‘TODAY’ WELCOMES NEW ‘PUPPY WITH A PURPOSE’
TODAY Teams Up with Nonprofit Organization, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, to Help Raise Guide Dog
New Puppy Will Be Introduced Wednesday, January 14 on NBC’s TODAY
NEW YORK – January 12, 2015 –NBC’s TODAY is welcoming a new “puppy with a purpose” from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a nonprofit organization that provides trained guide dogs to men and women who are blind or visually impaired. For 18 months, the TODAY show anchors and staff will be part of the organization’s special “puppy raising team” to help train the puppy to become a guide dog. The puppy will be introduced live on TODAY, Wednesday, January 14.
With the guidance of an experienced dog handler, the TODAY team will help with the training in Studio 1A during the show. At the end of 18 months, the puppy will begin formal guide dog training with a professional instructor and will be matched with a person who is blind or visually impaired, providing life-changing independence.
“We are thrilled that TODAY is joining our training team,” said Guiding Eyes representative Michelle Brier. “The TODAY set provides a variety of socialization experiences essential for building a future guide dog’s reference library – and will ultimately help the puppy make a profound difference in someone’s life.”
Viewers are encouraged to help TODAY choose the puppy’s name, and can cast their votes starting January 14 on TODAY.com. To learn more about Guiding Eyes for the Blind visit: GuidingEyes.org.
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ABOUT TODAY
NBC’s TODAY is the news program that informs, entertains, inspires and sets the agenda each morning for Americans. Airing live from 7 am to 11 am ET, TODAY reaches more than 5 million people every day through its broadcast, and millions more through TODAY.com, the TODAY app, and social media platforms. Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Tamron Hall, Carson Daly, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb are the anchors and hosts, and Don Nash is the executive producer.
ABOUT GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND
Guiding Eyes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing superbly bred and trained guide dogs. Since its inception, the organization has grown to be one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, known for its accredited training programs and lifetime commitment to its graduating teams. Dogs not matched for guide work may become service dogs for children on the autism spectrum. Guiding Eyes is dependent upon contributions to fulfill its mission and provides all services free of charge to individuals who are blind or visually impaired as well as to families with children with autism. The organization’s Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. and its canine breeding center is in Patterson, N.Y. For more info, visit www.guidingeyes.org, like Guiding Eyes on Facebook (www.facebook.com/guidingeyes) or follow @guidingeyes on Twitter.
