Southeastern Guide Dogs provides its dogs and training to students free of charge. The school will provide the dog, equipment, training, housing and most meals during your training. Southeastern Guide Dogs will offer your service dog high-quality food, monthly preventatives, vaccinations, and the annual veterinary wellness visit – free of charge. However, you must have the ability to financially cover your service dog’s other veterinary expenses and general expenses such as treats, toys, crate, dog bed, etc.

Our service dogs restore independence, combat loneliness and anxiety, and bring light to the darkness of PTSD. They can interrupt nightmares and flashbacks, turn on a light in a darkened room, and indicate when someone approaches from behind. Their physical touch and presence create positive emotional responses. With unconditional love and loyalty, they become battle buddies for the veterans who need them and can help restore stability and wellbeing. With a dog by their side, veterans share powerful stories of renewed connections with loved ones and society once again.

Eligibility: To qualify for our service dog program, the applicant must:

• Be retired or inactive military, or approaching retirement within the next 3 months
• MUST have an honorable discharge
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Reside in the United States
• Have NO felony convictions, NO history/charges of violent crime, domestic violence, sexual offenses, animal mistreatment/abuse/neglect/cruelty, or protection orders against you
• If an applicant has a history of substance abuse (drugs and/or alcohol), a health professional must provide documentation of sobriety *Please note: a minimum of one (1) year sustained sobriety required
• Have no more than two other dogs at the residence
• Have the cognitive ability to learn training concepts and apply them consistently
• Have the financial ability to cover the expenses associated with the proper maintenance and care for the life of a service dog
• Be able to demonstrate the physical and mental ability to consistently handle, work, and exercise a 50-80 lb service dog
• Be able to demonstrate a need for assistance for one or more of the following challenges: PTSD*, mobility assistance, or seizures. *PLEASE NOTE: If applying for PTSD assistance, it MUST be military service-connected and the applicant MUST be in current treatment with a mental health professional
• Be able to provide a safe, loving, healthy, and stable home for a service dog
• Have an appropriate family/friends support system
• Pass a phone interview with a certified service dog trainer
• Pass an in-home interview with a certified service dog trainer
• Be able to complete a rigorous training course and reside in our campus dorm in Palmetto, FL for 12 days
• Be able to maintain a relationship and communication with Southeastern Guide Dogs for the duration of the dog/handler partnership

Please be aware that an applicant with any of the following conditions is NOT eligible for our programs:

• Any applicant who has had attempts or thoughts of self-harm within the past year
• Any applicant currently receiving dialysis treatment

The waiting period varies depending on how long it takes for paperwork to be submitted and any unique requirements an individual may need from a dog. On average, the waiting period is six months to a year.

Our guide dog students join us for 20 days at our Palmetto, FL campus. We offer private, single occupancy rooms, with a private bathroom, single bed, walk-in showers, closets, small refrigerators in each room, flat-screen televisions with cable, a desk for working, wireless access, and much, much more. We have two chefs on staff that provide healthy and delicious meals for our students. They’re happy to accommodate any special dietary requests.

We also provide guide dog training in pre-approved applicants’ home communities, depending on the circumstances, and the length of training time varies, depending on the person’s previous guide dog experience and skill level. This training takes place in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities.

No, however, you must be legally blind to qualify for a guide dog. The clinical diagnosis refers to a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best possible correction, and/or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.

“I thought I wasn’t blind enough.” We’ve heard that from many people with low vision who thought that guide dogs were for people who are totally blind. After they learn that legal blindness is the requirement and they experience the freedom and confidence a guide dog can bring, they tell us, “I wish I hadn’t waited so long!”

We do our best to match our guide dogs with qualified applicants as quickly as possible. After your paperwork has been turned in and your application approved, the waiting period ranges from about two months to one year, with an average of six months.

The timing of approval of your initial application depends on how quickly we receive your paperwork, including information we must receive from the providers named on your application.

After approval, factors that affect your waiting period include identifying just the right dog to fit your needs, with your unique lifestyle, activity level, and pace taken into consideration. If you are particular about requesting a specific breed, gender, or coat color, then your waiting period may be extended.

Eligibility: To qualify for our service dog program, the applicant must:

• Be retired or inactive military, or approaching retirement within the next 3 months
• MUST have an honorable discharge
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Reside in the United States
• Have NO felony convictions, NO history/charges of violent crime, domestic violence, sexual offenses, animal mistreatment/abuse/neglect/cruelty, or protection orders against you
• If an applicant has a history of substance abuse (drugs and/or alcohol), a health professional must provide documentation of sobriety *Please note: a minimum of one (1) year sustained sobriety required
• Have no more than two other dogs at the residence
• Have the cognitive ability to learn training concepts and apply them consistently
• Have the financial ability to cover the expenses associated with the proper maintenance and care for the life of a service dog
• Be able to demonstrate the physical and mental ability to consistently handle, work, and exercise a 50-80 lb service dog
• Be able to demonstrate a need for assistance for one or more of the following challenges: PTSD*, mobility assistance, or seizures. *PLEASE NOTE: If applying for PTSD assistance, it MUST be military service-connected and the applicant MUST be in current treatment with a mental health professional
• Be able to provide a safe, loving, healthy, and stable home for a service dog
• Have an appropriate family/friends support system
• Pass a phone interview with a certified service dog trainer
• Pass an in-home interview with a certified service dog trainer
• Be able to complete a rigorous training course and reside in our campus dorm in Palmetto, FL for 12 days
• Be able to maintain a relationship and communication with Southeastern Guide Dogs for the duration of the dog/handler partnership

Please be aware that an applicant with any of the following conditions is NOT eligible for our programs:

• Any applicant who has had attempts or thoughts of self-harm within the past year
• Any applicant currently receiving dialysis treatment