Access Hotline for our Graduates

Access Hotline for our Graduates

Dear Graduates,

Guiding Eyes is pleased to announce the launch of the Access Hotline for our graduates. The hotline is available 24/7 and provides real-time assistance in resolving situations in which access is being denied by establishments, transportation, or other services. The hotline is also available for questions about access laws or situations. Graduates with active guides may call 1-800-974-4925 or email access@guidingeyes.org, any time, day or night, seven days a week.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind has been monitoring and participating in the national conversation about service dog fraud. When individuals break the law by representing a pet as a service animal, it can cause serious safety and access issues for our graduates.

Guiding Eyes currently provides health certificates to all graduates that are valid up to one year (depending on date of vaccinations.) After the initial certificate expires, we can provide an updated health certificate to graduates who bring their guides to the Guiding Eyes Training Center in Yorktown Heights, NY, for a check-up by a staff veterinarian.

We continue to issue I.D. cards and letters to all graduates certifying that each Guiding Eyes guide dog has been formally trained as a service dog and has been taught to be well behaved in public. While not required by law, these can be helpful in resolving access challenges.

The entire Guiding Eyes community works hard to make sure our dogs are bred, socialized and trained to be well behaved in public. Guiding Eyes remains committed to assisting our graduates and are pleased to add this enhancement to our comprehensive follow up services.