Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Time for Evaluation - GDA Online Auction


This is what your donation will support.


This coming Saturday, June 11, Dylan has her one year birthday.  She will also stay in Sylmar after obedience training for her 10 month evaluation.  You may remember that 3 days before she was to be evaluated in April, she went into heat.  They want to be sure to do the eval before she goes into a second heat.  There, they well see how she has progressed in the areas of sitting, staying, the formal come, and heeling.  They also evaluate her temperament and her ability to adapt.  Then they will evaluate if she would make a good breeder or decide to spade her and make recommendations how to fix any areas she may be deficient.

GDA is also having its annual online auction to raise money.  As you may know, GDA is self funded and receives no money from government sources.  Just one dog requires about $42,000 to raise and maintain for it's blind handler.  None of these costs are paid for by the handler.  I don't ask very often for donations for this or that, but I am asking you go online and see if something might interest you and bid on that item.  GDA and the blind handlers would be so very grateful.

Please visit www.guidedogsofamerican.org or click on Silent Auction

Meet Rebecca & Corra

Rebecca & Corra
“Corra is the best thing that has ever happened to me!” said Rebecca Mendez, who graduated with guide dog Corra in January 2015.

Mendez was born blind, but that has not kept her from accomplishing everything that she has put her mind to. “People had always asked me if I had ever thought about getting a guide dog. After college, I wanted to be more independent. I was starting to feel like my cane and my blindness were a barrier and felt like something was missing in my life,” Mendez said. “I had a lot of friends but I didn’t like to go out and ask for assistance. I just felt I need to change this and decided it was time to get a guide dog.”

Three days after arriving at GDA for class, she met Corra for the first time. “The trainer came into my room with her and there’s this beautiful dog and I’m holding her leash,” Mendez said. “She came right to me and she put her head on 
my lap from the very start.  At was then that I realized 
Cora was going to need me as much as I needed her," Mendez said.

Mendez said that the first time she took the harness 
in her hand “it was like magic.”
“I felt normal again. With a cane I felt like I stood out. 
With a guide dog I stand out but in a different way," said Mendez.
“I’m not hesitant to go and talk to people or ask for assistance. 
I feel like I can do everything that everyone else can do.”



With over 300 items, we hope you can find one thing (or more) you would like to bid on.

Thanks so much for your support.