Pennies for Puppies

Seeing Eye Dogs, Guide Dogs and Service Dogs

Dogs that help the blind or other physically challenged people are invaluable to their independence.  There is more of a demand for the dogs than can be filled.  The dog must be able to be trained and the trainer must be very diligent and stick to the same rules everyday for about 18 months.   The other problem is that the trainer can become very attached to the dog, which he or she must eventually give up.  If however, the dog fails the test to be a service dog, the trainer is asked if he or she would like to adopt the dog.

According to Guide Dogs for the Blind it costs $84,466 to train a Guide Dog from birth to training the blind person how to handle his or her Guide Dog. Your club could contribute towards the training of a dog with a "Pennies for Puppies" collection.

You can watch a video on Guide Dog website or you can order  educational materials from The Seeing Eye to educate your club. If there is a local Seeing Eye Dog user, you might be able to arrange for him to talk to your club.

It takes a special type of dog and a very disciplined, caring trainer to train a Guide Dog/Seeing Eye Dog or service dog. If you see a guide dog on the street, Do not pet the dog. Guide dogs are working dogs and need to stay focused.

To read a true story about training a Seeing Eye Dog, click on Mac and Me. A picture of Mac is below!

Materials Involved:

1. A large clear plastic container to collect pennies.
2. Penny wrappers if you take the money to the bank.
3. Materials to make posters or flyers

 Steps Involved:

1. Ask your veterinarian where the closest organization is located that trains guide dogs or visit https://www.guidingeyes.org/ to read personal stories and learn more information about guide dogs.
2. Tell them your club would like to collect pennies to sponsor a puppy. Ask what educational materials they can provide. Ask if you can name the puppy. Ask if someone who uses a guide dog can come and speak to your club.
3. Call a meeting. Read the Compassion Education or a book from Kids Care Clubs Animal Friends Recommended Reading list.
4. Discuss how dogs can assist the blind, visually impaired and other disabled individuals.
5. Make posters and flyers about your collection. Use information from the organization's educational materials.
6. Announce your project in your school or organization's newsletter.
7. Try to obtain a large, clear plastic bottle for the collection. You can display a poster with the collection bottle.
8. When the collection is finished. Take the pennies to a coin counting machine in the local supermarket or to a bank. Get a bank check made out to the organization you are supporting.
9. Arrange for your club to visit the training center and present the check. If that is not possible, mail the check.

See Kids Care Clubs Animal Friends for stories and other Animal Friends projects and resources.   

"Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency."
Mahatma Gandhi

Pennies for Other Animals

Clubs like the Paws for Peace Kids Care Club, have adopted endangered species. The club held a “rummage for the rescue” sale to adopt a leopard named CHEETARO. They raised $1,310 for the Big Cat Rescue which helps animals living in sanctuaries.

Some organizations that help animals to help people and organizations that protect animals and endangered species are as follows:

The Heifer Project International, Little Rock, AR

National Greyhound Adoption Program, Philadelphia, PA

The Elephant Sanctuary, Hohenwald, TN

Puffin Project, Ithaca, NY

Phoenix Rising Sanctuary, Duvall, WA (Horses and foals)

Big Cat Rescue, Tampa, FL

Roots and Shoots, Los Angeles, CA