Today's Article

아빠로 인해 안내견 훈련을 시작한 여성 

“This is the current 1puppy that I’m raising.”

Ever since Meghan Watson was a little girl, all she’s wanted to do is raise 2guide dog puppies.

“I had put together a presentation of how I wanted to become a puppy raiser.”

Her 3passion started when her father, who is blind, received his first guide dog from Southeastern Guide Dogs in Manatee County and she saw how much it helped him.

“Whenever he was using a guide dog he can do whatever he wanted to do. He could 4go for a walk 5by himself. He could go to the grocery store.”

That passion drove Meghan to 6turn her dream into a reality. Now she’s on her fifth puppy-in-training for Southeastern Guide Dogs. She raises each puppy for about a year ... teaching them a 7foundation of guide dog skills before giving them back - something that she says is not easy to do.

“It is not a great feeling giving them up. It is definitely hard, it’s 8heartbreaking. You put your time, energy, effort, soul, love, into these dogs for a year to 16 months of your life. You 9become attached to them.”

But Meghan says knowing that the puppy is going on to do great things is such a 10reward.

“Seeing how much they help and seeing them graduate as a guide dog is absolutely 11incredible.”

Incredible to see them become a best friend, and give someone 12life-changing 13independence - someone like her father. Southeastern Guide Dogs says they’re always looking for puppy raiser volunteers - a job that Meghan says it’s so worth it.