(CBS DETROIT) — Meet Mya and her owner Karen Burke.
“When I found out she was my forever partner, I tried so hard not to cry because I was so happy,” Burke said.
The pair have been together for about nine months.
“I’ve noticed particularly with this dog that I’m wanting to go out and explore my area more,” Burke said.
Mya is one of many dogs from the organization Leader Dogs for the Blind, which works nationally and around the world.
It’s located in Rochester Hills and has been providing guide dogs to the blind and visually impaired since 1939.
The organization is trying to get back to its’ pre-pandemic number of 200 dogs per year, but it needs help.
“It’s amazing. I am so much more independent and confident when I walk with a dog, more so when I walk with a cane,” Burke said.
Right now, the nonprofit is in critical need of puppy raisers.
“Each of our puppy raisers, they are supported individually by a puppy counselor and puppy coordinator from puppy development, so they are not alone in this journey,” Vijay Joshi, manager of puppy development, said.
Puppy raisers give up to one year of their time raising a puppy. During that time, puppy raisers will socialize their dogs and teach them basic obedience and other important skills.
“It’s very difficult to give a puppy back because we love them. How can you not? But the impact that each dog gives to our client, it makes the rest of it seem insignificant,” Joshi said.
By becoming a puppy raiser, it helps people like Karen Burke change their life forever.
“I would strongly encourage anybody who’s watching this segment to consider raising a puppy…because it gives people like myself a lot of freedom and a lot of more confidence to be able to travel safe and independently,” Burke said.
Seventy puppies are coming to the center soon.
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