Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a program that helps men and women that are blind or visually impaired. The program provides guide dogs to help individuals travel safely, which gives them independence, dignity, and opportunities they would not have without the help of their dog.
Forty-eight years ago Guiding Eyes established this simple and beautiful mission. Since then, they have graduated more than 5,000 dogs.
There are several types of dogs that are used as guide dogs. They are the Labrador, the Retriever, the Golden Retriever and the German Shepherd. The puppies are specially chosen and given to volunteer puppy raisers. Puppy raisers are people or families who volunteer to provide the love, support, and direction the puppies need before they attend the formal training at Guiding Eyes in Yorktown Heights, New York.
Guiding Eyes provides the training and support to the families. The puppies stay in the volunteer’s home for 14 to 18 months to learn manners and social skills. Then they are sent to Guiding Eyes for formal training as Guide Dogs.
Guide dogs are available to people who are 16 or older free of charge. Guiding Eyes works hard to match up a dog with an appropriate human partner.
Guide dogs are responsible for directing their partner through traffic, down streets, and anywhere he or she may need to go. Some dogs have even been responsible for saving their partner’s life. One man reported his dog Corky saved his life more than once form cars that were running red lights. The dog did this by putting herself in front of the man, stopping him from walking.
Clearly Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a valuable service to many people.
To read about our trip to Guiding
Eyes for the Blind, click on the dog.
