A BLIND woman has been left heartbroken after her companion and beloved guide-dog of more than ten-years was devastatingly put to sleep.

Westcliff’s Jill Allen-King, OBE, has spent the last 11 years with Jagger as he supported her while she campaigned vigorously for greater accessibility for blind people.

Jagger even accompanied Ms Allen-King when she won her pride of Britain award in 2022, meeting late TV star, Paul O’Grady and receiving his very own miniature pride of Britain award in recognition of his long-term companionship.

Yesterday, Jill revealed that Jagger had tragically been put to sleep after suffering several health issues in recent years.

Despite Jagger being retired as a guide dog in last June, he remained with Jill and she praised him as a hard-worker until the very end.

Ms Allen-King said: “It’s too upsetting, he was with me just yesterday, but he hasn’t been very good, and his back legs went, it’s been such a struggle to get him in the car.

“I was at a Southend campaign for a general meeting and Jagger was there, but he had struggles, we had to take him in a lift.

“He was such a hard-worker and speaking about it makes me so upset, it is devastating.”

Ms Allen-King added that Jagger was her seventh guide-dog and that “this is the first time I haven’t got another guide dog.”

She added: “They don’t have another guide dog for me, there is such a long waiting list and in a list of 1200 blind people, I have been trying to be made top priority.

“We have been trying, I met the Prime Minister and the chief executive, but that was last March.”

Jagger had retired from his guide-dog services in June 2023, with Ms Allen-King fearing she would lose her independence and be trapped in the home when he was unable to serve.

Jagger has been kept as a pet since then but has not been allowed to be used as an assistance dog by Ms Allen King and has not been allowed to be her guide on public transport or inside shops and businesses.