The potential arrival of André's guide dog disturbs his romantic relationship.

He should stay in his apartment, while his partner, also blind, wants to move.

At the microphone of "La Libre antenna", André explains that his companion fears above all that he will abandon her if this dog is handed over to him.

TESTIMONY

André and his partner are blind.

Before André met him, he had made a request for a guide dog which had just been completed.

But the potential arrival of this dog disturbs his relationship.

His companion wants to move soon, but with the arrival of the dog, André will not be able to do so for several months, until the relationship with his dog is well established.

According to him, his companion also fears that he will abandon her if the animal is returned to him.

On "La Libre antenna" of Europe 1, André confides in having the impression of having to choose between the dog and his companion.

>> Listen to André's testimony in full here

"I am visually impaired. I moved from a small village to live in a large metropolis in August 2019. In January 2020, I applied for a guide dog. I was single. J I really want to have a guide dog. I was so happy that my request was accepted, that I told myself I had to stop thinking about it, otherwise I would go crazy. I was thinking about it all the time "I ended up telling myself that it will come, when it does. So I didn't think about it anymore. I recently got a call informing me that there was a dog that could match me."

At the same time as this request, I had a romantic encounter in September 2020. It is a girl who is blind.

She would like a guide dog, but that's not her priority at the moment.

She came to this metropolis to study, which she finished.

She wishes to return to her region of origin soon.

We plan to have a child together.

I've been living with her since January, but I still have my apartment.

We plan to move together soon. 

"

I feel like I put the dog before my romantic relationship

"

I have a choice to make and I am lost.

If I take this dog, I won't be able to move for six months or a year.

You can move and do a lot of things with a dog, but the dog has to know me well, and me too.

The relationship with the animal must be well established.

If I choose to take the dog, I feel like I'm putting him ahead of my romantic relationship.

My companion does not want to welcome the dog at her place and that he enters into her daily life since here, it is not at her place definitely.

She told me that if I chose the dog, it was up to me to assume it.

I will inevitably be less available.

I should be more present at my home, because the dog must walk in my area, where I live.

There are routes that I do often and neighborhoods that I frequent a lot.

So, if I choose the dog, for the first six months I will have to give him more attention and vigilance.

"

If I have the dog, we might go away

"

Her priority is to start a family.

She does not want to invest in this city and this sector.

She told me that when we live together in a new region, we can each apply for a dog.

She told me, however, that if I accepted the dog and she left, she would be okay with me staying here.

She added that she did not want to choose for me and that it was up to me to make my choices knowingly. 

If I have the dog, we might go away.

I will be less present for her, because my attention will be more focused on him.

I will have my relationship to build with the dog.

She is afraid of feeling abandoned.

She says welcoming a guide dog into a budding relationship can make her feel fragile.

If I can't convince her, it might not be the right relationship.

I want to hope and believe in it.

It is a test and if we overcome it, we can only be stronger.

>> Find the Libre antenna - weekend in replay and podcast here

I have to position myself.

I have to tell the center very soon if I take the dog or not.

The person I interviewed told me that when you have the dog, you have to invest 100%.

You have to be sure of what you want.

I want to take the dog, but I'm afraid of losing my relationship.

I haven't had a lot of romantic relationships in my life.

I tell myself that I can take another dog later, while a romantic relationship is less easy to build.

That's what makes me hesitate a lot.

It's a tough choice. 

When I made this request I was single, I didn't expect to meet someone. I feel like I have two extraordinary situations open to me and I have to choose between one or the other. I understand that she may have fears and fears. I will reassure her and tell her that it will go well, that love is shared. If I choose not to take it, I can't tell it's because of her. She said to me: 'Make your choice and you will see what happens next'. You have to choose with the heart and not with fear. "