Luke Pellegrino, a first-year student in the College of Optometry, is raising a puppy named Electra for the organization Dogs Inc. (Photos by Derik Holtmann)

For the past two months, Luke Pellegrino has had a new companion tagging along for his classes in the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis: a six-month-old black lab puppy named Electra. Pellegrino, a first-year optometry student, is currently volunteering as Electra’s puppy raiser through the nonprofit Dogs Inc.

Pellegrino has known he wanted to pursue a career as an optometrist since his senior year of high school. While working with low-vision patients at Dream Oaks Camp, a camp in southwest Florida for children with varying ability levels and chronic and terminal medical conditions, he learned firsthand of the significant need for guide dogs for those with vision loss. In particular, Pellegrino worked closely with one 9-year-old camper with optic nerve hypoplasia who could only see a few inches in front of his face.

On the last day of camp, he spoke with the camper’s mother, who expressed concern about how her son would navigate high school a few years down the line. While she knew her son would benefit immensely from a guide dog, she noted that the cost can be exponential – often stretching upwards of $50,000. Instantly, Pellegrino knew he wanted to find a way to help.

“I thought, ‘That’s really interesting,’’ he remembered. “That sounds right up my alley. I love dogs, and I love optometry, and I love working in low vision. And after working with those kids, I was like, ‘This is my career path.’ I really just stuck with it. I told myself, ‘I want to go to optometry school, I want to graduate and I want to get a residency in low vision.’ One day, I want to start my own guide dog clinic, and I want to be able to help my patients match with guide dogs.”

Pellegrino began researching different organizations, seeking a nonprofit that could help get guide and service dogs to the people who really need them. Last December, he was connected with Dogs Inc, which trains guide dogs for teens, adults and veterans with vision loss as well as service dogs and skilled companion dogs. Unlike many other organizations, Dogs Inc is able to provide guide and service dogs, as well as additional services like online and in-person training, lifetime alumni support, dog food and preventative veterinary care, at no cost to recipients.

Earlier this year, Pellegrino welcomed Electra, who had already spent a few months with a volunteer raiser in Texas, into his home. Initially, he was nervous – he’s never had a dog before – and he didn’t want Electra to be a distraction for his classmates in the College of Optometry.

Quickly, though, Pellegrino and Electra found their groove. Electra’s previous raiser had trained her well – though she’s still a puppy, she’s incredibly well-behaved and knows when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play. The pair quickly bonded as Pellegrino began teaching Electra basic cues and exposing her to new environments. He brings Electra with him to classes in the College of Optometry to get her acclimated to a school setting and while riding the MetroLink to classes to get her used to public transportation. They’re working on learning cues such as switching sides when doors open, ignoring distractions and settling close next to Pellegrino in crowded classrooms or train cars.

“These individuals with vision loss are going to be taking these dogs to restaurants, movies and all that, and they need to be able to settle right underneath their feet,” he said. “I’ve only had her for a few months, and I love it so much. I really know that this is what I want to do.”

Pellegrino helps expose Electra to different environments by taking her with him to classes in the College of Optometry.

According to Dogs Inc, Pellegrino is the first optometry student to raise a puppy for the organization, and they’ve been extremely impressed with his work. Sandi Alsworth, a senior advisor in puppy raising services at Dogs, Inc., has worked closely with Pellegrino and Electra during weekly Zoom calls and digital trainings. She’s been a dog instructor for nearly 50 years and said Pellegrino has been a model puppy raiser, constantly thinking about ways to expose Electra to new situations and improve her learning.

“He’s very good at articulating his concerns and the dog’s needs and very quick to pick up on what I’m showing and telling him,” Alsworth said. “He’s like the perfect raiser that I got gift-wrapped and handed to me. He really is that talented in what he’s doing as far as his dedication and his thoughtfulness to people around him.”

Pellegrino will continue to raise Electra for the rest of the year, after which she’ll return to Dogs Inc to start advanced on-campus training at the organization’s Canine University, learning skills such as navigating crosswalks, opening doors and finding bathrooms and cars. While challenging, the experience has been incredibly rewarding, and if his schedule permits, he’d be interested in raising another dog after Electra moves on.

Pellegrino recently found out he was awarded a scholarship through the U.S. Navy and Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program, which will cover his full optometry tuition. After he earns his degree, he’ll be stationed on a naval base for three years practicing optometry, which he sees as a crucial stepping stone toward eventually opening his own low-vision practice and continuing his work with service dogs.

“This is something I want to do for the rest of my life,” he said. “I think it’s the coolest job ever. I can be in health care and I can raise dogs – I can’t think of a better job. It’s very rewarding.”

To learn more about raising a puppy with Dogs Inc, visit the organization’s website.