GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND INC

TRAINING PROGRAM -OUR INSTRUCTORS COMPLETE A THREE YEAR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM BEFORE THEY BECOME CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS. DURING FY 2025, 189 DOGS BEGAN FORMAL TRAINING FOR PLACEMENT WITH A CONSUMER OF EITHER THE GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND, INC. OR ITS RELATED ORGANIZATION AMERICA'S VETDOGS -THE VETERAN'S K-9 CORPS, INC. THE GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION MANAGES AMERICA'S VETDOGS AND IS REIMBURSED FOR THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES TO AMERICA'S VETDOGS. FORMAL TRAINING TAKES APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS DURING WHICH TIME THE FOUNDATION CARES FOR ALL DOGS. DOGS ARE HOUSED ON CAMPUS IN STATE OF THE ART KENNELS IN THE DESIGNATED TRAINING CENTER. NOT EVERY DOG THAT ENTERS FORMAL TRAINING BECOMES A GUIDE OR SERVICE DOG. THE FOUNDATION CURRENTLY ESTIMATES A SUCCESS RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 50%. AFTER COMPLETION OF FORMAL TRAINING, THE DOG IS READY TO BE TEAMED WITH A CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER OR STUDENT AND THEIR DOG ARE TRAINED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM EITHER ON OUR CAMPUS, IN THE CONSUMER'S HOME COMMUNITY OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THE PROCESS AND THE FOUNDATION'S COMMITMENT CONTINUES AFTER PLACEMENT WITH AFTERCARE, FOLLOW-UP, SUPPORT AND OUTREACH THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE DOG. THE CYCLE IS PERPETUAL, WITH EACH STAGE FINANCED 100% BY THE ORGANIZATIONS.

BREEDING AND PUPPY PROGRAM -DURING FY 2025, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTED 108 DOGS IN THE BREEDING COLONY. THE BREEDING COLONY IS CAREFULLY SELECTED AFTER EXTENSIVE SCREENING AND TESTING. DURING FY 2025, 362 PUPPIES WERE ADDED TO THE PROGRAMS OF THE GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION AND AMERICA'S VETDOGS. PUPPIES SPEND SEVEN TO EIGHT WEEKS IN OUR PUPPY NURSERY. FROM THE NURSERY THEY SPEND APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR IN THE HOME OF A VOLUNTEER PUPPY RAISER OR PRISON PUPPY PROGRAM BEFORE COMING BACK TO THE ORGANIZATION FOR FORMAL TRAINING. DURING FY 2025 A TOTAL OF 373 PUPPIES WERE PLACED. 266 PUPPIES WERE PLACED IN PUPPY RAISER HOMES AND 107 PUPPIES PARTICIPATED IN OUR PRISON PUPPY PROGRAM. THE ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY SUPPORTS PUPPY RAISERS IN NEARLY 20 STATES AND HAS AGREEMENTS WITH 14 PRISONS THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, FLORIDA, CONNECTICUT, MAINE AND PENNSYLVANIA. DURING THE TIME THE PUPPIES ARE IN PUPPY RAISER HOMES, WE SUPPORT THE VOLUNTEER FAMILY THROUGH CONSTANT OUTREACH, COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING. WE BRING OUR VOLUNTEER REGIONAL PUPPY RAISER COORDINATORS ON CAMPUS FOR TRAINING AND SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN SHARE WITH THEIR LOCAL REGIONALLY BASED PUPPY RAISING FAMILIES. THE PROFESSIONAL PUPPY STAFF SUPPORTS OUR PUPPY RAISING VOLUNTEERS AND OUR STAFF TYPICALLY VISITS EACH PRISON WEEKLY TO FOLLOW UP AND TRAIN THE INMATE HANDLERS WHO ARE CAREFULLY SCREENED TO ENSURE THEY ARE SUITABLE CANDIDATES TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.