Blind Beagle With Special Silicone Eyes Is a Therapy Dog

Jan 7th 2011

Han Solo, a 5-year-old beagle from Johnson City, N.Y., has been blind his whole life. But that hasn't stopped the little dog from living large as a therapy dog, working in nursing homes and participating in a program for kids at the local library.

Solo's owner, Mary Cummings, is a breeder and owner of Stone Meadow Kennel. "He was my first beagle litter. His mother is a champion," Cummings explains.

A Serious Illness
When the puppy was born, he appeared normal. But his mother had caught a serious bacterial infection from two stillborn puppies, and the infection passed to Solo. Both mother and puppy survived, but the illness took its toll. "The infection caused his eyes to swell like little balloons," Cummings says, leaving the puppy blind and clinging to life.

Cummings wouldn't give up on the beagle and took him everywhere she went, bottle-feeding him and nursing him back to health. Her family was also invested in the puppy: Her 4-year-old son gave the dog his "Star Wars"-inspired name. As Solo recovered, Cummings continued to take him everywhere. Despite his blindness, he was a natural around people.