Former president of Guiding Eyes, Thomas Panek explained his organization believed in the “powerful, meaningful change that our beautiful dogs bring to the lives of people facing the daily challenges that blindness and vision loss present.”

Guiding Eyes Remote Puppy Raising program allows raisers to socialize their pups, born at the non-for-profit’s Patterson breeding center, in a variety of environments including Stewart International Airport in Orange County.

Monika Conrad, Regional Puppy Specialist at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, explained the dogs went through TSA and security at the airport: “The more experiences a puppy goes through, the better it will be with a blind person.”

Conrad said as the puppies age, they gain new experiences by visiting the post office or a grocery store because “social interaction with our puppies is a critical component of their training. A guide dog will guide a visually impaired person to everywhere they need to go. The more we can expose our puppies to these environments when they are learning how to, the better off they will be in training.”

All services are provided free of charge to the recipient of the guide dog. The journey from playful pup to professional Guiding Eyes dog takes up to three years and can cost up to $50,000 annually.

Volunteers are always needed. Those interested in learning more about Guiding Eyes may call the breeding center at 914- 523-7394