Empire State Development Announces Groundbreaking of Guide Dog Foundation’s & America’s VetDogs’ New Puppy Development and Visitor Center on Long Island

Multi-Million-Dollar, 30,000-Square-Foot Center Will Expand Smithtown Campus and Help Serve More People With Disabilities, Including Veterans and First Responders

$1 Million ESD Grant Will Support Job Creation and Long Island Expansion

State-of-the-Art Facility Will Enhance Puppy Development, Veterinary Care and Community Engagement

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the groundbreaking of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind's and America's VetDogs' new Puppy Development & Visitor Center at their national headquarters campus in Smithtown, Suffolk County. The multi-million-dollar project will construct a new 30,000-square-foot facility dedicated to puppy development, veterinary care, training, community education, and public engagement. Supported by a $1 million ESD grant recommended by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, the expansion will create approximately 10 new full-time jobs, strengthen the organizations' longstanding presence on Long Island, and increase their capacity to provide life-changing guide and service dogs to individuals with disabilities, including veterans and first responders across the country.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "For 80 years, the Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs have been changing lives from their home on Long Island, giving people with disabilities - including veterans and first responders - greater independence, mobility and opportunity. This new center is an investment not only in the organizations' future, but in the people, families and communities they serve in all 50 states. New York State's support will help these nationally respected organizations grow their impact while keeping jobs, talent and an extraordinary mission rooted right here on Long Island."

New York State Department of Veterans' Services Commissioner Dr. Viviana M. DeCohen said, "For a Veteran living with a disability, a service dog can open the door to greater independence, confidence, and connection. The Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs do extraordinary work making those possibilities a reality, providing expertly trained assistance dogs at no cost to those they serve. This new center will strengthen that mission, expanding the care and training that make these life-changing partnerships possible. I thank Governor Hochul and Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight for their leadership and support. ESD's $1 million grant will help create jobs and strengthen Long Island's economy while expanding access to services that transform lives. This investment supports both economic opportunity and our shared commitment to Serving All Who Served."

Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs President and CEO John Miller said, "We are deeply grateful to New York State, Empire State Development, and the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council for investing in our future here on Long Island while we impact lives nationwide. This new center will allow us to grow our capacity, engage more people in our mission, and ultimately provide more life-changing guide and service dogs to people with disabilities, including veterans and first responders, across the country. This investment, along with support we hope to continue to receive from so many generous individuals and organizations during this initiative, also allows us to remain and grow on the Smithtown campus we have called home since the early 1950s, which is a win for our employees, our neighbors, and the community that has supported our mission for generations."

Long Island Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Linda Armyn and Dr. Kimberly R. Cline said, "The Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs are deeply rooted in Long Island, yet their work changes lives across the country. This expansion will create jobs, strengthen their Smithtown campus and increase their capacity to provide life-changing assistance dogs. By choosing to invest and grow here on Long Island, the organizations are also creating new opportunities for education and community engagement while advancing a mission with national reach."

The new center is the cornerstone of the organizations' Building for the Future initiative and will replace an aging building on the Smithtown campus with a modern facility designed to strengthen the earliest and most critical stages of every guide, service and facility dog's journey. It will include dedicated breeding, whelping, nursery and transition areas with advanced biosecurity features; a full veterinary suite; administrative and training space; and a visitor center that welcomes schools, community organizations, and the public more deeply into the organizations' missions through hands-on educational experiences.

The facility will also include flexible gathering space for more than 300 guests to attend student and puppy graduations, workshops, indoor training sessions, and other mission-focused events. Over time, the expansion is expected to support approximately 25 percent growth, enabling the Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs to raise, train and place more accredited, custom-trained assistance dogs - completely free of charge - while maintaining their nationally recognized standards of care.

Town of Smithtown Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim said, "When America's VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation chose to remain in New York and expand in their hometown of Smithtown-despite being courted by major cities across the country-it was a tremendous source of pride for our entire Town. As someone who proudly served in our military, I have seen firsthand the extraordinary, life-changing impact these organizations have on our veterans and first responders. I commend Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for recognizing the importance of this mission and making this $1 million investment. This grant will allow America's VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation to serve even more people, change more lives, and continue building an incredible legacy of service right here in Smithtown."

The Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs are nationally accredited nonprofit organizations that breed, raise, and custom train assistance dogs and provide them at no charge to those they serve. For 80 years, the Guide Dog Foundation has provided guide dogs to people who are blind or have low vision, while America's VetDogs was established in 2003 to serve veterans, active-duty service members and first responders. Together, their services include guide dogs, hearing dogs, service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, PTSD service dogs, seizure response dogs, and facility dogs used in military and VA hospitals and other therapeutic settings.

The organizations have called their Smithtown campus home since the early 1950s, building deep ties with Long Island employees, volunteers and community partners. Choosing to invest here rather than relocate preserves their existing workforce while creating approximately 10 new full-time jobs and increasing capacity for volunteer puppy-raising programs. Beginning at about eight weeks old, puppies are placed with volunteer raisers in homes, on college campuses and through correctional facility partnership programs, some of which offer participating incarcerated individuals animal training skills that can lead to future employment upon release. With construction now beginning, the facility is anticipated to open in 2027-2028.

The Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs project reflects New York State's continued commitment to supporting institutions that strengthen Long Island's economy while improving quality of life for communities across the state and nation. By investing in organizations that advance job creation, workforce development, education and community engagement, New York is helping ensure that Long Island remains a place where mission-driven organizations can grow, innovate and make a lasting impact.

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

About the Guide Dog Foundation & America's VetDogs

For 80 years, the Guide Dog Foundation (est. 1946) and America's VetDogs (est. 2003) have transformed lives by providing accredited, custom-trained guide, service and facility dogs to individuals who are blind, have low vision or have other disabilities, including veterans, active-duty military, and first responders with physical and emotional disabilities.

It costs more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train and place one assistance dog, but the organizations provide their services completely free of charge, empowering those they serve to Live Without Boundaries®.

Together, these independent sister 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations have placed more than 3,300 guide, service and facility dogs; support active teams in all 50 states; Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; Canada and beyond; and engage more than 1,400 volunteers annually. Accredited by Assistance Dogs International and the International Guide Dog Federation, the organizations earn top ratings from leading charitable watchdog organizations, including Candid, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.

Learn more at GuideDog.org or VetDogs.org.

Contact: ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313