7 minute read
A DOG NAMEDJUSTICE
by Villia Struyk
SOUTHERN’S WEST CAMPUS RESIDENCE COMPLEX IS HOME TO A UNIQUE SET OF ROOMMATES. Meet Justice, a 9-month-old yellow Labrador retriever being raised by sophomore Ella Bernegger.
Bernegger is an English major and member of Southern’s Honors College. She’s also the founder and president of Guiding Eyes Puppy Raising at SCSU. Her mission: to share with fellow Southern students the rewards of preparing a puppy for training as a guide dog.
Justice came to Southern from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, which has been providing guide dogs, free of charge, to people with vision loss for more than 70 years. It’s a big job. It takes an average of two years to train a guide dog, including about 16 months of socialization, basic obedience, and relationship building provided by volunteer puppy raisers.
Unfortunately, volunteer levels are down. “With people guarding their time closely or traveling more since the borders opened after the COVID-19 restrictions lifted, we are seeing a huge downturn in volunteers,” notes Maureen Hollis, regional puppy instructor with Guiding Eyes. It’s not uncommon for someone to wait up to three years for a trained guide dog.
The Bernegger family has a long connection to Guiding Eyes. Mary Bernegger, Ella’s mother, is a retired police officer with the Orange Police Department. “She worked with a K-9 partner, Trent, for about seven years,” says Bernegger. Trent initially had “failed out” of guide dog training (as do about 50 percent of dogs evaluated), before finding his true calling in narcotics detection. After a successful career, Bernegger and her K-9 partner retired together, and Trent became a full-time family dog.
WHEN HE DIED IN JUNE 2023, ELLA WAS DEVASTATED. While mourning, she thought back on Trent’s youth. She had remained in touch with the person who raised Trent as a puppy through a Guiding Eyes-associated program at the University of Delaware some 10 years earlier.
Reflecting on Southern’s commitment to social justice and inclusion, Bernegger envisioned a similar, student-run organization dedicated to raising Guiding Eyes puppies on Southern’s campus. “Trent was the most wonderful dog. This is my tribute to him,” she says.
Working with campus officials and Guiding Eyes, Bernegger’s dream began to take shape. Days after finishing finals in spring 2024, Bernegger welcomed Justice to her family’s home in Prospect, Conn. He was 10 weeks old, one of a litter of 14. “Very smart, very sweet, and very social,” says Bernegger, who was tasked by Guiding Eyes for the Blind with providing early socialization. “It is all about building a bond with this dog,” she says.
Justice was about 4 months old when the duo moved into their campus suite in August. “They absolutely love him,” says Bernegger of her three suitemates.
The student club has a loyal following as well: 150 students are members with about 40 typically attending biweekly meetings. Guidance comes from club advisers Kelly Mabry, professor of communication disorders, and Scott Ellis, professor of English, both of whom have raised Guiding Eyes puppies.
The club offers many opportunities. “Maybe you are interested in learning how to raise a puppy, training to become a puppy sitter, or fundraising. This club also is a base where people can relax and volunteer together in the community,” says Bernegger.
Puppy Raising
Justice doesn’t sit in on college classes. But the puppy does accompany nursing major Sydney Crockett, ’27 — a suitemate and trained puppy sitter — to her job at Southern’s Buley Library. “He has quite a little family there,” says Bernegger. (Sophomore interdisciplinary studies major Alyssa Murphy is also a newly minted sitter.)
Student interest cuts across all majors. In addition to Bernegger, Crockett, and Murphy, the organization’s executive board includes Cole Brown (an elementary education major), Grace Huber (social work), Leo Jolly (biology), and Dakota Willette (theatre).
On campus, Bernegger works with Justice on obedience and house hold manners — everything from staying off the couch to not barking inappropriately. She also provides basic training: heeling, sitting, and other commands that are Guiding Eyes specific. The two attend classes with Guiding Eyes twice a month, traveling to Deep River or Wallingford.
“People are afraid to have badly behaved dogs in their communities. But our dogs are required to attend classes on a regular basic. Our puppy raisers must attend a rigorous pre-placement program and all training [sessions] for the duration of the time they have their dog. We assess the dogs on a regular basis as well,” says Hollis, noting that insurance is also provided through the organization.
The biggest part of training is socialization. “Showing him the way the world works, because without that knowledge he cannot do his job,” says Bernegger.
And so, Justice is out and about — meeting folks on campus walks; participating in a Paws and Reflect campus yoga class; hanging with Jules, Southern’s K-9 police dog; even dressing up for the city of New Haven Trunk or Treat celebration on campus. (Club members appropriately went as the Justice League.)
“You start with a dog, you end with a community,” Bernegger says.
The organization will help raise Justice until he is about 16 months old. After, he’ll graduate to Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s main campus in New York. There, he’ll take the in-for-training test, which assesses a dog’s ability to adapt to new people, environments, and other dogs.
If Justice passes, he’ll graduate to formal harness training, spending a minimum of five-months learning behaviors and commands specific to being a guide dog. That’s everything from leading their handlers around obstacles to indicating stairs and street curbs.
“Working with a guide dog is an experience like no other,” says Melissa Carney, the community outreach and graduate support manager at Guiding Eyes for the Blind. A dog handler herself, Carney travels with a male yellow Labrador named Aron, and recently visited Southern to speak with students in the puppy raising club. “A guide dog offers someone who is blind or visually impaired the freedom of mobility and choice,” she says.
For pups who don’t meet the requirements for a guide dog, the program looks at other service work opportunities (perhaps, narcotics detection, like Trent). Finally, if those alternatives are not a good fit, the dog is placed in a loving home through public adoption.
As for Justice, it’s still early days, but Bernegger is optimistic. “It is high marks all around,” she says. She’s equally enthusiastic about the club’s future.
To date, only a one-year exemption has been granted to allow Justice to live in the residence hall. But Bernegger is working to change policy, so the club can continue with a new dog next year. On campus, she’s receiving guidance from Residence Life and the Center for Academic Success and Accessibility Services (CASAS) as well as the Women’s Leadership Academy. The latter is open to students through Southern’s School of Business.
And, yes, Bernegger’s professional aspirations are shifting. She originally wanted a career in publishing. “But I’m really loving the advocacy portion of this, so who knows. I just declared a minor in arts administration and cultural advocacy with a focus in leadership. I am along for the ride.”
Hollis echoes her optimism: “College raisers are our biggest hope. The students are dynamic and socialize our dogs wonderfully. They are kind with the dogs, show great empathy for their fellow man, and look towards the future with hope as we all should.” ■
