Guide Dog Foundation & America's Vet Dogs

Results: We are in need of volunteers to raise our puppies in the following areas: New England New Hampshire Massachusetts Tri-State Area New York: Long Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens Pennsylvania: Eastern PA, Greater Scranton/Pocono/Wilkes-Barre Mid-Atlantic Region Northern Virginia Washington, DC Maryland South-East Florida: Ocala, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Jacksonville Georgia North Carolina South Carolina: Clemson Alabama: Auburn University

Geographic areas served: Our Mission: To improve the quality of life for people who are blind, have low vision, or have other special needs.

Programs: Training program - our instructors complete a three year apprenticeship program before they become certified instructors. During fy 2017, 200 dogs began formal training for placement with a consumer of either the guide dog foundation for the blind, inc. Or its related organization america's vetdogs - the veteran's k-9 corps, inc. The guide dog foundation manages america's vetdogs and is reimbursed for the services it provides to america's vetdogs. Formal training takes approximately three to six months during which time the foundation cares for all dogs. Dogs are housed on campus in state of the art kennels in the designated training center. Not every dog that enters formal training becomes a guide or service dog. The foundation currently estimates a success rate of 60%. After completion of formal training, the dog is ready to be teamed with a consumer. The consumer or student and their dog are trained to work together as a team either on our campus, in the consumer's home community or a combination of the two. The process and the foundation's commitment continues after placement with aftercare, follow-up, support and outreach throughout the life of the dog. The cycle is perpetual, with each stage financed 100% by the foundation.

breeding and puppy program - during fy 2017, the foundation supported 127 dogs in the breeding colony. The breeding colony is carefully selected after extensive screening and testing. During fy 2017, 387 puppies were added to the programs of the guide dog foundation and america's vetdogs. Puppies spend seven to eight weeks in our puppy nursery. From the nursery they spend approximately one year in the home of a volunteer puppy raiser or prison puppy program before coming back to the foundation for formal training. During fy 2017 a total of 414 puppies were placed. 307 puppies were placed in puppy raiser homes and 107 puppies participated in our prison puppy program. The foundation currently supports puppy raisers in nearly 20 states and has puppies placed in 12 prisons in massachusetts, maryland, florida, connecticut, maine and pennsylvania. During the time they are in puppy raiser homes, we support the volunteer family through constant outreach, communication and training. We bring our volunteer regional puppy raiser coordinators on campus for training and support that they can share with their local regionally based puppy raising families. Our professional puppy staff supports our puppy raising volunteers and our staff visits each prison weekly to follow up and train the inmate handlers who are carefully screened to insure they are suitable candidates to participate in this program.

student and graduate services - during fy 2017, the guide dog foundation graduated 64 guide dog teams and 2 service dog teams. In addition, america's vetdogs graduated 9 guide dog teams, 37 service dog teams, placed 2 facility dogs, 1 at walter reed army medical center and 1 at the northport va center and placed 1 combat operational stress control (cosc) dog at hansom air force base. Our students come from all over the u. S. As well as outside the u. S. Students stay on campus for approximately two weeks in the student residence which can accommodate up to 17 students at a time. Each student has a private room with private bath. The residence is staffed 24 hours per day. All meals are provided. Students can also receive home training, where the foundation sends a certified instructor to the student's home community.

public education - public outreach and education are important parts of the mission of guide dog foundation for the blind. This past year, three issues of the guideway were distributed to over 50,000 recipients. The guideway is the official newsletter to educate the public about guide dogs, guide dog etiquette, and disability issues. Foundation graduates, puppy raisers and caretakers went on over 140 speaking engagements. Each speaking engagement is typically attended by a group in excess of 30 people. We also host a talk and tour program at our campus which had nearly 900 attendees in fy 2017. Guide dog foundation has embraced social media as a means to reach our supporters efficiently and effectively. We currently have nearly 26,000 likes on facebook and over 2,700 followers on twitter. Additionally, we have another 7,000 followers through youtube, linkedin and instagram.