Guide Dogs Of The Desert Moving Out Of The Valley

NEAR DESERT HOT SPRINGS – Mindy Romero is one of many trainers at Guide Dogs of the Desert who have overcome the challenges of working in one of the windiest areas of the desert.

“Besides the allergens and the dirt and dust that blow around for the staff members here, it affects the dogs and it affects the clients that come in,” Romero points out.

Romero also notes that some of her clients are hearing-impaired, so the wind creates a problem when communicated with them.

“If you can imagine trying to talk to them and discuss how to do obiedience with these dogs outside when that wind is blowing, it makes it tough to communicate.”

So with the continuing weather issues, Guide Dogs of the Desert is moving out of the area and into a new Hemet location planned for next year.

The new Guide Dogs facility is five acres of flat land,Executive Director Roccie Hillsays. Their currentl location near Highway 62 is”in a gully, a hillside, rough land.”

Eighty-six students are on the waiting list at Guide Dogs. The average wait is four years. The new Hemet location should be large enough to cut that waiting list in half. Guide Dogs of the Desert says it tried to stay in the desert.

“We actually looked high and low foreight months for another place within the Coachella Valley,”Hill revealed. “We met everywhere from Indio to Palm Springs and couldn’t find a suitable site where we would have permission to have our kennel.”

Guide Dogs of the Desert is keeping its name andsays fundraisers will continue as planned. The final negotiations for their new Hemet location are continuing. The charity plans to hold an open house when they move next year.Administrative officeswill remain at its current locationand the guide dog depot will also remain open in downtown Palm Springs.

You can visit the Guide Dogs of the Desert website at http://www.guidedogsofthedesert.org/.