Change Lives:Support Education for Self-Trained Service Dogs

Imagine the world without your eyes. How much harder would it be to navigate your everyday life? For blind and disabled individuals, a guide dog offers them not just independence but safety, freedom, and confidence. Yet, thousands are denied the opportunity to have a guide dog each year. Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allowing individuals to train their own service dogs, financial and institutional barriers make this process incredibly difficult.

The stark reality is that service dog schools hold a monopoly over the funds raised to train dogs—$50,000 to $100,000 per dog. These organizations deny people without offering transparency or accountability for where the money goes. People seeking guide dogs have no legal recourse to fight for even a fraction of that money.

Beyond the financial barriers, organizations have interfered with the free medical grants that used to be provided by institutions like the Animal Medical Center in New York City. This leaves those training their own service dogs without the critical veterinary support they once relied on. Many individuals who are blind or disabled are now facing a greater risk to their safety and well-being without a guide dog by their side.

The need is urgent, and the cost is staggering. Training a guide dog independently costs between $25,000 and $30,000, while the service dog schools collect upwards of $50,000 to $100,000 for the same process. Without help, people are left on waiting lists or are denied the assistance they need. Some, like Michelle, are left devastated and unsafe after losing a guide dog. Two years ago, her beloved dog Milton was tragically killed. Milton was just 3 years old when a worker at a Smithtown dog training facility left him inside the vehicle during a 90-degree day in May 2022. Milton, a black Labrador retriever, was more than just a pet to Michelle—he was her guide, her companion, and her lifeline. After the heartbreaking loss, the Guide Dog Foundation has not replaced him, leaving Michelle in a vulnerable and unsafe position.

We are launching an education fund to assist those who wish to train their own guide dogs, especially those who have been denied by these service dog schools. We aim to raise $50,000 to provide free training classes, medical support, and necessary equipment for individuals training their own guide dogs. This fund will also serve as a protective measure for those turned away from service dog programs without any fair hearing.

There is no doubt about the effectiveness of independently trained guide dogs. Helen Keller, a renowned advocate for people with disabilities, loved her Akita, a breed often overlooked by service dog schools. Despite 35 years of success in training Akita guide dogs, this breed remains unrecognized by many agencies. But these dogs save lives and provide independence, just like any other guide dog.

Our cause is deeply personal. I have been using a guide dog since I was 18 and have had remarkable success—one of my dogs almost earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest-working guide dog. Now, we need your help to extend this life-changing opportunity to others.

Please consider donating to our education fund today. Every dollar brings us closer to empowering blind and disabled individuals with the freedom, independence, and safety that comes with a self-trained guide dog. Whether you can contribute a little or a lot, your generosity will make a lasting difference.

Help us change lives—because for a blind person, a guide dog is the same as what your eyes are to you.

For more information or to get involved, please visit the Innersight podcast and website hosted by Frank Perino, a passionate advocate for the disabled. You can listen to the podcast on Blogtalkradio.com at Blogtalkradioinnersightfreedom weeknights starting at 8 p.m. EST.

You can also watch the show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) every Wednesday at 11 p.m. EST.

Thank you for your support.