Dogs Inc. opens Lakewood Ranch visitor center

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (WWSB) - Dogs Inc. is opening a new visitor center in Lakewood Ranch, giving the community a chance to learn about guide and service dogs, meet some of the dogs and find out how to get involved with the organization’s mission.Veronica Thames, the new CEO of Dogs Inc., and longtime Dogs Inc. member Marissa Gerlach discussed the new center, along with ambassador dog Astro.Thames said she is five days into her role as CEO. She said nearly 200 staff members serve the organization’s mission of “transforming lives of the visually impaired and veterans every day.”“I’m an import, as my friends will say, a Latina born in Buenos Aires,” Thames said. “I turned 19 on the plane ride over. I was pretty upset at the time of my dad who brought us because of his job. But it took me a really short time to realize that in this amazing country that we all call home, opportunities to support others abound.”Thames said creating opportunities for the visually impaired, veterans and phila