[nagdu] American Idol contestant gets guide dog

[Julie J]

Paula Abdul Surprises Idol's Scott MacIntyre With Guide Dog
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Paula Abdul Surprises Idol's Scott MacIntyre With Guide Dog

by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna

Today 2:19 PM PDT The night Scott MacIntyre got booted from American Idol five weeks ago, Paula Abdul took him aside and said, "I have a wonderful surprise
for you in a couple of weeks," he told Access Hollywood. That surprise came on Friday when the Idol judge presented the visually challenged singer with
a guide dog from Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, Calif.

Scott walked-or "test drove" as he joked-two of the organization's Labrador retrievers on Friday, but he won't get his dog until after the American Idol
tour ends on Sept. 15. At that time, he'll get matched up with the right pooch for him and go through a 28-day training process. "We have to find a dog
that really likes loud music," joked Paula.

Scott, who was lured to the event under the false pretense that he was there to sing, was quite surprised to learn the truth...

"Are you serious? Thank you so much," Scott told Paula at the event, which was in honor of May being National Guide Dog Month and cosponsored by Natural
Balance Pet Foods and Petco.

Scott is the first visually challenged contestant on American Idol. The Scottsdale, Ariz., singer isn't completely blind; he has a 2 percent field of vision
and gets around with the use of a cane. On the set of Idol, his fellow contestants would walk him to and from the stage. Now, he'll have a furry friend
to help him out instead.

>From this link:

http://ca.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b123256_paula_abdul_surprises_idols_scott.html