Mermaid Cottages is proud to sponsor service dogs through three awesome programs, including our Beach Bum Biscuits. Proceeds from the sale of our biscuits go to support service and guide dogs!
Mermaid Cottages has always sponsored Guide Dogs and this is just another way we can continue these awesome programs of service into the future!
Contributions from Mermaid Cottages rentals and the sale of Beach Bum Biscuits help support these important programs:
Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Puppy Sponsorship Program
Your stay with Mermaid Cottages will continue the efforts to support Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Puppy Sponsorship Program, which make it possible for disabled individuals to realize their independence through the use of a service dog. These programs also assist returning soldiers with a variety of needs including post traumatic stress disorder.
The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
Your stay with Mermaid Cottages will also support The Guide Dog Foundation For the Blind. Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence.
Meet the Mermaid Cottages Sponsored Service and Guide Dogs
Tybee
“Tybee is being named to honor Diane Kaufman of Mermaid Cottages Vacation Rentals, Tybee Island Georgia. Diane manages beach rentals on Tybee Island that are pet friendly. The pet deposits on the rentals are donated directly to animal charities, including Southeastern Guide Dogs! In fact, when we held our Puppy Conference in February of this year, Diane donated several rentals to accommodate our out of town attendees from Atlanta and Statesboro, as well as Christie (our Regional Manager), Marisa (a trainer from Southeastern Guide Dogs), and the three dogs they brought along! The people at Visit Tybee also donated some goodies for our new pup as well!
Southeastern Guide Dogs and Savannah Puppy Raisers are so appreciative of Diane for her support and her generosity, so what better way to thank her than to name a puppy for her! We can’t wait to introduce the newest member of the Savannah Puppy Raiser pack to everyone tomorrow! Stay tuned to see what little Tybee looks like. If you want to follow along with his adventures, follow him on Instragram at @raisingtybee” – Savannah Puppy Raisers
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Moose
“I hope you are doing well. I wanted to touch base with you and let you know how K9 Moose was doing. If you recall he was named “Toby” and was horribly ill with Mange. Attached are two recent photos of him and one of he and his handler (on Scene of their first Case, made by Moose). The third photo above titled K9 Moose 3 was taken at my home the night he was donated to us. Thank you again for all of your assistance.”
Sincerely
K-9 Officer Joe Wolff
Division of Law Enforcement
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“Knight is doing well with his Guide Dog Training! He is training in-harness now…that is always good news. There do not seem to be many issues to be worked on…. Keep praying he keeps progressing so we get the call that he is ready to be matched!” -Sandy, Knight’s Puppy Walker
Welcome Knight, the newest Mermaid Cottages sponsored puppy in training! How cute is he?! Knight got his name thanks to everyone voting in our Name That Puppy Poll on our Mermaid Cottages Facebook Page. Knight won with 62% on the vote. The name was submitted by Rob S. from Florida in honor of a good friend that passed unexpectedly November 23, 2011 at the young age of 36. Albert Knight, Jr. gave of himself each year by participating in the Relay for Life. He continued giving after his passing through organ donation and even a donation to Locks of Love. Since childhood, Al enjoyed spending much of his time at the beach and always lived life to the fullest, as if each day was his last. And now, his name will be carried on and his memory honored through the life of Knight, our newest sponsored guide dog!
Sandy, Knight’s official Puppy Walker, tells us that he is a very sweet and calm puppy so far. We are so proud to welcome Knight to the Mermaid Cottages family and can’t wait to follow his journey to becoming an official Guide Dog.
Tony, our sponsored pup from Spring 2009, is doing so well! He has graduated from the Southeastern Guide Dogs Program and is now a working guide dog! Guide dog Tony was named after a dear friend here on Tybee, Tony Petra, Jr., that we lost way too soon. Tony loved animals of all kinds and we just know he is happy that his namesake is doing so much good in the world as a service dog. We are so proud of our sweet Tony and all of his guide dog success!
It is with great joy we tell you that Clarke was matched in June 2009 with his blind partner, Joyce. Clarke is one of the first dogs we sponsored who trained at Southeastern Guide Dogs’ School in Palmetto, FL. They both are quite laid back and easy going and, from all appearances, will be great companions for a very long time. Clarke’s truest challenge might be living with Joyce’s six birds!! No doubt, he’ll do just fine.
Berkeley Springs has graduated and been assigned! April 10th, 2011 was Celebration Sunday, graduation day! His new forever friend is from Kentucky and is a first timer with Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. Not only did Berkeley Springs graduate, but he also got to meet his sponsors, and his wonderful Puppy Walker, Sandy Leandro (standing to the right in the picture above)!
We’ve sponsored several puppies through the Smithtown, NY Guide Dog Foundation, and they all make our hearts swell with pride. We are so proud of our star graduate and his success! We wish him and his new person all the best! Congratulations Berkeley Springs!
Erik was given a career change in 2007 due to medical issue. We are happy to report that Erik is currently embarking on a new career as a Hearing Dog for 5 year old Jay Lommel. Jay, born deaf, recently received a cochlear implant, and with his new pal Erik will hopefully be on his way to speaking as well as hearing. Erik is receiving his new training at Polite Paws in Bluffton, SC, courtesy of owner, trainer Robin Walter. Erik is also from the Southeastern Guide Dogs Program.