Free Eye Exams for Service Dogs at CARES in Langhorne

Langhorne, PA -- She comforts children who are victims of violent crimes before they testify at the courthouse. She helps students at Willow Dale Elementary School feel safe when an officer appears on campus, after a string of nationwide school shootings. Gracie is a mixed breed rescue pup who, for the past 8 years has brought joy and calm during very important and stressful times for young people. She interacts with children who have emotional disabilities or reading challenges and even children who just need to de-stress before testing. "The children form a real bond with her," says Scott Vinall, Gracie's owner. "They even got special permission from the principal to have Gracie attend graduation!" (see photo)

No doubt Gracie has an important job and that job could not be done, if it wasn't for her excellent eyesight. That's why Gracie is helping to spread the word about a free eye exam event for service animals.

Now through April 30 service dog owners can register online for a free eye exam at CARES in Langhorne, to take place in May. Dr. Martha Low, board certified veterinary ophthalmologist at CARES will provide free eye exams to eligible service animals throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. They include guide dogs, handicapped assistance dogs, police dogs and more. Dr. Low's participation is part of a national effort (organized by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists) of more than 260 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists in the U.S. and other countries who provide free sight-saving eye exams to thousands of service animals annually. "I love participating in this event," says Dr. Low. "It allows us to really see the impact of our work and provides a screening for early detection of ocular diseases. With early detection, diseases that can potentially cause blindness may be caught and treated early, helping these important service animals keep their vision."

This will be Gracie's first year attending the free event. "As the handler of a therapy dog, I think the eye eye exam event at CARES is of critical importance," says Scott. "Service and therapy dogs perform vital, and in many cases life saving functions to a large segment of our population. Without their eyesight their effectiveness would be severely diminished."

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2018 EVENT:

To qualify, service animals must be active “working animals” that were certified by a formal training program or organization or currently enrolled in a formal training program. Owners of the animal(s) must FIRST register the animal via an online registration form at www.vetcares.com/acvo Registration ends April 30th. Once registered online, the owner can contact CARES directly to schedule an appointment, during the month of May. Appointment dates and times are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, visit

www.vetcares.com/acvo

CARES' state-of-the-art veterinary facility in Langhorne, PA is open 24/7 for emergency and specialty needs. Our compassionate, board-certified veterinary specialists and clinicians are dedicated to bringing pet owners the most advanced veterinary care. The CARES team is a group of exceptional individuals, hand selected over time, with expertise in the areas of Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Clinical Pathology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency & Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Oncology, Ophthalmology and Surgery. CARES is located at 2010 Cabot Boulevard West, Suite D in Langhorne. For more information, visit www.vetcares.com

About Dr. Martha Low, DACVO:

Dr. Low is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery, followed by a three-year residency at CARES before coming on board as a full-time member of the ophthalmology staff. She treats a wide range of ophthalmic diseases, utilizing the most advanced technology, including laser surgery. Dr. Low is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.