He won the hearts of millions of television viewers by raising the public’s awareness of the vital work of service dogs during his 14-month stint on the NBC daytime show Today. Now Wrangler the Labrador Retriever has won the honor of being named 2016 Guide Dog of the Year.
A 19-month-old guide dog-in-training, Wrangler is a national ambassador for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The non-profit organization, which launched in 1954, provides guide dogs for those who are visually impaired and service dogs for children with autism.
A diligent student, Wrangler will soon complete his final, formal training and will be paired with a person who is blind or is facing the challenges of vision loss. He will bond with his new person as they both spend three weeks training together at Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Yorktown facility.
Wrangler received his accolade (a trophy and a basket filled with toys and treats) during a presentation which followed the June 13th Guiding Eyes Golf Classic, which was hosted by two-time NFL champion and MVP Eli Manning.
The 2016 Guide Dog of the Year Award was presented by Canine Company President and CEO Jennifer Hill, who stated that Wrangler’s “…happy confident personality helped us all understand more about the important work these amazing dogs do, and we are proud to celebrate him with with the 2016 Dog of the Year Award.”
Photos courtesy of Canine Company
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