810-UncMter Farming, Saturday, April 20, 1996
Vi!
JOYCE BUPP
York Co. Correspondent
GLEN ROCK (York Co.)
Sarah Grothc t wanted to raise an
animal as a 4-H project.
But Sarah does not live on a
farm. Her parents had no place to
keep a large animal for her to raise
and show.
Then a 4-H leader suggested
that she consider raising a puppy.
Sarah loves dogs. She thought that
was a wonderful idea.
This puppy, though, would be a
special one. It was bred and born
to do a very important job.
Sarah’s puppy’s name is
Arnold. Arnold was bom in Janu
ary 1993, and came to live with
Sarah and her parents, Judy and
Will Grothe, when he was seven
weeks old.
Arnold is a purebred black
Labrador Retriever. He and his
brothers and sisters in the litter
were bred to be trained as Seeing
Eye Dogs to help blind people.
But all puppies raised to be
trained as seeing eye dogs must
first have a chance to be a puppy
while they are growing up. Seeing
Eye puppies need a “foster home”
There is more than one way to climb a sliding board.
A training session during a 4-H club meeting helps Arnold become accustomed to
other dogs.
ids
Sarah Talks About Raising A Seeing Eye Dog
where they can run and play with
special human friends.
Raising Seeing Eye puppies is
an important responsibility. They
must have regular veterinarian
visits to make sure they are health
y and receive all their shots
against dog diseases. They are
only allowed to have toys made of
special materials that will not
break apart into little pieces when
they chew on them, so that they do
not choke or become sick. Groom
ing includes brushing and even
toenail clipping when they
become too long. The Seeing Eye
foundation pays almost all the
costs involved in the puppy’s care,
even the puppy’s food.
Several commands must be
taught to all Seeing Eye puppies
by their owners. They learn voice
commands which teach them to sit
and lie quietly, to stay when then
owner walks away and to come
when called. When Sarah eats
meals with her family, Arnold has
been taught to lie quietly at her
feet At night, he sleeps in a ken
nel near Sarah’s bed.
Seeing Eye puppies must also
go to “school.” They and their
"MR O*
Each dog and owner take a turn demonstrating their progress In working together
to team the obedience commands.
owners attend classes where they
leant to be calm around ether dogs
and people and to obey additional
commands.
Sarah and Arnold go to
“school” at a monthly training
class and 4-H meeting held at the
York 4-H Center. About 20 pup
pies and their owners take part in
these meetings. Some of the pup
py owners ate 4-H members and
some ate adults who want to help
blind people by raising these spe
cial dogs.
As part of his training, Arnold
goes many other places with Sarah
and her family. By going into
places like stores, banks and meet
ings, puppies learn to be comfort
aide around lots of different peo
ple and different situations.
Arnold even attends church and
Sunday School with Sarah. He
does not go to school with her
every day, though.
In March, the Grothes took
Arnold along to watch a St. Pat
rick’s Day parade. At first, he was
afraid of the drums in the bands,
but he soon became used to the
loud noise.
orfce
/iplng prepi
very Important Job In the Seeing Eye program.
When Arnold is about 16
months old. Sarah will return him
to the Seeing Eye Foundation. He
will be tested to see if he has the
behavior and personality of a See
ing Eye dog. If he does, Arnold
will then be given very intensive
training for four months. For three
months, a trainer will work with
him. Then for one month, Arnold
will be trained together with the
blind person that will be his new
owner.
If a puppy has not learned to
obey commands or does not
respond to the training, the Seeing
Missionary’s Son Stricken With Rare Disease
BELLEVILLE (Mifflin Co.)
Nine-year-old Jeremiah Brackbill
is struggling for his life in India.
While accompanying his mother.
Susan, who is a missionary advisor
for medical research in India, Jere
miah developed an illness called
Guillan-Barre Syndrome, which
attacks the muscular system.
Jeremiah is completely para
lyzed and on a life support system.
He suffers temporary blindness
and has had multiple strokes in his
brain.
His mother is by his side in the
Ludhiana Christian Medical Col
lege in India. The family plans to
transfer Jeremiah to a local hospi
tal when his condition stabilizes.
The expected cost is $25,000 to
$75,000 to fly him to the United
Eye foundation may give the fos
ter owner the chance to keep it
instead. Arnold is well behaved
and Sarah believes that he will
become a very good Seeing Eye
dog.
Sarah and Arnold have become
very special friends and she
knows it will be hard to say good
bye to him. But she also knows he
has an important job to do as an
adult dog. And while she prepares
to give him up, Sarah is already
making plans to adopt another 4-H
project Seeing Eye puppy.
States since the trip will probably
require a medically equipped air
craft. The acute attack of the dis
ease will require lots of therapy for
Jeremiah.
Jeremiah’s home area of Belle
ville in Mifflin County has rallied
to help him. A 1,200 pound black
Angus steer will be auctioned at
the Belleville Livestock Market on
Wednesday, April 24, at 3 p.m.
The steer is donated by Wade
deck, general manager of Valley
Protein, Inc.
The auction is one way to help
defray some of the expenses. Other
contributions can be forwarded to
Jeremiah Fund, c/o Lewistown
Trust Company, 100 W. Water St,
Lewistown, PA 17044.