Pine Tree Guide Dog Users (PTGDU)

“Opening Doors to Independence and Opportunity”

 

November 2026 Monthly News Update

 

Welcome to the Pine Tree Guide Dog Users Monthly News Update, a nationally recognized publication for guide dog handlers and others interested in the guide dog movement. Read the archives at www.PineTreeGuideDogUsers.org/monthly-news-updates.

 

Community Connect

This section features community updates and more.

  • Ready for your next adventure? Join PTGDU on November 4 at 6:30 PM Eastern for practical tips and clever travel hacks from Lynn Jensen, author of Best Kept Secrets for Travelers With Sight Loss. Whether you’re planning a quick getaway or a faraway escape, come pick up ideas to make the journey easier! Our annual fall membership business meeting will follow the presentation. Email us for Zoom details!
  • What’s on your wish list for PTGDU? As the year winds down and we look ahead to what the new year may bring, we’d love to hear from PTGDU members and friends! What have you enjoyed about our work this year? What could we do better? Are there topics, activities, or projects you’d like us to explore? Your feedback and suggestions help shape what comes next. Please share your thoughts with us!
  • Keep a good thing going! Renew your annual PTGDU membership for just $10 by paying online or mailing us a check. New to PTGDU? Join now and enjoy membership through December 31, 2027. There’s always room for another friend in the pack! Pay your dues or join PTGDU here.
  • ‘Tis the season for visiting! Before heading off to celebrate with friends or family, join Jake and Melissa of Forward Together for helpful holiday visiting tips to avoid common snags when bringing your guide dog into someone else’s home. A little planning can help keep tails wagging and spirits bright!
  • Santa’s wish list isn’t all gadgets and goodies! In “A Place Beside the Fire,” Jonathan Mosen shares wishes for a better world for people who are blind—including greater understanding, opportunities to contribute, and even an end to rideshare denials. Settle in for a holiday song that invites listeners to think beyond the presents and imagine what a more welcoming world could be. Listen to “A Place Beside the Fire” on YouTube or on your favorite streaming service.
  • Puzzles, games, and guide dogs! Looking for something fun for the kids or grandkids? Guide Dogs for the Blind offers a free downloadable activity packet with puzzles, games, and a coloring page to keep young minds busy and learning.
  • Dreaming of a getaway on the high seas? The latest episode of NAGDU Unleashed features firsthand experiences and practical tips for cruising with a guide dog. From preparing for departure to life aboard ship and exploring ports of call, there’s plenty to help you plan your next adventure!
  • How does your dog shape up? Guide Dogs for the Blind offers a hands-on guide to checking for your dog’s ideal body condition. The article explains how to gently feel the ribs, waist, spine, and abdomen, with a quick monthly check that can help you notice changes. Read GDB’s guide to body condition scoring to learn more about keeping your dog fit and trim.
  • Putting healthy habits into practice. Guiding Eyes for the Blind also offers practical weight management tips, including using kibble from meals as training rewards, choosing lower-calorie treats, and monitoring changes in weight and harness fit.

Advocacy Matters

This section features news on access and legislative issues.

  • What’s your next move? Every Crossing Counts has something new to share—a postcard with a purpose! PTGDU’s campaign encourages drivers and cyclists to help make street crossings safer for people who are blind or have low vision. Recognizing a white cane or guide dog is the first step; knowing how to respond matters, too. Our new postcard brings that message home with a simple question: “What’s your next move?” Take a look at the postcard and other free campaign resources at EveryCrossingCounts.org.
  • A closer look at accessible streets. Blind and low vision pedestrians were the focus of accessibility training recently held in Augusta for transportation planners, traffic engineers, and other professionals. Specialists from Maine’s Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Iris Network led activities using white canes and goggles simulating vision loss, highlighting barriers involving sidewalks, curb ramps, crossings, and signals. The training was designed to help inform efforts to make Maine’s pedestrian infrastructure safer and more accessible.
  • Can you spot the difference? A well-mannered guide dog and a mischievous pet named Mr. Butters share the spotlight in The Seeing Eye’s new PSA, Service Dog or Pet? Spot the Difference. Created with the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association, the humorous restaurant scene helps businesses understand service dog access rights and how to handle disruptive dogs. Watch the PSA, available with audio description, and share the free business reference guide.
  • A Colorado law worth citing. Advocates seeking tougher enforcement of guide dog access rights in their own states may want to point lawmakers toward Colorado’s HB26-1043, effective January 1, 2027. The law raises the maximum civil penalty against rideshare companies for covered discrimination violations from $550 to $1,300, requires service animal education for drivers, and strengthens reporting requirements. These provisions offer concrete ideas for advocates seeking stronger accountability and more reliable transportation for guide dog teams.
  • Next stop: Chicago! Save the date! The Blind Travel Summit heads to United Airlines’ headquarters in Chicago’s Willis Tower on April 29–30, 2027. The Blind Travel Foundation’s two-day gathering brings together blind and low vision travelers, advocates, and travel industry partners to talk accessible travel. Extra activities are in the works.

Guide Dog School Updates

This section offers brief updates about guide dog schools in the United States and beyond.

  • A new chapter is underway at Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind! Congratulations to Ashleigh Pace on her appointment as Executive Director. Ashleigh brings extensive guide dog experience and a strong commitment to Freedom’s mission. As she steps into this new role, we wish her and the entire Freedom family continued success!
  • A gold star for accessibility! Congratulations to Leader Dogs for the Blind on earning a Gold Hermes Creative Award for its redesigned website! With accessibility at the heart of the project, Leader Dog worked closely with a digital accessibility specialist to conduct multiple audits and implement accessibility best practices throughout the site.
  • New support for veterinary care. In response to soaring veterinary costs, The Seeing Eye has announced a new Veterinary Financial Assistance Fund for working Seeing Eye dogs, launching in 2027. The fund will offer assistance with routine, chronic, and emergency veterinary care, with eligibility requirements varying by type of support.
  • A warm welcome to Dogs Inc.’s new CEO! Congratulations to Veronica Thames on her appointment as CEO of Dogs Inc., formally known as Southeastern Guide Dogs! Previously CEO of Manatee Community Foundation, Veronica brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and healthcare. We wish her and the Dogs, Inc. team continued success in creating guide and service dog partnerships.
  • A new role for career-change dogs. Guide Dogs of America Tender Loving Canines has introduced a Therapy Dog Program for eligible career-change and retired dogs from its programs. Together with trained volunteer handlers, these dogs will bring comfort and connection to people in schools, hospitals, veterans’ organizations, and other community settings.
  • Room to grow! Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs are planning a new Puppy Development & Visitor Center at their Smithtown, New York, campus. The 30,000-square-foot facility will support puppy development and canine care, with enhanced biosecurity and a modern veterinary suite. Visitors will find interactive learning experiences and space for graduations. The center is expected to open in 2027–2028.

PTGDU Recipe of the Month

This section features a favorite recipe from the guide dog community.

Frozen Pup Cups

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation

Mashed potatoes and green beans aren’t just holiday favorites for the humans in the family—this frozen pup cup lets your dog enjoy a little Thanksgiving tradition, too!

Ingredients

¼ cup of your dog’s kibble

Water to just cover the kibble

¼ cup plain mashed sweet potatoes or regular potatoes

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

3 tablespoons unsweetened peanut butter, free of xylitol

A few plain green beans for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place the kibble in the bottom of a plastic cup. Add enough water to just cover it.
  2. Layer the mashed potatoes, applesauce, and peanut butter over the kibble. Top with a few green beans.
  3. Freeze for at least four hours. Remove the plastic cup completely before serving. Makes one large pup cup; divide into smaller portions as appropriate for your dog.

About Us

This monthly news update is a publication of Pine Tree Guide Dog Users (PTGDU), an independent, nonprofit membership organization serving blind and low vision residents of Maine and beyond. Founded in 1997, PTGDU works to promote the equality and inclusion of guide dog teams in all aspects of life. Visit us on the web or follow us on Facebook. And be sure to check out Every Crossing Counts, our campaign to help make street crossings safer for people who are blind or have low vision.