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Applicants
For the purpose of managing the high number of incomming applications Freedom does not provide an online application. If you are interested in applying for a guide dog, please call, (315) 822-5132. We are currently limited to serving the blind and visually impaired in the Northeastern US and some Southeastern states. The wait for obtaining a guide dog can take up to a year and a half.
History
Freedom Guide Dogs is a non-profit organization, located in Cassville, NY, that breeds, raises, trains and places guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired through Hometown TrainingTM.
Freedom Guide Dogs was founded in 1992 by husband & wife team Eric & Sharon Loori. As experienced guide dog trainers, they took their knowledge of a new home-based style of training and applied it to Labrador Retrievers.
Program
Traditional guide dog schools use a facility-based method of training where the blind person must go to the school for a 3-4 week period to train with a guide dog. When training is complete the blind student brings the guide dog home with them.
Hometown TrainingTM allows us to bring a trained guide dog directly to the blind person's home where we train with them for 2-3 weeks in their own, familiar environment. This is all at no cost to the client.
This program has proven to be very successful. Today Freedom has more than 120 clients in 10 states throughout the Northeast because of their Hometown TrainingTM program.
 Facility
Our state-of-the-art kennel facility has all the amenities to make our guide dogs as comfortable as possible and is efficiently structured for the training staff. Completed in 2004, the Training Center offers heated floors, individual drinking fountains, groom room and barn curtain windows which allow for proper air circulation and also protection from inclement weather. There are also indoor and outdoor runs so the dogs can get plenty of exercise.
Our puppy enrichment center offers an array of tools to ensure a high level of growth and development during the first few weeks of puppy life. Equiped with heated floors and barn curtain windows (like the kennel), the Puppy Enrichment Center has ample space used for training and socializing the puppies. This is key in the early development stages for guide dogs. It will make for a better guide dog in the future.
Funding
Freedom receives its funding through foundations, organizations, corporations and individuals. If you would like to make a donation to Freedom Guide Dogs you can do so on our website by clicking on the "donate" button or send your donation to:
Freedom Guide Dogs, 1210 Hardscrabble Rd., Cassville, NY 13318 |
