Thank you for your interest in Guiding Eyes for the Blind's priority adoption program!  Since our founding in 1954, Guiding Eyes has bred, raised and trained more than 7,000 guide dogs and matched them with people who are blind or visually impaired, supporting the partnership for life.  Guiding Eyes provides guide dogs free of charge to our students; the cost is supported entirely by our generous donors.

Guiding Eyes spends months getting to know our puppies and dogs to make sure they're suited for guide work. Just like people, dogs have different personalities and want different careers. (And for some, that means a career as a pet!) Dogs who aren't suited to guide or other service work are placed in loving homes through our public adoption program. These loving, impeccably bred puppies and dogs are in high demand but are well worth the wait. 

All of our Guiding Eyes dogs have received superior veterinary care from the moment they are born. While the youngest adoptable puppies have not been trained, our career change dogs have a strong training foundation including socialization, house training, and basic obedience. They will require regular exercise and will benefit from additional training. 

Career Changed Dogs (1-3 years+) Our career change dogs have been highly socialized and intensely trained for almost two years at the estimated cost of $50,000+ per guide dog. Many donors give quite generously in return for our dogs, as a show of support for our mission: connecting exceptional dogs with individuals for greater independence. For tax purposes, a Guiding Eyes career-change dog's estimated value is $4,000. Any amount over $4,000 may be considered a charitable and tax-deductible contribution; we respectfully request a minimum donation of $25,000 ($21,000 of which is tax-deductible) for a career-change dog.

Priority Puppies (7-9 weeks) For tax purposes, the estimated value of a Guiding Eyes puppy is $3,500, and any donation above this amount is considered a tax-deductible donation. Individuals committing to a donation of $7,500 or more can apply to priority adopt a Guiding Eyes puppy, approximately 8 weeks of age. These puppies have very little formal training, but impeccable breeding and care.

We are grateful for your support of Guiding Eyes. Please use the form below to tell us about yourself so we can review and process your application.

Requirements:  

You must be 21 years of age or older to submit an adoption application. Any current animals in your home must be spayed/neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations. We will email all personal references (or call if email is not available).   Please notify them that you applied and to reply in a timely manner. 

For questions about this application, please contact Margaret Rooney at 914-243-2208 or mrooney@guidingeyes.org

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Please check the preferred characteristics for the dog you wish to adopt.

**Extremely Rare for Labradors

By submitting this form, I understand I am submitting an application for the priority adoption program. I understand that if I adopt a young adult dog, adult dog or retired guide dog that the dog will have a solid foundation of training and socialization, and that it is my responsibility to maintain the training of the dog going forward. I understand that if I adopt an 8-week puppy, that the dog has little to no formal training and it is my responsibility to provide the support and obedience training needed for the dog's growth and development. I also understand that Guiding Eyes staff has determined that this dog is best suited to be a pet and will not allow this dog to be used as a guide dog or service dog.