Coast Guard and Harry

When the Coast Guard's newest member Harry promotes National Safe Boating Week this year, he'll need a special life jacket designed for four legs and a tail. The golden retriever is a gift from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit guide dog school located in Yorktown Heights, New York.
Kathy Kraft, manager of the school's released dog placement program, received the Coast Guard's request for a dog that was trained and would thrive in a structured environment, would be comfortable near and on the water, and that could provide companionship for the 88 young men and women who are serving our country, many of whom are far from home. Harry now makes his home in the nation's largest Coast Guard station, located on Staten Island, New York, where he will have free reign to roam its eight waterfront acres.
The majority of the 500 dogs bred and raised by Guiding Eyes for the Blind each year is Labrador retrievers, with smaller numbers of German shepherds and golden retrievers. Guiding Eyes has a long history of providing service and law enforcement agencies with dogs that are "released" from its guide dog school program. A dog might be released to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration if he is an overly active "sniffer." Dogs have also been released to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies.
William D. Badger, Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are proud and honored to donate one of our magnificent dogs to those who sacrifice and dedicate themselves to protect our country."
Harry's official role will be that of Station Mascot. The New York Coast Guard Station participates in over two dozen public events annually; the next event is on May 12 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey, where Coast Guard officers will teach Boy Scouts
about water safety.
National Safe Boating Week runs May 19 to 25 and is a project of the National Safe Boating Council. http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/ This year's theme is "Life jackets float you don't."
Guiding Eyes for the Blind's mission is to enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and expanded horizons of opportunity.
The school is known for its superbly bred Guiding Eyes dogs, professional training and follow-up support services that it provides to the blind free of charge with funds raised solely through contributions. Guiding Eyes for the Blind does not seek government support. The cost to prepare a student/Guiding Eyes dog team is approximately $45,000. Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, New York and the Canine Development Center is in Patterson, New York.
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