18,000th Paring of Seeing Eye Dogs Occurs in Morristown

by Jeff Garrett

If you ever wondered how a seeing eye dog earns its socalled certificate to practice, The Seeing Eye, Inc. nonprofit organization in Morris County, NJ is an institution which knows, having graduated thousands of dogs to folks in need in history. The organization recently celebrated its 18,000th pairing.

The facility at 1 Seeing Eye Way in Morristown, helps match puppies with over 130 volunteers to train them. Some are repeat, recurring trainers while some are newbies giving it a go for the first time having received training themselves – earning their pedigree of sorts.

“Volunteers start to raise puppies as early as 8 weeks,” says Michelle Barlak, Spokesperson and Senior Specialist of Public Relations of the organization who runs the Sussex County, NJ club in Ogdensburg. “Then they are home for a year with a trainer where they learn things like house manners, house seeing eye dog facility where they undergo a veterinary exam to ensure they will be reliable seeing eye dogs and thereafter, spend four months with a paid fulltime instructor. That elevates the dogs to where they can be paired with someone in need where they spend two to three weeks getting acclimated to their new master.

There are breeding clubs in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. At each club puppy raisers get lots of support according to Barlak. “The dogs receive veterinary care and the trainers get a stipend for dog food. There are puppy club meetings and classes run by puppy club leaders which help new raisers.” If you become a leader, these folks must do things away from the site club and in the community such as taking dogs to malls, fairs, festivals in outings where the dogs get increased socialization opportunities. This is particularly advantageous for the dogs since they need to be ready to assist their new owners navigating social settings.

Veterans training these dogs gain admittance to the “21 Club,” when they’ve successfully raised 21 Dogs. Trainers are kids, teens, adults and senior citizens – some as young as 9 some in their 70’s and 80’s. If you’re a younger trainer and plan on going to College, there’s a scholarship program the non-profit offers to graduating seniors. In fact, each August there’s a “Family Day,” which is an appreciation event for many and where scholarships are awarded.

With a sophisticated program in place, one might wonder how all of this is financed. “It costs $73,000 to breed, raise and train puppies,” added barlak, which seems like a staggering amount, with donations from areas each club serves as there main funding source; the organization doe not receive a penny of government funding.

If one needs a dog, it costs $150.00 for the first animal and $50.00 thereafter for each subsequent one. Veterans get dogs for just $1.00, a benefit of sorts to those who’ve served.

Since a dog’s life span is usually much shorter than that of most people, one in need could need up to several dogs in their lifetime; receiving one for $50.00 becomes quite a cost-saving boom.

One trainer who has made a name for herself is Bonnie DiCola of Boonton Township in Morris County. Her club,

“4-Footed Leaders,” goes so far as to be integrated into the curriculum at Cedar Hill Elementary School where she works as the school nurse. She’s trying to get students to appreciate this Service, on some of them may need at some point in their lives.

In it’s eighth decade of service, The Seeing Eye shows no signs of slowing down, which is what those in need of help from K-9 furry friends of fours look for, as the need itself, hardly slows down.

For more information on The Seeing Eye, Inc., logon to https://www.seeingeye.org.