FREEDOM GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC

Currently Freedom Guide Dogs Places and trains 35 - 40 dogs throughout the east coast each year. Our waiting list has perpetually more than 50 people and continues to grow. The need is great and our resources are small. Our intention is to increase our general operating budget so that we may continue our steady growth and provide more people with independence and companionship that they need and deserve.
Our cost of producing one guide dog, from breeding, to training and placement is $30,000 with lifetime technical and moral support. The national average cost for a guide dog is $50,000, with our distinctive delivery of service we are able to keep costs lower. Guide dogs are placed at no cost to our clients and we receive no government funding. Freedom Guide Dogs relies on the generous support of individuals, foundations and service clubs such as Lions and Odd Fellows.

We have specific programs for those who need extra help. One is our Senior Program; whereas breeding specific dogs for the people who need a dog with a sensitivity to their age related challenges. Secondly we have our Special Needs Program. With the dynamics of our delivery of service, our "hometown Training" is a key in working with people who have additional disabilities, from missing limbs to Cerebral Palsy to balance issues and others including working around clients that are on dialysis. We create a dog to address all their challenges and are trained by our senior instructors. We also go beyond our service area to work with Veterans anywhere in the US.