Meet Robert Torrance of Eye Dog Foundation for the Blind

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Torrance.

Robert, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Southern California. I was making good progress to become an animal keeper at the Los Angeles Zoo. On a whim, I moved to the North East. I had a strong feeling it was the right thing to do, and it was. I took a kennel assistant position at a well-known guide dog school.

Within a year, I was supervising the training kennel. This gave me the opportunity to observe the responsibilities of the guide dog instructors. The work the instructors did was what I wanted to do, and it turned into an incredibly rewarding twenty-year career. I completed a three year, hands-on, instructor apprenticeship program.

Primary instructor duties included training eight new dogs to completion in four months, instructing a class, with my instructor colleagues, of up to twenty-four blind and visually impaired individuals for three to four weeks. Visiting graduate guide dog users in their home area throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico to address any concerns a graduate may have. New applicants, we also interviewed in their home area.

I became one of the go-to people that would travel with short notice to visit a graduate in need. I enjoyed the travel and working one on one with graduates that I started to do this full time. This gave me the opportunity to move to Phoenix close to the best airport in the country, and I have been to many airports. I did this for seven years. This company had never had a lay-off in its’ long history. That was to change.

I was selected as part of a guide dog instructor exchange program to work at guide dog school in Victoria, Australia.  This occurred October, 2000 for a full year.  During that year I trained their dogs and instructed their students by their procedures.  There were similarities and differences in the way both school conducted their program.  I was able to share ideas and bring back ideas to my school.  It was an incredible experience to live, work, and experience Australia but what I will always remember was watching the Twin Towers fall September 11th, it was 1 AM Australia time.

My department was abolished eliminated and may other department were affected. This was devastating to me. I did not work for three years. I did obtain a two-year degree for occupational therapy and worked in this field part-time for two years. I then received a call from a graduate, that is also a friend, telling me that Eye Dog Foundation was looking for a qualifies instructor. I landed the position, and I am now doing what I love to do once again.

Eye Dog Foundation (EDF) is up against South Mountain nestled on four acres. On the property, there is a twenty dog kennel, puppy whelping building, historic two-story house with an attached dormitory, and walking path. EDF is a small but mighty organization. Established in California in 1952 for the exclusive training of German Shepherd dogs as guide dogs. The training facility was moved to Phoenix in 1990.

From the training facility, I train the dogs throughout the Phoenix area on the streets, in the stores, buses, light rail, and parks to safely guide a blind or visually impaired for their increased independence. Our puppy raiser coordinator and puppy raiser volunteers walk puppies these areas for exposer to the sights and sounds of Phoenix for about one year.

Once a dog is trained, I carefully match this dog with a blind or visually impaired that has applied to EDF, and the final training of a guide dog team begins. If a dog cannot guide safely or they just do not want to do this work, they may be career changed for a different service or adopted out as a pet.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a relatively been a smooth road. Sure there were bumps along the way, but I always look at the final outcome, the successful partnership of a guide dog with a blind or visually impaired individual. Every dog is different, and every individual is different challenging me to bring out the best in both dog and individual.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
What I am most proud of is the dedication of everyone who works or volunteers here. I could not leave the facility to train dogs or work with our consumers if I did not know that the kennel staff was taking excellent care of and exercising our dogs. I am proud of our amazing puppy raiser coordinator and volunteer puppy raisers that take puppies into there home to raise them to be well behaved and to expose them to various environments. Personally, I am proud and grateful to be doing this work.

EDF is known for its’ exclusive use of German Shepherd dogs for guide dogs. I like to think of them as the Mercedes Benz of guide dogs. It takes a knack to train them and the right person to use them as a guide. They are not for everyone. I love them because they are so intelligent, smooth walking, and loyal. EDF is one of only two schools that exclusively train German Shepherd dogs. Some schools have phased them out.

Eye Dog Foundation is a non-profit organization.  We are currently seeking public and corporate donations.  The support of a celebrity or band would be a great asset to our ability to raise funds.  The money would go to procuring more dogs as we have more applicants than dogs.  This would alleviate the wait time an applicant may need to undergo until a suitable dog is ready for them.  This is our greatest challenge and we thank you for your generous contributions.  

What sets us apart is our exclusive use of German Shepherd dogs and the ability to provide individual instruction to the blind or visually impaired community. This means that that the instruction will be conducted around the needs of the individual.

What were you like growing up?
I believe I was just a regular kid growing up and regular kind of guy now. I have always felt I should have grown up on a farm but being in the area I grew up in I had to settle for dogs, cats, and rats. I have always had a love for animals and the outdoors. I enjoyed gymnastic competing from grade school through high school.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eyedogfoundation.org
• Phone: 602 276-0051
• Email: edf.eyedog@yahoo.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Eye-Dog-Foundation

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