Celebrating a 25 Year Puppy Partnership at Newark Liberty

For the 25th consecutive year, the Port Authority, along with representatives from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and United Airlines, are teaming with volunteers to help train a new generation of puppies at Newark Liberty International Airport to prepare them for their future roles as Seeing Eye dogs.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. and will feature 80 German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Poodles and Labrador Retrievers that are part of the New Jersey organization The Seeing Eye, which helps blind and otherwise visually impaired people achieve mobility through the use of guide dogs.

The puppies will parade through Terminal C’s baggage areas, checkpoints and gates, and on to AirTrain Newark, a United plane and the airfield as part of the training to assist visually impaired travelers navigate Newark Liberty and other airports. The event includes New Jersey and Pennsylvania families who volunteer to raise the puppies.

Airport staff will take the puppies on a tour of Terminal C, while United Airlines will escort them onto a plane and to its baggage claim areas. Port Authority police will familiarize them with emergency equipment and vehicles, and treat the families helping to train the dogs to a demonstration of their K-9 unit’s bomb-sniffing skills. The event on Saturday is the second training exercise at the airport. Last Saturday, nearly 140 volunteers escorted 108 puppies through training.

“This is a much-anticipated annual tradition for Newark Liberty, and this year is particularly special, marking the program’s 25th year here,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “It’s a great source of pride for our agency and our volunteers.”

“Navigating an airport like Newark can be a challenge even for seasoned fliers. Through The Seeing Eye program, more than 3,500 dogs have trained at our airport, and we are proud to play a role in this important program,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.

“We’re grateful to the Newark Liberty staff for their support, and the pride they feel in being part of this important process is evident," said Seeing Eye Director of Canine Development Peggy Gibbon, whose organization is celebrating its 90th year. "Our puppies gain valuable experience from passing through security checkpoints, exposure to the noises of a bustling airport and boarding an aircraft. Experiences like these enhance our training program for these future Seeing Eye dogs."

“United is dedicated to providing convenient and comfortable service to all of our customers, and we are happy to supply an aircraft for Seeing Eye puppies to familiarize themselves with, along with our employees serving as volunteers,” said Mike Erbeck, United Airlines’ vice president at Newark Liberty.

"These types of opportunities are a win-win," said Tom Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey. "It's a win for the dogs, who have the opportunity to get familiar with the checkpoint experience so that when they come back with the people they are trained to assist, they'll be comfortable in the checkpoint environment. And it's a win for the TSA officers participating in this event because they have the additional opportunity to review and practice our procedures for screening service dogs."

The dogs are initially placed with volunteer families from New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New York. These families contributed to training and teach the puppies basic obedience techniques. After about 14 to 16 months with volunteer families, the dogs begin a four-month formal training program that prepares them for life as full-fledged guide dogs. Following the training, the dogs are assigned to a person who is blind or visually impaired.