Should the Seeing Eye dog be New Jersey's official state dog?

William Westhoven | Morristown Daily Record

Show Caption Hide Caption Seeing Eye Walking Tour Morris County Tourism Bureau hosted The Seeing Eye Walking Tour

The horse is New Jersey's official animal. The blueberry its official fruit and the common blue violet its official flower. New Jersey is very close to having official bacteria - streptomyces griseus. What it does not have is an official state dog.

Thirteen states have an official state dog. Maryland was the first to adopt an official dog breed in 1964 with the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Pennsylvania followed the year after with a Great Dane.

With the headquarters of the Seeing Eye based in his legislative district, and with the national service organization using downtown Morristown as a daily training course, Republican Sen. Anthony Bucco says the choice is an easy one.

Bucco, (R-25) is sponsoring a bill to designate the Seeing Eye dog as the state dog of New Jersey, in honor of the nonprofit group that has trained and matched more than 17,000 visually-impaired individuals with service animals since 1929.

Primary breeds trained for the Seeing Eye duty include German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and Labrador/golden crosses.

“We often take for granted seeing a stop sign, or the edge of a train platform, but for those who are visually-impaired, something so simple can become a critical or even life-threatening obstacle,” Bucco said. “Every day, Seeing Eye dogs are trained in Morris County to create safety, independence and mobility for those in need."

Seeing Eye spokeswoman Michelle Barlak said the idea has come up in the past, but never gained any traction among Trenton lawmakers.

"In recognition of our 90th anniversary, which is coming up in January, it seemed like a good time to pursue something like this," Barlak said.

"This legislation is a great way to honor all they have done for the thousands of people in need of a loving service animal in New Jersey," Bucco said.

Choosing an official state dog is not as easy as it sounds. Take for instance Georgia.

An effort to make the golden retriever the official Georgia state dog in 1991 was met by opposition by those who wanted the bulldog as the official dog. The bulldog is the official mascot for the University of Georgia and supporters thought that was the way to go. No agreement could be reached and Georgia, much like New Jersey, has no official state canine.

Perhaps New Jersey's decision will be an easier one.

Morristown residents and visitors, in particular, have come to embrace Seeing Eye dogs as part of the fabric of the community. Dogs in training are seen walking with volunteer trainers on downtown streets throughout the day.

Bucco introduced the bill, S-2849, without a sponsor, on Thursday. It was referred to the Senate Health Committee for discussion.

"I don't know why it didn't come up sooner," said Bucco, who owns a black Labrador.

"Talking to [Seeing Eye staff], I said I just can't see doing just one particular dog," Bucco said. "We researched it and they said, 'Yes, you can do the Seeing Eye as the state dog.' "

Seeing Eye offices are based in Morris Township, but the organization bases training from a facility in neighboring Morristown. After the dogs are run through the program, visually-impaired owners come to Morristown to train with the dogs before they go home together.

“We started the guide-dog movement in the United States nearly 90 years ago, setting the standard and linking The Seeing Eye and the state of New Jersey as pioneers in the service-dog industry," said Seeing Eye President and CEO Jim Kutsch. "Each year, hundreds of individuals travel to Morris County from across the United States and Canada to enhance their independence with a Seeing Eye dog, and our iconic brand is recognized around the world for the highest level of guide dog quality.”

Bucco added that the Seeing Eye also helps meet the needs of New Jersey’s veterans by prioritizing applications submitted by service members

Veterans are only charged a $1 fee for the cost of the dog, instruction and other resources.

“A Seeing Eye dog’s intelligence, loyalty, and gentle temperament make the animal an important resource for those who are visually-impaired,” Bucco added. “The goal of this legislation is to not only honor Seeing Eye dogs, but to also educate the public on how valuable these animals are for people with disabilities across New Jersey. I hope to see it become law as soon as possible.”

Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-19), who chairs the Senate Health Committee, said he was receptive to the bill and would be glad to work with Bucco to help move it "through the process" when the committee meets again in September.

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Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@Dailyrecord.com.

States with official state dogs