Wanted: VERY adventurous guide dog for blind climber
HE became the first blind man to lead an ascent on the 450ft Old Man of Hoy.
But even the fearless Jesse Dufton needs a little help occasionally – and is now seeking an equally adventurous guide dog to accompany him on his expeditions.
The 33-year-old GB Paraclimbing Team member wants a husky rather than a labrador or retriever to join him on mountains in Spain and glaciers in Greenland.
The elite climber – who wears a blindfold during his ascents – applied for a dog in November. But the assessor from Guide Dogs for the Blind was a bit taken aback by the request.
‘It was not exactly what she was expecting,’ he said. ‘The vast majority of guide dog users are frail older people so they don’t want a dog which is too active.’
He is still waiting for his dream dog – and is worried the one he ends up with ‘might not be able to do everything I want it to do’ – but his passion for climbing is undiminished.
Mr Dufton, a patent engineer for a clean energy technology company making hydrogen fuel cells, was born with 20 per cent central vision and no peripheral vision. His sight has since deteriorated.
He lives in Loughborough with girlfriend Molly Thompson, 35, who is roped to him on a climb and calls instructions up to him.
In June, he topped the Old Man of Hoy in Orkney after a seven-hour effort.
But Mr Dufton told The Sunday Times that his blindness is not a cure for vertigo. ‘The fact that you can’t see it doesn’t really make it easier,’ he said.