On Wednesday, April 20th, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an internationally accredited nonprofit guide dog school headquartered in Yorktown Heights, NY, will showcase their programs at the Fairfield Woods Branch Library, located at 1147 Fairfield Woods Road in Fairfield, CT. Visitors will hear from blind sommelier and Fairfield resident Amy Dixon about her life with a Guiding Eyes dog. They’ll also have the opportunity to learn what it’s like to be a Guiding Eyes puppy raiser as they meet Guiding Eyes staff and volunteers and cuddle with guide dogs in training.
Puppy raisers are volunteers that take 8 week old puppies into their homes and love, nurture, and educate them for a 12 to 16 month period before sending them off to their calling as a guide dog for a blind or visually impaired person. For someone without sight, a Guiding Eyes dog provides life changing independence, as well as unconditional love and support. The Guiding Eyes Puppy Raising Program is comprised of more than 400 volunteers from Maine to North Carolina. Puppy raisers come from all walks of life and include couples, families with children, young adults, and senior citizens. Some already have forever pets of their own, while others commit to raising guide dogs as a way to give their love to a new pet each year.
The Guiding Eyes presentation will start at 7:00 p.m. and run until 8:00 p.m. Please call 1-866-GEB-LABS or visit www.guidingeyes.org/volunteer/puppy-raising/ for additional information on the Puppy Raising Program.
