Here in New Jersey, our state bird is the Eastern Goldfinch, our state mammal is the horse, and the state dinosaur is the Hadrosaurus. However we have never had an official state dog, that is until now.

While some states have a specific breed, Tennessee’s is the Bluetick Coonhound and Delaware’s is the Golden Retriever, New Jersey went a different route when appointing our state dog. On Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill that made the Seeing Eye dog the state’s official dog.

The move to make Seeing Eye dogs as the official state dog makes sense since New Jersey is home to the oldest guide dog school in the country. The Seeing Eye in Morristown has a long history that began in 1928. While the school may not have been started in New Jersey, it has lived here since 1931.

Glenn Hoagland, CEO and President of The Seeing Eye stated on their website, “...we are so honored that the great state of New Jersey has recognized the important role that Seeing Eye® dogs have in the lives of the people who raise, train and own them...”

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