Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
gebdev

Gootter Vet Fund Announcement

We are excited to announce a fund that will help graduates care for their guide dogs by providing assistance for onetime veterinary costs up to $1500.  

A yellow lab sits on the exam table at the Guiding Eyes vet clinicEstablished by long time donors, the Gootters, the new “Gootter Vet Fund” will allow Guiding Eyes graduates to collaborate with Guiding Eyes’ vets and their own local veterinarians to help cover veterinary costs for minor procedures and diagnostic work.  Upon approval of a treatment plan and estimate reviewed by the Guiding Eyes veterinarians, the fund can cover expenses such as bloodwork, ultrasounds, and radiographs as well as minor procedures including dentistry and mass removals.  The ultimate goal of the fund is to return guide dogs to their work. 

“It is an enormous benefit to the vet department to be able to offer this assistance to our grads and dogs, and it has the potential to extend comfortable working life and offer the optimal care that these important dogs need in order to have successful working careers,” says Dr. Beth Brenninkmeyer, Guiding Eyes’ Chief Veterinary Officer. “We are so grateful for the support of the Gootter family for making a difference in the lives of so many. This fund offers us the opportunity to assist graduates in often much needed veterinary procedures that improve the well-being and quality of life not only for individual guides, but it provides a resource to pursue diagnostics and maintain connections with graduates and local vets that can lead to information to better advance our breeding colony. As a veterinarian, it is such a gift to have the ability to say Yes! to these important graduate requests thanks to the generosity of the Gootter Family” 

When speaking about the fund, the Gootters shared one of their favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Working with a Guiding Eyes dog is often a dream realized for many with vision loss, and the ability to keep their guides healthy and working for as long as possible will ensure the future belongs to these teams for years to come. 

If you are a graduate and are interested in learning more about eligibility, please contact the Guiding Eyes Veterinary Department at vetadmin@guidingeyes.org 

For more information on the Gootter Vet Fund or to donate, please contact Rebekah Cross, Special Gifts Officer, at 914-243-2211 or rcross@guidingeyes.org.