Mission: Southeastern Guide Dogs transforms lives by creating and nurturing extraordinary partnerships between people and dogs.

About Us

• BEYOND THE DARK: Experience darkness in a whole new light. Step into the shoes of someone living with blindness. GuideDogs.org/dark
• CAMPUS TOURS: Tours resume this fall. See what it takes to train and match extraordinary guide, service, and companion dogs
• WALKATHON 2023: The largest fundraiser of the year takes place between March and April in five Florida cities. Visit GuideDogsWalkathon.org
• FOUR DECADES OF GIVING: Since 1982, we’ve offered dogs and services at no cost to people who need them most
• 1,200+ PUPPIES AND DOGS: Your kindness ensures the well-being of dogs on campus and with volunteers and alumni across the U.S.
• 630+ ACTIVE TEAMS: Friends and partners provide our guide and service dogs with food, preventatives, and veterinary care—free of charge.

Some people are blind from birth, and some lose vision in an instant. One day they’re driving to work or looking into the eyes of a child, and the next day, their world goes dark. Some people go blind in combat, fighting for freedom. Veterans return home with post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares, and flashbacks so severe that it feels safer to never leave the house. 

When people lose vision—it’s easy to lose hope. When veterans lose hope—it’s easy to give up everything. But there is hope. Hope can be found in the magic between humans and dogs. And hope can be found in you.

Our organization operates the most advanced training facilities of any service dog organization in the world. Our experts breed, raise, and train elite working dogs—including guide dogs, service dogs, and skilled companion dogs—and provide life-changing services for people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities, and children with significant challenges such as vision loss or the loss of a parent in the military. Southeastern Guide Dogs has successfully created thousands of guide dog and service dog teams throughout the United States since our inception in 1982, and currently oversees the well-being of over 1,200 puppies and dogs.

All of our services—which include state-of-the-art research on canine health and development; selective breeding; expert dog training; comprehensive on-campus student instruction; and the most robust alumni support program in North America—are provided at no cost to our clients.

Our dogs are no ordinary dogs. We breed, raise, and train Labrador retrievers. Our education, socialization, fitness, and training strategies lead our dogs through career paths from our Puppy Academy to puppy raiser homes to Canine University for advanced skills training and ultimately to commencement. Based on their personality, health, temperament, trainability, and suitability for specific careers, most of our dogs enroll in one of our training programs. 

Guide dogs offer independence and freedom to people with vision loss restoring confidence and dignity. Service dogs help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, overcome anxiety, and get their lives back. Facility therapy dogs provide therapeutic comfort to veterans and families in military medical facilities and high-stress military bases around the nation. Emotional support dogs offer companionship to veterans while restoring a more active lifestyle. Gold Star Family dogs give the gift of comforting friendship and hope to children and families who have lost a loved one in service to the nation. Kids Companion dogs enhance independence and confidence for children with vision loss, preparing the way for a future guide dog. 

We would not be able to sustain our mission and give freedom and hope to the people who need it most without the help and support of our generous donors and partnerships. Your generosity makes a remarkable impact. There are many ways to lend a paw such as sponsoring a puppy, donating, fundraising through our Walkathon, and volunteering.  Your compassion restores freedom, confidence, and hope to people with vision loss, veterans, and children—nationwide.

“I feel more confident, and safer, too, that there is someone looking out for me,” -Clare Weigel & Guide Dog Fin, Tampa, Florida (Pictured) 

Southeastern Guide Dogs
4210 77^th Street East, Palmetto, FL 34221 
(941) 729-5665 
guidedogs.org