On the Road with Barry – Chicago
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
3M ago
Day 1 This was a crazy one, just getting to this day. Long story short, my scheduled trip to western Illinois got cancelled really late. Like three days before I flew out late. I called the lovely ladies on Leader Dog’s client services team and within a day’s time, they had me connected with a gentleman whom had just been approved for services the day before! I gotta tell you, those ladies (Melissa, Laura, Paola, Shadelle, Julianna, Allison, Deena, and Lori) are just great. If any of you reading this need something, need to know something, or need to get something done, call client services. M ..read more
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On the Road with Barry – Carbondale
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
4M ago
Day 1 I flew into St. Louis this time. Carbondale, IL is about a 2-hour drive from the airport. I had a window seat and had a great view of the Mississippi River, the Arch, and Busch Stadium. It’s a completely different view from the first time I went over the Mississippi toward Busch Stadium. The old Busch Stadium, built during the era of unimaginative, cookie cutter ballparks, all decked out Astroturf. My family were on the last leg of the great American vacation. We’d pulled our Rockwood pop-up camper all the way to Michigan from Texas, and Dad had planned our return trip around a game in S ..read more
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Melissa Weisse Appointed as Leader Dog CEO
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
5M ago
Leader Dogs for the Blind today announced the appointment of Melissa Weisse as its new President & Chief Executive Officer, following an extensive, national search process. Weisse will replace Susan Daniels, who in May of 2023 announced her intention to retire.  Weisse is an industry-respected nonprofit executive with over 20 years of experience in fundraising and senior management leading staff and services that support people who are blind or visually impaired. Weisse has served as the chief philanthropy officer at Leader Dog since 2008. During this time, Weisse has grown total phil ..read more
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Blindness Awareness Month: Bringing Visibility to Vision Loss
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
6M ago
When asked what they’re most afraid of, a lot of people answer that it’s going blind. In fact, studies and surveys have shown that people are more afraid of vision loss than cancer; stroke; heart disease; loss of hearing, memory, speech, or a limb; or even premature death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 6 million Americans have vision loss and 1 million are blind. More than 1.6 million Americans with blindness or vision loss today are under the age of 40. The National Eye Institute expects the number of people who are blind to double by 2050. As we age, we are increasingly ..read more
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On the Road with Barry: Knoxville
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
6M ago
Day 1 I flew out of Dallas instead of my usual airport, Houston, so that I would be closer to my son’s water polo match upon my return. Weird flying out of another airport. I know exactly where everything is in Houston: parking, gates, caffeine, etc. It felt odd, but planes still fly from Dallas, just like they do from Houston and, apparently, the DFW-ers know how to make an automated faucet work. It’s the small things. I flew to Chicago for my connection to Knoxville. The time between flights was very short and the terminals at O’Hare are long. The flight attendant asked everyone with quick t ..read more
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On the Road with Barry: Green Bay
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
7M ago
Day 1 The trip this time is a little bit different. I’m making a stop in three major Wisconsin cities. I’m flying into Milwaukee, driving to Madison, then to Green Bay. (Just in case you were wondering, the Brewers are out of town, the Badgers haven’t started their season yet, and the Packers are in pre-season training camp. No sports joy for Barry on this trip.) I flew out at a seriously early time so I could get into Madison in time to get a lot of work done before it got too late. I landed in Minneapolis with plenty of time to make my Milwaukee connection, but we sat on the tarmac for thre ..read more
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Statement on Ethical Training and Care of Guide Dogs
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
7M ago
The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) and Assistance Dogs International (ADI) recently released a joint statement on the ethical training and care of guide and assistance dogs. As a longstanding member of both the IGDF and ADI, Leader Dog adheres to and endorses this statement. We wanted to take this opportunity to reaffirm our own commitment to the highest standards of care for our dogs in and out of the harness. From the moment one of our puppies is born, they receive top-notch veterinary care, proper nutrition and enriching socialization experiences. This foundation sets the stage ..read more
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On the Road with Barry: Georgia
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
8M ago
Day 1 This trip is the first time since I’ve been traveling for Leader Dog that I had to transfer flights in order to get where I was going. As the old saying goes, “Even if you’re headed to hell, you have to go through Atlanta first.” Indeed, I went through Atlanta, which means I waved my hands at motion-activated bathroom fixtures in three different airports, AND got to ride a train in between. In Atlanta, the inter-terminal train is called the Plane Train. It’s a nice name (rhyming is most always a good thing) and it makes you think you’re going on a ride at Six Flags. In actuality, the tra ..read more
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Firework Safety for Dogs
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
9M ago
  This Independence Day, many of us will celebrate the date with fireworks. However, our dogs (and other animals) may not appreciate this form of celebration. This Fourth of July, help keep your dog and others safe with these tips. Keep your dog inside. Dogs are sensitive to loud noises and smells, and the bursts that come from fireworks can be upsetting and disorienting to them. Let them stay home with the TV or radio playing to cover the noise, or put them in a quiet place if one is available. Keep the blinds or curtains closed to avoid the visual stimulation. Keep your dog distracted ..read more
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On the Road with Barry: Tennessee
Leader Dogs for the Blind
by Jennifer Wilkinson
9M ago
Day 1 So, I flew with the airline that shall not be named and I couldn’t help but wonder when the ugliness was going to start. Surely, there was weather somewhere, or the flight crew would be delayed because someone hadn’t had enough sleep, or something.  I acted as if my flight would be delayed, without any extraneous information otherwise. So much so that I was actually surprised when they called for my flight to board. The rental car was waiting for me, and my room was ready even though I checked in a couple of hours early. Thankfully, the ugliness never began. My travel day went as s ..read more
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