Skip to content

Hundreds turn out for dying guide dog's final walk

Lynette Horsburgh
BBC News, Blackpool
Family handout Red fox Labrador retriever guide dog Ian, with his tongue hanging out. There are purple flowers in the background of what looks like a garden.Family handout
Ian, an eight-year-old red fox Labrador retriever, has been given only weeks to live

Hundreds of people - and their pets - have paid tribute to a terminally ill guide dog by joining him on his final walk.

Red fox Labrador retriever Ian was recently diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live, said his trainer and volunteer puppy walker Gemma Fairhurst.

Struggling to walk very far, eight-year-old Ian was initially pushed in a pram along Blackpool Promenade before he was given a "guard of honour" by well-wishers and dozens of dogs.

"I was a wreck," said Ms Fairhurst, from Chorley in Lancashire, before thanking everyone for the love and "overwhelming" support they had shown towards Ian.

Sarah Summerton Guide dog user Mark Fielding, with guide dog trainer Gemma Fairhurst, push Ian in a pram along Blackpool Promenade. A charity fundraiser, dressed in a dog costume, holds a charity collection bucket as she walks alongside them.Sarah Summerton
Guide dog trainer Gemma Fairhurst said the walk was "the best thing" she could have ever done for her "special boy"

Ian was a working guide dog when he was diagnosed in early January with an inoperable sarcoma in his chest and lymphoma in his lymph nodes.

He holds a special place in Ms Fairhurst's heart because he was the first of nearly 20 guide dogs the 40-year-old has trained.

She told BBC Radio Lancashire she had always agreed with Ian's owner, guide dog user Mark Fielding, to look after him when he retired aged 10.

Following the dog's terminal diagnosis, she said she was now looking after Ian for whatever time he had left.

"Unfortunately he isn't going to get the retirement he deserves... so I decided to arrange this walk for him," she said.

Sarah Summerton Gemma Fairhurst smiles as Mark Fielding walks his guide dog Ian to the finishing line of the charity walk on Blackpool Promenade.Sarah Summerton
Ian was given a guard of honour as he walked the last few steps

She said she had been "overwhelmed" by people travelling from as far afield as Liverpool to join Ian on his final walk on Sunday.

Ms Fairhurst said they were joined by about 80 dogs, including other guide dogs she had trained.

She said the guard of honour had been "so lovely" and that it was "very fitting to have it on Blackpool Promenade, where Ian has lived his guide dog life" with his "dad" Mr Fielding.

Family photograph Gemma Fairhurst, smiling with blonde hair, wears a black dress with a flowery pattern. She is crouched down with her face cheek-to-cheek with guide dog Ian.Family photograph
Gemma Fairhurst said she wanted to make Ian's final days "precious"

The walk - called 5,000 steps for £5,000 - raised money to train another guide dog.

Ms Fairhurst said he would also be named Ian in tribute to her "special boy" and "carry on his amazing doggy legacy".

More than £6,000 has so far been raised.

Sarah Summerton Mark Fielding, Gemma Fairhurst and Ian in his doggy pram walking along Blackpool Promenade.Sarah Summerton
Ian's final walk has so far raised more than £6,000, which will be used to train another guide dog puppy

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.

More on this story
Related internet links