New organization trains guide dogs for visually impaired

Originally published June 15, 2014 at 6:58 PM | Page modified June 16, 2014 at 5:05 PM

Meeting with Toby Willis, you may not notice his visual impairment.

He greets you with a cheery smile and a friendly handshake. He makes eye contact with you during conversation. He treads carefully but confidently, sans walking cane.

But you will notice his sidekick: a young German Shepherd guide dog named Dazzler. Willis, at 40 years old, has gradually lost his vision to retinitis pigmentosa since early childhood. He said his guide dog has been a big factor in creating a normal life for him, increasing his sense of safety and freedom, and expanding social opportunities.

Disheartened by the shortage of guide dogs available for visually impaired individuals in the United States, he was inspired to take matters into his own hands. In 2011, he founded Independence Guide Dogs (IGD), a nonprofit organization based at his home near Georgetown, to help train guide dogs for blind and visually impaired individuals.

IGD is run predominantly by a group of 30 volunteers, Willis included, as well as two certified guide-dog trainers and a few contractors. Their mission, he said, is to increase independence for individuals hence, the name of the organization.

Not only does (a guide dog) provide safer, faster travel, self-confidence and security, theres also a great social catalyst that few people think of, he said. You know, I often say, Nobody ever wanted to pet my white cane ... The dog allows me the opportunity to meet people, which is really important in todays professional community that requires that we be good networkers.

An estimated 12,000 people now use guide dogs in the United States, and the wait time is typically three to six months, according to Marion Gwizdala, president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users. IGD is the first guide-dog training organization based in Washington state and the second in the Northwestern United States.

After a long period of fundraising through small dinner parties, social-media promotion and outreach to corporate sponsors, IGD was able to train then match its first two German Shepherd puppies, donated by private breeders, with owners in the past couple of months. A committee of trainers and professional care providers reviewed each applicants health and mobility information, which included a video of the applicants walking to demonstrate their gait and stride.

Dazzler turned out to be a good fit for Willis, who recently retired his previous guide dog of eight years.

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New organization trains guide dogs for visually impaired