

This comes after reports of an incident at a Zara store at Ngee Ann City on April 10. In a Facebook post as Esme, her guide dog, Ms Chiu alleged that the store’s security guard verbally abused her after she had tried to enter the store with Esme.

Ms Chiu, who joined GDAB as a part-time client services manager in October 2013, resigned on April 14, 2015, said GDAB general manager Vanessa Loh in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia. In the role, Ms Chiu acted as an ambassador for the association.

Calling her departure “unexpected”, Ms Loh said GDAB respects Ms Chiu’s decision, and that they expect an even greater acceptance of guide dogs following this episode.

“Cassandra resigned because she felt it was time to move on,” said Ms Loh. “GDAB appreciates her dedication all these years. As an employee and our first guide dog user, she has done a lot for the cause and we wish her all the best.”

“She is still our guide dog user and we will continue to support her as an organisation would to a beneficiary,” Ms Loh added.

ACCEPTANCE OF GUIDE DOGS WILL TAKE TIME: GDAB

In response to the incident at Zara, Ms Loh said that the association “fully advocates a wider acceptance of guide dogs among businesses and public places in accordance with the legislature in Singapore”, but that this acceptance will take time.

“We are also mindful that acceptance requires time and that there needs to be mutual trust, consent and understanding,” said Ms Loh. “GDAB recognises that the use of guide dogs is in its infancy stage in Singapore now, it is also for this reason we launched a guide dog friendly nation campaign in January this year. We hope with continuous effort in awareness and education, Singapore will be an inclusive society for the blind and vision impaired who use guide dogs.”

While Ms Chiu has left as an ambassador, Ms Loh said the GDAB sees all its guide dog teams as ambassadors: “Guide dogs bring our clients more mobility, safety and independence. They are active, they work and go about social outings like you and I. With the use of guide dogs being a relatively new concept here, they are our ambassadors who promote awareness just by being out there.”

The GDAB currently has three guide dog teams, and one more will be formed soon. Ms Loh said they are currently in the process of gathering other guide dog teams who had been independent of GDAB to get together with them to promote a better understanding of all guide dogs in Singapore. They have also invited Mr Amos Miller, the former Chairman of Guide Dogs UK, to join the board of GDAB.

Ms Loh said the association was heartened by how their past efforts have already resulted in a wider acceptance of guide dogs, and added that moving forward, it will continue to “encourage shops, malls and restaurants that welcome vision-impaired and blind with guide dogs to display guide dog friendly decals prominently at their premises” to reduce misunderstandings with ground staff.

GDAB will hold its first International Guide Dogs Day event on April 25 at Bishan Park to pay tribute to guide dogs and the many people involved in training them.

“Guide dogs are extraordinary animals that devote their lives and bring solace to humans who have vision loss,” said Ms Loh. “We hope that through the event, more people will come to appreciate the important role they play in our society.”

When contacted, Ms Chiu refused to comment on her resignation. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

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