My name is Leela and, as Nora barked last week, I am honored to guide my dad Larry Harper, a BVA Member from Brandon, Mississippi. I am also honored to have been selected as the Ambassadog for the month of June. Although I will have plenty to say throughout this month, I must toss the frisbee back to Nora for a report on what was a life-changing week for her in Phoenix, Arizona. Here she goes: 

Wow, what a week with Waymo! My dad Sheldon and I, along with two other BVA Ambassadog teams, Donald (Teresa Galgano), and Kent (Robert Sanchas), BVA National Executive Director Donald Overton, and National Development Director Meredith Buono-Dagrossa were hosted by Waymo and their video production team in Phoenix this week. I have been waiting patiently for months to hail a ride in one of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles and this week my wish came true. Our team was offered the opportunity to participate in a special video shoot focusing on the accessibility and life-changing technology these vehicles will provide for our blinded veterans and their canine companions. 

As guide dogs, we work our paws off to provide opportunity, independence, and companionship to those we guide, many times in a world that is not always accessible. A tear rolled down everyone’s cheeks as we climbed into a vehicle that welcomed all of us, realizing that this accessible technology now opens a new level of independence and dignified, non-judgmental travel that we have yet to fully experience. The hope for our future that Waymo offers—where we can depend upon transportation that is safe, dependable, and accessible to all people with disabilities—most definitely makes our tails wag with approval.

Sheldon requested that I not share too much since the video will tell the whole story when it is featured next month at the convention in Jacksonville. Special licks and kisses go out to Waymo’s Amanda Zink and her team for providing this special opportunity to us Ambassadogs and our blinded veterans. It is now time to toss the frisbee back and permanently turn the “microbone” over to Leela:

This is Leela back with you. I am a three-year-old black lab trained at the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown, New York.  This month marks my two-year anniversary of providing independence and companionship to my dad. Like many dogs, I love hopping, jumping, chasing balls, and playing with tree limbs. Dad and I have traveled to places such as Colorado, Tennessee, and Indiana, just to name a few.  Last year, I attended my first Blinded Veterans Association Convention in St. Louis and am thrilled to be heading to Jacksonville in a few short weeks. This month I will bring you lots of “tails” of our adventures and special BVA announcements.

I’ll be back next week to share more with you. If you are a BVA member and interested in having your dog featured in the Ambassadog Scoop Series, please send a message via email to bva@bva.org.