NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES 170 DOGS FOR RETURN OF PUPPY TRAINING PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW JERSEY-BASED NONPROFIT THE SEEING EYE®

Prior to Pandemic, Airport Hosted Special Training for 25 Consecutive Years to Help Visually Impaired Travelers Maneuver Airport Experience

Photos and Videos from Event Available Here

Newark Liberty International Airport recently hosted 170 puppies and more than 200 volunteers in Terminal C as part of a special program to train the next generation of puppies for their future roles as guide dogs to assist visually impaired travelers in navigating through airports. The Port Authority, along with representatives from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and United Airlines, teamed with volunteers from The Seeing Eye®, a New Jersey-based national non-profit organization that helps blind and visually impaired people achieve enhanced independence and mobility through the use of guide dogs, for two trainings on May 6 and 13.

Dozens of German shepherds, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, and Labrador/golden retriever mix puppies were led through Terminal C’s baggage areas, checkpoints and gates, AirTrain Newark, as well as a United Airlines plane and the airfield as part of the training. Port Authority police also helped familiarize the puppies with emergency equipment and vehicles and provided the families help to train the dogs to a demonstration of their K-9 unit’s bomb-sniffing skills.

“The pandemic put a hold on this beloved tradition at Newark Liberty, and we are excited to have it back at the airport,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “The last training in 2019 marked the 25th consecutive year that the agency partnered with The Seeing Eye, and we look forward to continuing the collaboration.”

“Even for the most seasoned fliers, navigating through an airport can be challenging,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “This partnership with The Seeing Eye helps create a better travel experience by familiarizing our airport staff in assisting those who are visually impaired.”

The dogs were initially placed with volunteer families from New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New York where they were socialized and taught basic obedience and house manners. After approximately one year with the volunteer families, the dogs returned to The Seeing Eye for a four-month formal training program with a professional instructor who taught them to guide a person. Following the training, the dogs are matched with a person who is blind or visually impaired.

“These outings provide important exposure and prepare each puppy for their future as a Seeing Eye dog,” said Peggi Howard, president and CEO of The Seeing Eye. “The puppy raisers look forward to our visits to Newark Liberty International Airport, and we are so grateful to the Port Authority, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and United Airlines for continuing to welcome our volunteers and puppies.”

“These types of opportunities are a win-win,” said Tom Carter, the federal security director for New Jersey for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. “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.”

“United’s role in this valuable training exercise is just one way we’re working to help people with visual disabilities better navigate the travel experience more independently,” said Kevin Cumiskey, regional manager, inflight regional training at United Airlines. “We’ve also made improvements to our United app and inflight seatback entertainment screens and work through Bridge, United’s disabilities business resource group, to help create a workplace and travel environment where all can achieve their maximum potential.”

Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye provides specially bred and trained dogs to guide people who are blind. Seeing Eye® dog users experience greatly enhanced mobility and independence, allowing them to retain their active lifestyles despite blindness. The Seeing Eye is a 501(c)3 non-profit supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, bequests, and other planned gifts. The Seeing Eye is a trademarked name and can only be used to describe the dogs bred and trained at the school’s facilities in Morristown, N.J. For more information on The Seeing Eye, visit www.SeeingEye.org, call (973) 539-4425, or email info@seeingeye.org.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency that builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. For over a century, the agency’s network of major airports; critical bridges, tunnels and bus terminals; a commuter rail line; and the busiest seaport on the East Coast has been among the most vital in the country – transporting hundreds of millions of people and moving essential goods into and out of the region. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, which today welcomes tens of thousands of office workers and millions of annual visitors. The agency’s historic $37 billion 10-year capital plan includes unprecedented transformation of the region’s three major airports – LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and JFK – as well as an array of other new and upgraded assets, including the $2 billion renovation of the 90-year-old George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority’s annual budget of $8 billion includes no tax revenue from either the states of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, visit www.panynj.gov or check out the Now Arriving blog.