Would-be guide dog Stella has morphed from a life-changer to a life-saver.
The Covid pandemic disrupted the beautiful labrador retriever cross’ training so much that she did not quite make the grade as an assistance dog.
But after learning about a chronic shortage of blood for dogs, her now owners Nicola and Lee Simpson volunteered her to step up as a blood donor.
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The couple, of Mosley Common Road, Tyldesley, had been boarding Stella during her training and were offered the option to keep her once the Guide Dogs charity deemed her unsuitable to continue.
Nicola said: “She began her training just before Covid hit, and it had to be stopped. When they returned, we think she was confused by the disruption, having to repeat various things, so it was thought best that she be rehomed.
“We were obviously delighted to have her, having looked after her for months, but after reading about the acute shortage of canine donors we thought it be a positive move to allow her to give blood.”
Even the bar for a dog to…
