Blind dog becomes Munro wagger as she conquers Perthshire peaks

Egyptian street dog Suki cheated death to become ambassador for a Scottish rehoming charity.

By Morag Lindsay

August 10 2024, 6:00am

Suki on top of Ben Lawers. Image: Katie Gardner.

Blind from birth and left to fend for herself on the streets in Egypt, Suki the rescue dog is no stranger to a challenge.

And now the born survivor has overcome two more enormous obstacles by bagging her first Munros.

Suki and her owners, Katie Gardner and Gordon McGuire made it to the top of Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas in Perthshire.

They were raising money for rescue charity Saving and Rehoming Strays, which brought Suki to Scotland

Katie, who is secretary for the charity, said four-year-old Suki proved beyond all doubt that she is a Very Good Girl.

“We were last off the hill by a long way, but she was such a trooper,” she said.

Katie Gardner and dog at top of Ben Lawers — Suki at the summit. Image: Katie Gardner

“Because she can’t see, she has to feel her way around. So she used her nose to ‘boop’ the steps on the way up, then edged her way down on her belly.

“At one point coming down from Ben Lawers I said to Gordon ‘I think you’re going to carry her’.

“He picked her up – all 20kg of her – and said ‘let’s go’ but she wriggled free.

“It was as if she was saying ‘no, I’m going to do this’.”

‘No dog left behind’ is Saving and Rehoming Strays’ ethos

Katie, whose family are from Dundee, and Gordon, who grew up at Aberuthven in Perthshire, adopted Suki in 2022.

She had been rescued from the streets in Egypt after locals stoned all but one of her litter of puppies to death.

Suki the dog, on top of Ben Lawers with Scottish scenery beyond — Suki is on top of the world since coming to Scotland. Image: Katie Gardner

Her surviving pup came to Scotland too and was adopted by Suki’s dog-walker, so the pair now play together regularly.

Katie started volunteering for Saving and Rehoming Strays soon after.

The charity’s running costs amount to around £10,000 a month

And she and Suki have completed a number of fundraising challenges already.

The Saving and Rehoming Strays base is in Ayrshire, but it rehomes dogs all over the UK.

And it prides themselves on its kennels, where dogs stay in different zones – such as the wonky zone, or scaredy-paws corner, depending on their characters – rather than in cages.

Gordon McGuire and Katie Gardner with Suki the dog and their two dalmations — Gordon and Katie with Suki and their two other dogs. Image: Katie Gardner.

Katie says its ethos is “no dog left behind”, and Suki is the perfect ambassador.

“We’ll take dogs that a lot of other rescues won’t take,” she added.

“Maybe they’re not the prettiest. Or maybe they’re big dogs which are more difficult to rehome. But they all deserve to be treated with respect and love.”

So far Suki’s Munro challenge has raised £1,800.

Click here if you’d like to donate to her fundraising page.