On Monday, December 16th, Guiding Eyes for the Blind surprised our CityTrack/Little Feet runners with dogs and a demonstration. Our middle and elementary school runners were able to meet the dogs that guide (and run!) with people who suffer from vision loss. These dogs are vital support systems for the humans they serve, legitimizing the age-old adage, “a dog is a man’s best friend.” Practice ended with dogs leading their trainers for two running laps around the track.

About the Running Guides Program:

The Guiding Eyes for the Blind Running Guides program is the only program of its kind in the world. These extensively tested and trained dogs enable people who are blind and visually impaired to run with only their guide’s support. For the first time, runners with vision loss don’t have to be reliant on human guides or limited to the treadmill. Having a Running Guide enhances independence, autonomy and overall physical fitness — whether the team is going for a casual run in the park or training for a marathon. For students who love to run, this training can be added on to any of our other programs.

You can learn about the full impact of Guiding Eyes at www.guidingeyes.org.