Helping Those in Need at EWR
If you’re a dog lover and a travel lover, make sure you fly out of Newark Airport sometime soon. Recently, a local group called The Seeing Eye has begun training around 100 guide dogs in Termial C of the airport.
Labradors, German Shepherds, Poodles, and Golden Retrievers have been accompanying their their handlers through ticketing, baggage claim, security checkpoints, and even on board the planes. They’ve also been simply exploring Newark Airport and its many escalators, lounges, cafes, and more.
“The program has trained nearly 3,500 dogs to assist visually impaired passengers navigate busy airports, making air travel a little easier,” says Frank Radics, the airport deputy general manager, in an article by The Bark.
“We have to make sure the dogs are steady when there’s a lot of noise so they’re confident and it doesn’t scare them,” said longtime puppy raiser Jeanne Kollmer. “It’s so many different experiences you can have in one venue,” Radics says.
The airport has been hosting guide dog training for more than 20 years and if you missed them recently, don’t worry – the dogs will be back regularly.
About The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye is a philanthropic organization founded in 1929 and is currently located Morris Township, New Jersey. The company’s mission is to use seeing eye dogs to enhance the “independence, dignity, and self-confidence” of blind people.
As the world’s oldest guide dog school, the company breeds, raises, and trains puppies to assist and guide those in need (from ages 16 to senior citizens). In addition, it conducts and supports research on canine health and development to provide the best dogs possible.