Guiding Eyes for the Blind
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is one of 11 accredited guide dog training schools in the U.S. Its facilities are located in New York State: a 10-acre Headquarters and Training Center in Yorktown Heights, a Canine Development Center[1] in Patterson, and a Training Site in White Plains.
The school, established in 1956, breeds and trains seeing-eye dogs for blind and visually impaired people. It is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all funding is from foundations, corporations and individuals.
Blind and visually impaired men and women enroll year-round to undertake a rigorous 26-day program in which they are paired and trained with their Guiding Eyes dogs. It costs approximately $45,000 to graduate each student-dog team[2]. There is no cost to the student.
Guiding Eyes’ Canine Development Center selects, breeds, and whelps dogs that have high potential to become seeing-eye dogs, primarily Labrador Retrievers but also Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds.
Much of the breeding and rearing work is performed by volunteers through a variety of programs. Volunteers in the Early Socialization, Home Socialization, and Puppy Raising Programs work with puppies at the school and in their homes as preparation for Guiding Eyes dog training. Volunteers also serve as Brood and Stud Fosters for dogs in the Guiding Eyes breeding colony.
The school also manages an adoption program for dogs from their programs that are not considered suitable as guide dogs or have been retired from service.[3]
The school offers a Special Needs Program designed for blind and visually-impaired students with additional developmental or physical challenges, such as deafness or seizure disorders. Dogs and staff are specifically selected and receive extra training to enable them to assist these students.
