Thanks to the generosity of a volunteer pilot, the sky’s the limit for a guide dog puppy in training named Fenway—and many other future guide dogs.
Earlier this month, the 11-week-old yellow Labrador Retriever flew from New Jersey to Cleveland, Ohio, on a private plane captained by Michael Schneider, founder, executive director, and “top dog” at the New York-based nonprofit, Pilots to the Rescue.
Despite weather delays and a 40-knot headwind that made the flight take twice as long as usual, Schneider was determined to provide a successful transport because little Fenway has a big job: becoming a guide dog through the nonprofit, Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
Fenway Gets His Wings
Fenway needed to go to Cleveland to meet his volunteer puppy raisers, a couple who will spend 12-18 months socializing him. They’ll teach the pup basic obedience and fill his life with positive associations in a variety of situations so that he’s calm and confident as a guide.
Then, Fenway will fly back to the Guiding Eyes campus in Yorktown Heights, New York, for advanced training before partnering with someone who is blind or visually impaired.
“These volunteer [puppy raisers] are doing amazing work for the benefit of the vision impaired,” Schneider told The Dog People. “They’re raising these puppies and then they have to give the animals back—that’s really out of the kindness of their heart.”
A Soaring Labor of Love
This was Pilots to the Rescue’s first flight for Guiding Eyes. Usually volunteers with Pilots to the Rescue fly at-risk pets from high-kill shelters to safety. This helps give a break to volunteers who drive homeless pets from overcrowded shelters to no-kill rescue organizations sometimes for days on end—a task complicated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Plus, a 3-hour flight can be much less stressful for a dog than a 3-day car ride.
But whether it’s to fly pets to safety from high-kill shelters, or to benefit other nonprofits, “as long as it’s a good cause, we’re happy to do it,” said Schneider.
In 2021, Pilots to the Rescue transported 565 animals, primarily dogs and cats as well as sea turtles, endangered wolves, and foxes—all for free.
“Our goal this year is a thousand,” Schneider said. “I love these transports.”
Flying the Friendly Skies
For most of the January 12 flight, Fenway snuggled in the lap of Thomas Panek, President and CEO of the New York based-nonprofit Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Also onboard: Tabitha, a yellow Lab who completed her advanced training and was heading to Ohio to start her life as an official guide dog for someone who is visually impaired.
Panek’s own guide dog, Blaze, had to stay home because the full plane had reached its weight limit, so Tabitha filled in for him when they landed.
“When I came home, Blaze knew that I had been with other puppies because he sniffed my shoes and tried to figure out who I’d spent the time with,” he told The Dog People with a laugh. “But he flies with me frequently, so I’m sure he was happy to take the day off.”
On the flight home, Panek and Schneider returned with two more Labs, Ed and Fallon. Fallon is a puppy heading for advanced training, and Ed will be evaluated to see if he’s ready to be a guide dog.
Panek said the inaugural flight with Pilots to the Rescue kicked off a “wonderful partnership” that will help Guiding Eyes for the Blind continue to serve people who are blind or visually impaired, as well as those with additional disabilities such as deafness, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.
Sky’s the Limit
There are over 450 families volunteering as puppy raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind in different regions of the United States.
“We wouldn’t be able to raise 450 dogs ourselves,” Panek said. “So it’s the biggest and most important part of the program.”
Puppies join puppy raisers when just 8-11 weeks old. Regional managers host puppy classes and offer advice and support along the way. Volunteer puppy sitters care for the dogs if a raiser needs to go out of town and cannot bring the dog.
Guide dog puppies in training spend an average of 600 days with their raisers before heading to “college” for advanced training with Guiding Eyes. Puppy raisers may be eligible to claim income tax deductions for supplies like food and toys, but of course, most do it simply to give back in such a special way.
Despite the dedication of the nonprofit’s current volunteers (and the cuteness of the puppies), the pandemic has led to a critical shortage of puppy raisers. Panek hopes kind-hearted dog lovers will step up and help out.
“We have a long waiting list: about 200 people right now who are waiting for a guide dog,” Panek said. “I would just plead for people who are stuck at home because of the pandemic or who need something to do to bring a puppy into their life for the next two years. It gives them the benefit of having a dog and of doing something good during a very bad time. We would love to get more puppy raisers involved in our program.”
To donate or volunteer with Guiding Eyes for the Blind, visit: www.guidingeyes.org
To donate or volunteer with Pilots to the Rescue, visit: www.pilotstotherescue.org