Bill Honors Service Animals Trained by New Jersey Non-Profit

Senator Anthony Bucco’s legislation to designate the Seeing Eye® dog as the official State Dog of New Jersey has passed the Senate.

The Seeing Eye, Inc. headquarters, the oldest guide dog school in the United States, is located in Morristown, New Jersey. They have trained and paired more than 17,000 guide dogs with owners who are blind.

“Seeing Eye dogs are the eyes and ears of individuals who are visually impaired,” said Bucco (R-25). “Without these guide dogs, many with disabilities would be homebound, unable to live their lives independently. Enacting this legislation will help our great state pay tribute to these intelligent canines and better inform the public about the wonderful work these dogs do on a daily basis for people with impairments.”

“For nearly a century, The Seeing Eye has been a pioneer and leader in the service dog industry, not only providing expertly trained Seeing Eye dogs to people who are blind and visually impaired, but in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities across the United States and Canada,” said Seeing Eye President and CEO Glenn Hoagland. “We are proud that all Seeing Eye dogs are born and trained in New Jersey and thank Senator Bucco and the New Jersey Senate for recognizing the Seeing Eye dog as a symbol of our great state.”

Senator Bucco’s father, the late Senator Anthony R. Bucco, introduced this legislation in July 2018.

“My father proudly introduced this legislation to designate these life-changing companions as our official State dog, and he has passed on his passion to support this wonderful organization to me,” added Bucco. “I will carry on my father’s legacy and champion this legislation in his honor, and I hope to see that it is signed into law.”

Currently, there are four primary canine breeds trained to be Seeing Eye dogs: German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador/Golden Crosses.