2020 Free Eye Exams for Service Dogs- Cancelled due to COVID-19
March 5, 2020
Update April 2, 2020
CANCELLED: After deliberation, ACVO has decided to cancel this year’s ACVO Service Animal Free Eye Exams. Given the current circumstances, ACVO does not want to contribute to additional stress on veterinary teams or put anyone at risk. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns, and we hope to participate in the event in 2021!
ACVO event
Our ACVO board certified veterinary ophthalmologists along with over 250 other veterinary ophthalmologists across America and Canada will donate their services to provide complimentary screening eye examinations to active Service Animals. The Service Animal’s owner/agent will incur no cost for these services. It is anticipated that through these efforts service animal health can be improved and potential disease averted for thousands of working dogs.
Guide dogs, handicapped assistance animals, detection dogs, therapy animals, and search and rescue dogs selflessly serve the public. To honor these animals and their work, the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) is launching the annual ACVO/STOKESRx National Service Animal Eye Exam Event in the month of May, to screen service animals who dedicate their lives to serving the public.
This is a national event. Please share this important information with your service animal clients, friends and family.
Our Participating Locations
| Bulger Veterinary Hospital | Lawrence, MA | Dr. Nick Cassotis |
| Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital | Woburn, MA | Dr. Nancy Cottrill |
| Peak Veterinary Referral Center | Williston, VT | Dr. Sarah Stone Hoy |
| Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital | Portsmouth, NH | Dr. Nick Cassotis |
Steps to take:
Qualification information and registration available at: www.ACVOEyeExam.org
Qualifying:
The ACVO National Service Animal Eye Exam event will provide a free screening-wellness eye exam to Service Animals including those provide the following services:
- Guide/Seeing Eye
- Hearing Assistance
- Drug Detection
- Police/Military K-9
- Search & Rescue
- Therapy
- Those assisting people with disabilities other than blindness
All animals must be formally trained, certified, currently working service animals or formally trained therapy animals with active registration. Those currently enrolled in a formal service animal training program may qualify, but is based upon clinic availability.
Registration and Appointments:
Register your working or service animal on the ACVO eye exam website between April 1st – 30th, 2020.
Once you have registered, you will be given a registration number, you will need this number when you call to make your appointment at the Ethos hospital nearest to you.
Appointments for screenings must be booked for May 2020.
Special Note:
Those who were screened at previous events are welcome to participate again in the 2020 event.