Meet Raphi, a black lab who turned one year old on September 9. He is being raised and trained  by Mrs. McCarthy in the library. He enjoys, “playing ball out in the yard” and “going on walks which is great for his training,” exclaimed Mrs. McCarthy. He is here to be in, “as many social settings as possible for the 12 to 15 months that he’s  here,” said Mrs. McCarthy. In December when he returns. The Seeing Eye in New Jersey for another three to four months of training, he is not scared of things and the world. The Seeing Eye is a non profit organization to help the visually impaired and dogs like Raphi will be a service dog.

     Raphi at Hamburg is a great experience because so many of the experiences are here for example pep rallies, football games, the halls, walking in crowds. It allows him to be in multiple social settings which will help him later on. Come see him when walking by in the halls in the morning, or even stopping by during flex and even getting your printer picked up in the library. 

     Hannah Kristiniak, junior at Hamburg explained that, “Raphi helps provide a positive atmosphere at school and he brightens students mood when they visit him.”

     Hannah also said “If I am having a bad day, I can go and pet him to cheer me up. Not only is Raphi’s presence at school beneficial to the students, it’s also beneficial to him because he gets the training he needs for The Seeing Eye.” So come down to the library and meet him before we have to say goodbye in December. 

     Check out The Seeing Eye and all the amazing work they do:   www.seeingeye.org/.