Guide Dog Foundation Celebrates 75 Years Placing Guide Dogs With Individuals Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired Guide dog school carries on mission of providing life-changing guide dogs free of charge
T
he Guide Dog Foundation, an industry leader in guide and service dog training, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. In 1946, five community leaders founded a guide dog school in Queens, New York, to provide guide dogs at no charge for blind or visually impaired individuals, including veterans who had returned from the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific. Seventy-five years later, the Foundation remains devoted to its mission to improve the quality of life for people who are blind, have low vision, or other special needs. The Foundation kicked off its 75th Anniversary on Monday, February 1, in recognition of the completion of their first guide dog class in 1946, with a special birthday party–themed puppy livestream at its campus in Smithtown, New York. On Thursday, February 4, the Foundation will
6 4 Legs & a Tail
host a car parade to continue the week of celebration. Trainers, staff, puppies and dogs, dressed in party hats and holding signs, will line the Foundation’s 10-acre campus. Long Island–based volunteers, donors and supporters will caravan through the grounds to celebrate this milestone. “The Guide Dog Foundation has achieved this milestone through the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, donors and staff, instilling a culture of service that exists throughout the entire organization,” says John Miller, president & CEO of the Guide Dog Foundation. “It brings all of us at the Foundation great pride and joy to be able to provide these life-changing dogs to individuals who are blind or have low vision for 75 years. As we continue to further our mission, we remain a committed advocate for the disability community.”
Spring 2021
