Guide dog helps mom complete her university degree, graduating with honors

In 2018, Isabella Scott, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, decided she wanted to go to college to major in biology with a major in music. But the enthusiastic freshman knew she couldn’t do it alone, so she took O’Hara every step of the way.

O’Hara is currently a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and Scott’s guide dog. Over the course of four years, the duo attended classes, studied together, and participated in lab sessions. In May, Scott graduated with her degree, with O’Hara, adorned with identical, loyal chains of honor at her side.

Scott documented much of their journey on the TikTokwith some viral videos, something the now 22-year-old Scott never expected.

@ my.eyes.ohara You deserve all the best girls appPAWS in STEM! 🦮🎓 #boston #graduation #university #massach Massachusetts #service dog #guide dog #dog ♬ Sentimental Music II (Duet) – Curtis Schweitzer

We spoke to Scott, who told us all about her graduation path with O’Hara.

Diagnostic task

Isabella Scott was born with healthy eyesight. Her parents took both Scott and her brother to optometry appointments, which consistently showed normal vision – until Scott was six years old.

“My parents started to notice that when I read to them before bed, I would start holding the book closer and closer to my face,” recalls Scott. “Then my father began to observe that when I was looking at something or talking to someone, I would look slightly towards whatever or whoever I was looking at.”

The first optometrist concluded that Scott had no problem with her eyesight. Instead, Scott said it was determined she had a “behavior problem,” which she and her family know is not the case.

Her vision problems continued, and Scott’s parents sought help from Boston Children’s Hospital.

“After examination, it was concluded that I had a rare early stage or juvenile macular degeneration, or Stargardt’s disease,” Scott recalls. “By the age of 11, I was declared blind.”

Scott’s family is heartbroken. Her mother felt her daughter could give up on life. Her father wished he could give his daughter a healthy eye. Her brother feels as though he has let his sister down and hasn’t done enough to protect her.

One step at a time

Scott’s family is determined that she will go through life like any other child. Scott played on a soccer team, rode horses, took dance classes and attended the same school as Helen Keller, School for the Blind in Perkins in Watertown, Massachusetts.

“Over the years, my family has realized that losing sight doesn’t mean losing the love of my life,” says Scott.

At first, she was able to walk with limited vision. By the time she entered high school, Scott’s eyesight had reached the point where relying on reduced vision was no longer an option. She worked with an Orientation and Movement (O&M) Specialist who taught her how to navigate her surroundings with a white sugar caneTraditional equipment used to assist blind people when walking.

“I couldn’t go anywhere but my backyard without my white cane,” Scott recalls.

Time for a guide dog

Determined to make her college and life dreams come true, Scott sets her sights on a guide dog to make her life easier.

Scott soon learned how to register as a guide dog, a person must be considered blind, have the financial means to keep a dog, be able to use a white cane, and have successfully completed O&M training. Tenacious Scott took seven years of O&M lessons before a guide dog came into her life.

“Four of those seven years were specifically geared toward my goal of having a guide dog to assist me,” she recalls.

While not every blind person wants or is guaranteed to have a guide dog, Scott and two optometrists believe that a guide dog will improve her quality of life. After talking to teachers at her high school about guide dogs and doing her own independent research, Scott moved on and decided it was time to get a guide dog.

Pair O’Hara with Scott

Starting a journey of his own, a puppy named O’Hara begins his journey at the Canine Development Center at Eye Guide for the Blind in New York. O’Hara is one of several puppies on a journey to become a guide dog one day.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind trains special guide dogs to help guide people with vision loss. Scott said each dog costs about $50,000 to breed, nurture, train and place with the right individuals.

After going through the stages of becoming a guide dog, O’Hara was assigned to a volunteer group. puppy breeder. She has learned basic obedience and socialization skills and is on her journey to becoming a guide dog. At just 15 months old, O’Hara was brought back to Guiding Eyes for the Blind for formal training in harnesses.

“After working with a canine exercise instructor, O’Hara and I got together and started our training process,” says Scott.

The day she was paired with O’Hara, Scott recalled waiting to meet her new furry best friend. An instructor approached the room where she waited and entered with O’Hara. Scott felt the dog’s wet nose poke her leg.

The instructor removed O’Hara’s leash and transferred the dog to Scott’s leash. With trepidation, Scott hopes O’Hara will stick with her.

“After the coach left the room, O’Hara stood at the door waiting for her to return,” Scott shared. “I didn’t want to force her to love me, so I sat on the floor and waited for her to come to me as she pleased.”

Finally, the dog walked over to her new sitter, sat next to her, and rested her chin on Scott’s lap—the first moment of real connection between them.

The initial training consisted of a three-week intensive class at the Eye Guide for the Blind’s Yorktown Heights campus.

O’Hara was named by Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Organize each litter with a corresponding letter of the alphabet. This puppy’s litter happens to be the “O” litter, and all of O’Hara’s littermates have names that start with O.

Different footsteps, same path

Scott attended Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, and took O’Hara with her every step of the way. Part of her education as a biology major included many lab sessions. To ensure O’Hara’s safety, Scott assessed each lab before allowing the guide dog in. She was sure the animal would never be harmed.

Because Scott had to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, lab coat, goggles, and boots, O’Hara fitted his dog with PPE.

@ my.eyes.ohara Reply @jennyharrison09 Best STEM girl in the lab. 📖 & MERCH in the record. 🦮🧬🔬🥽#trunk #science # scientist #lab #guide dog #dog ♬ She blinded me to science – Thomas Dolby

“She was wearing one raincoat for a lab coat to protect her body, foolishness to keep her eyes safe, and she got used to wearing boots before science classes,” recalls Scott. “So I decided to start a TikTok video series with O’Hara giving scientific reports on safe dog snacks.”

The scene where O’Hara wears boots while wearing a lab coat and glasses really attracts attention. Her videos started going viral, earning O’Hara the nickname, “Best Girl in STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Eventually, Scott was inducted into TriBeta, the National College Honors Association for biology students. One of her biology professors, Dr. Jessica Fry, went above and beyond to present O’Hara with her own TriBeta title string at the showcase. The dog wore the same laces over her gown at Scott’s graduation.

“Back in 2018, I began my quest to complete my Biology degree,” Scott shared in her viral graduation video. “But I didn’t do it alone… to be honest, I don’t think I would be able to walk without her by my side,” she continued.

The duo walked through the ceremonial stage together when Scott received her degree recently.

Things to know about Service Dogs and Guide Dogs

Scott wants everyone to know that all guide dogs are service dog, but not all service dogs are guide dogs. Guide dogs are especially service dogs for blind people. However, there are other types of service dogs (eg, epileptic alert dogs, mobility assistance dogs, Diabetes warning doget cetera.)

“Many disabilities are invisible, and so individuals may not appear as though they have a disability,” says Scott. “In the United States, service dogs do not need to wear vests, harnesses, signs, or anything to label them as service dogs.”

She reminds people that it’s not what a dog wears that makes them a legitimate service dog; rather, it’s their training and the fact that they’re “minimizing someone’s life-changing disability”.

Everything is possible

Through her website, Exploiting vision, Scott hopes to make a difference in people’s lives. Fresh graduates offer speech activities based on service dog education, as well as disability awareness training, diversity, and inclusion.

So far, she’s been addressing elementary school students, college students, and those in nursing homes. She booked in person as well as online.

She wrote a children’s book, “O’Hara (The Tail of a Good Pup),” and remains steadfast in creating content on TikTok and Instagram to spread awareness about the importance of dogs. service.

“Now that college is over, my hope is to spread the word of service dog education, who plans to use her biology degree” to pursue a career in animal conservation, says Scott.

To follow O’Hara and Scott’s journey, visit TikTok page, Instagram accountor HarnessingSight.com.

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