FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION INC

THE PURPOSE OF THE FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION IS TO PROVIDE SAFETY, INCREASED MOBILITY AND GREATER INDEPENDENCE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, BY BREEDING AND TRAINING, HIGHLY INTELLIGENT GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS WHO ARE THEN MATCHED WITH THESE CLIENTS. THE ORGANIZATION DOES THIS, WITHOUT CHARGE, BY MAINTAINING A SIGNIFICANT SCIENTIFIC BREEDING PROGRAM, ENHANCING THE INTELLIGENCE AND STAMINA OF THE DOGS TO ENABLE THEM TO SPEND UP TO 10 YEARS PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO CLIENTS. THE ORGANIZATION IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT PROVIDES "IN-COMMUNITY" TRAINING, WHICH MEANS THAT CLIENTS DO NOT NEED TO TRAVEL OR SPEND TIME AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES AND PLACES OF WORK IN ORDER TO BE TRAINED. OUR HIGHLY SKILLED TRAINING STAFF, EACH OF WHOM HAS EXCELLED IN A THREE-YEAR TRAINING APPRENTICESHIP, TRAVEL TO THE CLIENT'S COMMUNITY TO COMPLETE TRAINING. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES ANNUAL FOLLOW UP MEETINGS AND A 24/7 HEALTH AND EMERGENCY HOT-LINE. FIDELCO PROVIDES SUCCESSOR DOGS WHEN THE NATURAL LIFESPAN OF THE GUIDE DOG COMES TO ITS CONCLUSION. THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINS A CLOSE AND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL GUIDE DOG COMMUNITY, SHARING BEST PRACTICES AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE GUIDE DOG COLONY. THE ORGANIZATION IS SUPPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME TO DAILY OPERATIONS AND, IMPORTANTLY, TO THE FOSTER CARE OF PUPPIES FOR THE FOURTEEN MONTHS NEEDED TO ALLOW THEM TO REACH THEIR MATURITY AND READINESS TO BE TRAINED AS GUIDE DOGS. THIS TRAINING AVERAGES 6-8 MONTHS FOR EACH DOG. FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION HAS TWO CAMPUSES, WHICH INCLUDE KENNELS, VETERINARY CARE, TRAINING AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS. OVER 1500 GUIDE DOG TEAMS HAVE BEEN ENABLED, AND AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CLIENTS ARE VETERANS.FIDELCO GUIDE DOG TEAMS ARE AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE CAPABILITIES OF BLIND PEOPLE PARTNERED WITH SPECIALLY-TRAINED GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, WITH SAFETY AND DIGNITY.