New Jersey nonprofit Seeing Eye looking for volunteers to help raise future guide dogs
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBS) -- If you love dogs and want to help make a real difference in someone's life, becoming a volunteer puppy raiser for a New Jersey nonprofit could be a perfect fit for your family.
The Seeing Eye, based out of Morristown, New Jersey, pairs specially trained dogs with individuals who have blindness and low vision.
The organization is currently recruiting volunteers to raise puppies that will eventually become guide dogs.
"Our role as puppy raisers is to get these wonderful little babies and expose them to as much of the world as possible, and get them ready and prepare them for their future job as guide dogs," said Kim Winnington, an area coordinator for Seeing Eye.
"I think being a small part of assisting an individual to be more independent and travel safely is obviously rewarding," said Nancy Mittleman, a puppy raiser working with the nonprofit. "And you know, playing with puppies isn't so bad either."
Volunteers typically receive their puppy when it is 7 weeks old, and are responsible for providing love, care, obedience training and social exposure until the dog is around 14-16 months old. After that, the dog spends four months training with an instructor to learn the skills they'll need as a Seeing Eye dog.