Guide Dogs for the Blind still pride of Marin

There are not many businesses, let alone nonprofits, that can celebrate their 80th birthday. But it is no surprise that Guide Dogs for the Blind, based in San Rafael, is not only marking that impressive milestone, but thriving.

For generations, it has provided trained dogs that further the goals of blind and visually impaired men and women to live independent lives. Its strong support in our community and across the nation has enabled it to build and grow a campus where puppies are raised and later trained, along with their future human partners.

Together, they learn to maneuver through neighborhood and city streets with confidence. The dogs are usually better at stopping at crosswalks than humans with

20/20 vision.

For years, the well-known nonprofit has prepared service dogs and trained them and their partners for free, not only providing personalized training, but also financial assistance for veterinary care.

More than 16,000 partnerships of well-trained canines and their human partners have graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind, which got its start in 1942 with a dream by Lois Merrihew, Don Donaldson, Hazel Hurst and many volunteers to offer a guide dogs program on the West Coast.

The need was even clearer as wounded servicemen were returning from the warfronts of World War II having lost their sight.

They started in a rented home in Los Gatos. One of their first trained pups was a German Shepherd named Blondie, who was eventually paired with Sgt. Leonard Foulk, a 26-year-old veteran who had lost his sight after being wounded in the Battle of Attu.

They were among the new school's first graduating classes.

The young organization also joined forces with the American Women's Voluntary Services, among the largest American women's service organizations in the United States during the war.

The school moved from Los Gatos to San Rafael in 1947.

According to the organization's website, Merrihew, who had been told by another program that women were not emotionally or physically suited to be trainers, became the first woman to be a licensed dog guide instructor under the state's 1947 licensing standards.

Over the years, thanks to its renowned reputation and strong support from donors, the program has grown and thrived.

For many years, its trainers and trainees — canine and human — were a common sight on the streets of downtown San Rafael.

In 1995, it built a second campus in Boring, Oregon.

Even the pandemic didn't slow down the agency. It had to make some logistical adjustments, but it didn't turn anyone away from needed services.

“It's really overpowering to be able to see our clients regain some independence with the help of these dogs,” says Guide Dogs trainer Melanie Harris.

The campus continues to grow and improve its programs and research, such as work toward significantly increasing the “graduation” rates of its prospective guide dogs, training dogs to be paired as partners with people who need dogs for companionship, not necessarily as guides. The nonprofit is also looking forward to hosting more oncampus events.

Guide Dogs is looking forward with its lens focused on what it has done best for 80 years — changing lives for the better.

Happy birthday to Guide Dogs for the Blind. We are lucky and proud that you are part of our Marin community.