Guide Dogs for the Blind, (GDB) is hosting their alumni reunion. Web Friendly Help will be offering tech relief to whoever could use it.
With that in mind, I thought it would be a great idea to round up some Guide Dog related resources. These are not school-specific, so enjoy the list.
Guide Dog Access Laws
First up, GDB has a list of laws and sample letters pertaining to guide dog access. This is a great way to get info about guide dog laws in your state.
NFB
Below please find a list of guide dog resources from the National Federation of the Blind and other sources.
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
President: Marion Gwizdala
1003 Papaya Drive
Tampa, FL 33619
Home: 813-626-2789
Hotline: 888-NAGDU411 (888-624-3841)
Email: president@nagdu.org
Website: nagdu.org
Mailing List: nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI)
GDUI has resources related to Guide Dogs as well. Some of these resources include: Emailing lists such as a GDUI Business list, an announce list, and a chat list.
They also have resources for Advocacy, comparing pet food, disaster assistance, GDUI school surveys, listing of Guide Dog schools, and a Lyft riders guide for users of service animals.
Guide Dog Schools by State
California
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Incorporated
350 Los Ranchitos Road
San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: 415-499-4000
Toll Free: 800-295-4050
Fax: 415-499-4035
Email: information@guidedogs.com
Website: guidedogs.com
Guide Dogs of America
13445 Glenoaks Boulevard
Sylmar, CA 91342
Phone: 818-362-5834
Toll Free: 800-459-4843
Fax: 818-362-6820
Email: mail@guidedogsofamerica.org
Website: guidedogsofamerica.org
Guide Dogs of the Desert
60735 Dillon Road
Whitewater, CA 92282
Toll Free: 888-883-0022
Phone: 760-329-6257
Fax: 760-329-2866
Email: info@gddca.org
Website: guidedogsofthedesert.org
Connecticut
Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc.
103 Vision Way
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-243-5200
Fax: 860-769-0567
Email: info@fidelco.org
Website: fidelco.org
Florida
Southeastern Guide Dogs, Incorporated
4210 77th Street East
Palmetto, FL 34221
Phone: 941-729-5665
Toll Free: 800-944-3647
Fax: 941-729-6646
Email: info@guidedogs.org
Website: guidedogs.org
KANSAS:
Kansas Specialty Dog Service, Inc.
124 W. 7th St.
Washington, KS 66968
785-325-2256
Fax: 785-325-2258
E-Mail: ksds@ksds.org
Website: http://www.ksds.org
Michigan
Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 South Rochester Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48307-3115
Phone: 248-651-9011
Toll Free: 888-777-5332
TTY Telephone: 248-651-3713
Fax: 248-651-5812
Email: leaderdog@leaderdog.org
Website: leaderdog.org
MISSISSIPPI:
Gallant Hearts Guide Dog Center
P.O. Box 16828
Jackson, MS 39236
601-853-6996
E-Mail: rfloyd@gallanthearts.org
Website: http://gallanthearts.org
Nebraska
Noah’s Dogs of Nebraska
P.O. Box 105
Louisville, NE 68037
Telephone: 920-643-0434
Email: crisisdogs@gmail.com
Website: noahsdogs.wordpress.com
New Jersey
The Seeing Eye, Incorporated
10 Washington Valley Road
Post Office Box 375
Morristown, NJ 07963
Phone: 973-539-4425
Fax: 973-539-0922
Email: info@seeingeye.org
Website: seeingeye.org
New York
Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind
1210 Hardscrabble Road
Cassville, NY 13318
Phone: 315-822-5132
Email: info@freedomguidedogs.org
Website: freedomguidedogs.org
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Incorporated
371 East Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787-2976
Toll-Free: 800-548-4337
Fax: 631-930-9009
Email: info@guidedog.org
Website: guidedog.org
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Incorporated
611 Granite Springs Road
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
Benjamin Cawley
Phone: 914-243-2227
Toll Free: 800-942-0149
Fax: 914-243-2232
Email: bcawley@guidingeyes.org
Website: guidingeyes.org
Ohio
Pilot Dogs, Incorporated
625 West Town Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-221-6367
Fax: 614-221-1577
Email: kwalker@pilotdogs.org
Website: pilotdogs.org
Oregon
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Incorporated
32901 Southeast Kelso Road
Boring, OR 97009
Phone: 503-668-2100
Toll Free: 800-295-4050
Fax: 503-668-2141
Email: information@guidedogs.com
Website: guidedogs.com
Texas
Guide Dogs of Texas, Incorporated
1503 Allena Drive
San Antonio, TX 78213
Phone: 210-366-4081
Toll Free: 800-831-9231
Fax: 210-366-4082
Website: guidedogsoftexas.org
Wisconsin
Custom Canines Service Dog Academy
6610 Fieldwood Road
Madison, WI 53718
Phone: 608-444-9555
Fax: 608-834-1700
Email: info@customcanines.org
Website: customcanines.org
OccuPaws Guide Dog Association
P.O. Box 45857
Madison, WI 53744
Phone: 608-772-3787
Fax: 866-854-3291
Email: info@occupaws.org
Website: occupaws.org
WASHINGTON:
Independence Guide Dogs
E-Mail: toby@igdogs.org
Website: http://www.igdogs.org
Hawaii
Guide Dogs of Hawaii
747 Amana Street, Suite 407
Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: 808-941-1088
Fax: 808-944-9368
Email: info@guidedogshawaii.com
Website: guidedogshawaii.com/home.html
Eye of the Pacific Guide Dogs and Mobility Services, Inc.
747 Amana St., #407
Honolulu, HI 96814
808-941-1088
E-Mail: mailto:minfo@eyeofthepacific.org
Website: http://www.eyeofthepacific.org/
International Travel Working Group for Recognised Assistance Dogs.
Find out how to best travel with a guide dog via air, boat, car, coach, or rail.
This site is specific to the UK, and has advice for people traveling to the UK. They also have general advice for traveling with a guide dog linked to above. You will also find a handy international travel checklist in PDF format to help you dot those I’s and cross those t’s.
Purchase Stuff for your Pup
Here’s a list of various web stores where you can buy all the guide dog gear you could ever want! 🐕🦺
Welcome to the GDB Shop
Some featured products are:
GuideLights And Gadgets.
They will be at the GDB reunion to meet you.
All products we sell, we have personally evaluated for accessibility and usability for people who are blind or visually impaired. In the case of products for guide and service dogs, our own two guides, Thor and Melody, are engaged in the process of evaluating the usefulness and/or fun of the product.
WE WANT EACH OF OUR PRODUCTS TO BE USEFUL, ACCESSIBLE, AND, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, FUN! Our inventory is constantly changing, so a visit to us is never the same experience twice!
Here is a sample of what you’ll find here:
- $20 Hand-made AIRPORT LEASHES can get your dog through Security checkpoints without a pat-down;
- $11 FUR LIFTERS, an essential tool for removing loose fur from the floor of a car, carpeted stairs or any other small area that is hard to reach with a vacuum.
- Extra Large Notetaker Waist Pack; $35.00 This will hold a U2 and has compartments for cell phone, wallet, keys, and papers. The largest pack I have found in several years of searching.
- 50,000 MAH “Harmonica” Power Bank; very small; will charge your phone between 8 and 12 times without needing to be re-charged — $50.00.
- “Sparking” Roller Ball Cane Tip; this hook tip that fits Ambutech canes has a small friction generator that causes the tip to spark as it rolls along the ground, making it possible to be seen at night; sparking mechanism appears to last about as long as the tip itself – $35.00;
Contact Info
Remember, we want to meet you and conduct business with you directly. Visit us at upcoming conferences and conventions or call us for assistance in finding just the right product for you, or your guide or service dog. We are here to help, and offer hundreds of accessible electronic items, leather products, and dog supplies & toys!
We can be reached by phone between the hours of 9am and 7pm , as follows:
For “GuideLights” Dog Products, contact Kae at 781-286-1696 or email at krausch@scheur.com
For “Gadgets” Products, contact Barry at 617-969-7500 or email at bscheur@scheur.com
Time to Go!
Well, looking at all this great guide dog gear really makes me want to go outside and… “Hey! Gimme back my keyboard!” Sorry folks, my wife’s guide dog Keats, wanted to steal the show, and the credit card for a quick second. Not so fast buddy! 🍖
Anyway, hope this short list of resources is helpful. Until next time…
Crunch… Qapla!
Aca Baranton
December 22, 2021Excellent resource of the guide dogs, they make life of the visually impaired people easier, I wish such information is widely across in braile to benefit a larger and wider audience with out any problem.