Fire Department’s New Member
The newest member of the Broussard Fire Department is eager and willing to do whatever it takes to keep up with the rest of the firefighters at the station — even if she does demand a lot of attention and neglect personal boundaries at times.
Ember, a one-year-old Dalmatian, joined the department in July and has quickly become a beloved member of the team.
“A lot of the guys have really become attached to her,” said Broussard Fire Chief Bryan Champagne. “They love to spend some time with her playing around. It’s outside of the normal scope of work. It’s been a positive morale booster across the board.”
Ember spends Monday through Friday at the station and spends nights and weekends at Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Mouton’s home.
Even though she’s still playful, Ember is well trained and sleeps at her bed until it’s time to hop in the truck for a call or even just for a trip to gas up or wash the unit. In her downtime, Ember enjoys ripping apart toys and tug-o-war competitions with Mouton’s wife and three children.
“It was kind of a shock to our routine to bring a puppy home,” Mouton said. “It’s been almost like having another kid.”
Mouton’s family insisted on housing the pup after their first interaction with Ember. “She’s been a wonderful addition to our family, that’s for sure,” Anne-Marie, Mouton’s wife, said. “It was really easy to adjust to her. She’s basically a big lap dog that loves to snuggle.”
Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque has been hoping to acquire a Dalmatian for the Fire Department for more than a year. He introduced Ember at a July council meeting.
“Dalmatians have a long history of working with fire departments and have been especially bred as protectors as well as not to be sensitive to loud noises, bright lights or to fires,” Bourque said at the meeting.
Ember was donated to the Broussard Fire Department by Chad Monceaux, a veteran firefighter who owns a fire and safety business in Crowley.
Bourque envisions the pup becoming a certified therapy dog who comforts children at the scene of fires and other traumatic events.
She’s not quite there, yet, although her existence alone is comforting to many.
“We can easily see her having that effect, just with her being in the vehicle,” Mouton said. “People’s attention goes away from the call to ‘Oh my God, a dog!'”
Therapy Dogs Giving Reminders
Two purebred golden retrievers that spend time in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have stolen the hearts of hundreds.
Eleven-year-old “Spencer” and his 8-year-old niece, “Penny,” are pleasant pooches that have been certified volunteer therapy dogs for years.
The pair live with their owners part-time in Wickford.
“Everybody smiles when they meet them. Everyone just falls in love with them,” said Rich Powers, their owner. “They actually go visit hospitals and schools and assisted living, funeral homes alike.”
While both are well-loved, Spencer is an internet sensation. His claim to fame happened two years ago along the streets of Boston.
“Spencer became famous in 2018. He was standing at the Boston Marathon in the pouring rain holding a flag that said, ‘Boston Strong’,” said Powers. “It was seen all over the world. People from Australia reached out asking to meet him.”
Since then, the dogs have had quite the following on social media. So Powers, who’s a professional photographer, has been sharing them with others virtually.
“I started stepping it up a little bit more lately because you know the pandemic was a little more tense, so we’re trying to do more positive feel good stuff,” said Powers. “Back in March, when we first started working from home, losing track of the days were a real thing.”
Every day since the pandemic, he asks the pair to pose for pictures.
He sometimes dresses them up or has them hold personalized signs with positive messages.
Some of the most popular pictures though, are the most simple.
“When this all started, I would put the trash out more than once on the wrong day,” said Powers. “So, with them, I started to post the date and then it was the Monday, and the date, and the year.”
Powers posts the pictures of Spencer and Penny to several community groups in Rhode Island and Massachusetts with a message like, “Good morning.”
He said the response has been overwhelming.
“I was waiting for people to say, ‘Stop doing it. It’s annoying,’ but that was not the reaction I got,” said Powers. “It was like, ‘Please keep doing it’.”
Spencer and Penny don’t mind dressing up. They’re well-trained, patient, and gentle.
“You can’t have a bad day when you look at them,” said Powers. “I wanted to share that with others.”
Service Dogs And Welfare
“Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” the saying goes. Ironically, this adage does not apply to the service dog that was never given the choice in the first place. Therein lies our obligation to ensure these extraordinary animals do, in fact, love their jobs. At a minimum, service dogs should always remain safe from the daily risks encountered when assisting individuals with disabilities. Dr. Zenithson Ng will provide a unique glimpse into the life of a service dog and reveal opportunities for stakeholders to assure the welfare of these animals when he gives the Elanco Human-Animal Bond Lecture during the virtual Purdue Veterinary Conference Tuesday, September 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Dr. Ng’s lecture, “A Day in the Life of a Service Dog: A Welfare Perspective,” sponsored by an endowment from Elanco Animal Health, will be hosted virtually and kick-off the 2020 Purdue Veterinary Conference. The event will be open to the public. Attendees will just need to click here to join the zoom meeting.
Dr. Ng is a clinical associate professor of canine and feline primary care at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. He received his DVM from Cornell University and then completed an internship at the ASPCA, and an ABVP residency combined with a master’s degree in human-animal bond studies at Virginia Tech. Dr. Ng’s clinical interests include behavior, dentistry, preventative medicine, management of chronic disease, and shelter medicine. His research interests span all aspects of the human-animal bond including the effect of human-animal interaction on both humans and animals, the veterinary-client relationship, and stress reduction in both veterinary and animal-assisted intervention settings.
The virtual Purdue Veterinary Conference, September 22-25, will offer three days of high quality tracks covering equine, exotics, industry innovations, one health and emergency preparedness, practice management and communication, ruminant, small animal, swine, and topics of interest for veterinary nurses. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing education, and will have access to a virtual exhibit hall.
This year’s conference would not be possible without the generosity of these sponsors: IDEXX, Banfield Pet Hospital, the Indiana Board of Animal Health/Indiana State Department of Health, Nutrena, Purina, Zoetis, Elanco, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Coyne Veterinary Services.
Reunited With Stolen Dog
After six days of frustration and anxiety, a Surrey family has been reunited with their dog, all thanks to an anonymous tip.
Rob Alton says his dog, Tres, was likely stolen last week after he had let it outside his Fleetwood townhome.
He says witnesses saw two people chasing the 4-pound Chihuahua down an alley, and one of them had Tres tucked under their arm as they left.
Alton says there was no trace of the pooch until Wednesday afternoon, when someone sent him a text, saying they knew where the dog was.
“We got an anonymous text message with the address where my dog was, to hurry, that he was being potentially being resold and moved, and a picture of him,” says Alton. “In the picture he looked quite scared, when he’s scared or nervous his mouth is open and his eyes get a little weird.”
He says he rushed to the house, which was only about 20 blocks away, then called the police.
“They attended as well and my dog was there, and it wasn’t too hard of a process to get him back because he’s so unique looking.”
Alton doesn’t know who sent the text, but says they were instrumental in making sure his dog made it back home.
“I don’t know if they are room-mates in the house, or neighbours, but they were aware of what was going on, and they wanted to make sure Tres came home instead of being sold off to wherever,” he says.
He says the person caught with the dog told police they had purchased it from a friend for $500, and it doesn’t look like they will be punished.
“As the police were concerned, they just want to close the case with a happy ending and not have to go any further,” says Alton.
He says since the dog’s return, it’s been an emotional day, especially for his wife.
“As a surprise, I picked up Tres and took him straight to her work and she was crying for probably about 10 minutes,” he says. “He’s very much a member of the family.”
While Tres is not a registered therapy dog, Alton says he provides emotional support for his children, including his son, who struggles with anxiety and stress.
He says while this has been tough on his family, he can’t imagine what it was like for little Tres.
“God knows he went through the last six days, you know, if he could only talk.”
Guide Dog Raised By NHL Team
September is National Service Dog Month, but that’s not even the biggest news in Radar’s life.
The Labrador retriever guide dog was recently matched with his owner Anastasia Pagonis, a blind 16-year-old who quickly succeeded at competitive swimming after losing her eyesight two years ago. Two weeks after being introduced, Radar and Pagonis are residing at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where Pagonis, one of the top athletes on the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team, is training for a chance to compete in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo — now rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Even though the pair only knew each other for 4 days ahead of the trip from Pagonis’ home in Long Island, New York to Colorado, the swimmer says that Radar handled travel “really well.” Having Radar by her side was a welcomed change for Pagonis, who had to “rely on other people” for almost everything before being paired with the guide dog. “Honestly, I couldn’t be like my own person and so now that I have him, I feel so independent,” the teen tells PEOPLE about how Radar has already rapidly reshaped her life. “I’m gonna conquer the world with him,” she adds.
Pagonis already conquered quite a bit before meeting Radar. At 11, Pagonis, then playing soccer, was starting to lose her vision due to a genetic disease, and while she could see “pretty well at the time” she had a blind spot that caused her to ” get kicked in the face too much with the ball.” Dedicated to keeping athletics as part of her life, Pagonis spoke to her doctor about a different sport she could try that was better suited to her vision loss. Her doctor suggested swimming.
“When I got in the water, I fell in love with it,” Pagonis says of starting the sport. “It was a place where I felt free, where I didn’t need any help getting around, and I didn’t need anything.”
“We didn’t understand why this was happening or what was going on,” Pagonis says of the overwhelming moment. “I went back to the doctor and I came back with autoimmune retinopathy, which is another disease on top of my genetic disease. How lucky am I?”
The sudden loss of her vision understandably rattled Pagonis who stopped swimming and went through “a really dark time” as she grappled with what this change meant for her future. With help from her supportive family, Pagonis focused on her mental health and got the help she needed to be ready to start swimming again. “Then, we could not find a coach that wanted to train me because nobody wanted to train the blind girl,” she says of trying to restart swimming. “Nobody had faith in me.”
Until Marc Danin of Islander Aquatics happily agreed to train Pagonis, even blacking out his goggles to get a better understanding of how Pagonis experiences swimming.
“I figured it out and I got back into it and now it’s my happy place. I love it so much again. It’s honestly my favorite time of the day. My favorite time of everything. It’s my life now,” Pagonis shares.
This passion, and the support of Coach Danin and her team, has helped Pagonis rise to the position she is in now: training for a potential spot in the Paralympics. Pagonis has also embraced her vision loss and has become an advocate for blind people and everything they can achieve, using her Instagram to show her support and enthusiastically educate others on what living life as a blind person is really like.
Pagonis says it is not uncommon for followers to slide into her DM to question if she is really blind because of her appearance and everything she has achieved, an impressive amount for any 16-year-old. She relishes replying to these doubters, explaining to them how real blind people, like her, rarely match the helpless stereotypes many have in their heads. “I get put in a box all the time. I get put in a box that I can’t do this. I can’t do that,” she says. “I just feel like blindness has such a stereotype where you have to look a certain way, and act a certain way, and you can’t be an elite athlete, and you can’t wear makeup, and you can’t dress up. You just have to be what they want you to be.” Having Radar by her side only makes her feel more fierce and unstoppable.
“He is literally amazing and he is the smartest dog in the world,” she says of the pooch, who goes with her everywhere, including the pool. “He’ll just sit on the side of the deck and he’ll just chill there.”
If Pagonis heads to Tokyo in 2021 for the Paralympics, Radar will be there too, and he is uniquely prepared for the crowds, sounds, and chaos that comes with big events.
Radar, a guide dog trained by the Guide Dog Foundation, was raised by the New York Islanders hockey team. While Radar was born at the Guide Dog Foundation’s campus in Long Island, New York, and was later trained by their professionals and matched with Pagonis free of charge, the non-profit relies on volunteers to help raise and socialize their puppies before they return to campus for more advanced training.
The New York Islanders, who had partnered with the Guide Dog Foundation before to raise funds for their efforts, decided to take their support one step further by helping the foundation raise puppies, and Radar was their first. The precious pup attended Islanders games, met fans, pawed around the office, and was regularly immersed in all the sounds and sensations that come with a major sports game. “Essentially a huge portion of what the first few months of guide dog training are is socializing the puppy and introducing them to new things,” says Ann Rina, the senior director of community relations for the Islanders. “And what better way to do that? We have a captive audience of 15,000 fans in our arena, so why not?”
Radar quickly became a team favorite during his puppy raising period with the Islanders, and Rina says the team, and their fans, are overjoyed to see the dog grown up and already making an impact on his owner’s life. The NHL team was so smitten with being part of the process, the are in the process of raising another service puppy, this time for the Guide Dog Foundation’s sister organization, America’s VetDogs.
“Our organization can make a difference in someone’s life through these animals that create a huge difference in other’s lives,” Rina says of the Islanders’ puppy raising journey. “We’re talking about creating independence for someone. That’s something we are on board with and will continue to help with.” This continued support from puppy raisers is key to the Guide Dog Foundation’s ability to provide guide dogs to those in need free of charge. According to the foundation’s CEO and president, John Miller, “we always need more puppy raisers”, especially during the pandemic.
If you are interested in showing the world to a future service dog and helping radically change someone’s life, visit the Guide Dog Foundation’s website to learn more about puppy raising and to apply to raise your own Radar.
To keep track of Pagonis’ Paralympics journey, which hopefully ends with a gold medal for her and Radar.
Service Dog Training Program
We know dogs to be companions with unconditional love, but man’s best friend goes a much longer way for mankind.
“I’d call him a lifesaver,” said Katie Tack about her service dog, Krypton.
Krypton, a labrador retriever, was not always Katie’s partner. He was born into the ABC Breeding Cooperative, where he would train under the tutelage of Susquehanna Service Dogs.
Deb Tack, Katie’s Mother, is the Partner Coordinator with the non-profit.
“Seeing that Katie could go from being pretty homebound to graduate form high school, it’s because of him,” she said, referring to her daughter’s partnership with her service dog.
Katie was a normal girl who played sports and never missed a day of school. Deb says this changed “overnight” as she was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome at age 11. She was forced to enroll in cyberschool, where she was homebound and separated from her friends. Because of Krypton, she was able to graduate high school and is ready to attend college in-person once the COVID-19 restrictions are pulled back.
Krypton was raised by a senior student at Penn State University for roughly eight weeks. He was then enrolled in a series of classes that grew more in-depth as he was evaluated. It is a full-time job for dogs like Krypton, working Monday through Friday before spending the weekend with their puppy raiser or sitter.
Not all dogs born into the program are cut out for service, however. Deb Tack says that 45% of dogs exit the program as fully-fledged service dogs, comparable to the national average. They can either partner with an individual or take residence at a hospital, courthouse, cancer center, or even prison.
For example, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recently welcomed Dilly as their first full-time facility dog, who was also trained through Susquehanna Service Dogs.
Luckily, every dog finds his or her place. Some become in-house-only service dogs while others are scouted by the CIA, United Nations, or local police departments to become detection K9s. The remaining lot is ripe for adoption as normal house pets.
For Susquehanna Service Dogs, it costs $30,000 to breed, train, partner, and follow-up with lifetime support for one service dog. Only $5,000 of that cost is passed down to the human partner.
Since the non-profit receives no federal or state funding, they are reliant on community and corporate donations. They are also looking for volunteers in the Greater Philadelphia area to enroll in their local program that began last Fall. Volunteers can take in a dog-in-training as either a raiser or a sitter.
“Each one of those steps is truly life-changing,” said Deb Tack.
Canine Companions For Independence
Jessica Gardner rolls herself to the dryer.
But with cerebral palsy, it’s difficult to pull the clothes out. She looks down at her power wheelchair. Her best buddy comes to the rescue.
Ford, a Labrador golden retriever cross, has been by her side for four years. The two were matched through Canine Companions for Independence. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., it’s the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs.
“I remember the day I met Ford like it was yesterday,” said Gardner, 34, of Johnstown. “It was an instant connection. I don’t believe in love at first sight, but with Ford, I do. He was drooling, and he wanted to get close to me.
“Ford is my angel, with fur, instead of wings. He and I are a match made in heaven.” To help create other such matches, a national dog friendly event called DogFest raises money and encourages volunteers to help provide trained service dogs to people with disabilities free of charge.
Because of the pandemic, this year’s event will be held virtually from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13 via Facebook. It will include a live-streamed tour of the North Central Region’s new training facility in New Albany, Ohio, and also demonstrations of the work done with the dogs.
The Pittsburgh group normally attends DogFest in Medina, Ohio. It has raised $23,000 and hopes to reach $25,000. Donations will be accepted through the end of the September to be counted for DogFest.
Seeing the initial meeting between person and dog is emotional, said Derek Hought, of Bradford Woods, leader of the Pittsburgh group. He and his wife, Nanette, are puppy raisers, which requires making sure the animals are in a loving home, teaching them basic commands and taking them to formal obedience classes. Another local puppy raiser is Nicole Mroz, a junior psychology major from Buffalo, N.Y., who is also learning American Sign Language at the University of Pittsburgh. She is president of the service dog education and training program at the university, called Steph Pitt. She and a puppy, Noni, spend a lot of time walking around campus. Noni is one of four puppies being raised at the school. Mroz said her responsibility is the first step in the animal’s journey to be an assistance dog.
“It’s been an amazing part of my undergraduate experience,” Mroz said. “I would not trade it for the world. I treasure the time I have with the puppies. I know as much as I love them that they will take on such an amazing role in someone else’s life.”
Puppy raisers care for the animals from 8 weeks old to about 17 months, teaching them basic commands. The dogs receive extensive instruction for six to nine months at the training facility. Once a person and dog are matched they receive two weeks of one-on-one training to make sure the animal can do what the owner needs. “At the graduation ceremony where you see a puppy with someone with a disability, it’s so rewarding because these dogs change that person’s life,” Hought said. “They can change an entire family’s life. There is not a dry eye in the room.”
Ford changed Gardner’s life, Hought said. The dog is trained to lift a footrest on a wheelchair so Gardner can transfer independently. He also knows how to pull her socks off, open doors and grab items out of the refrigerator.
“If I drop something, he can pick it up. I don’t have to worry about asking a stranger to do it who might have ill intentions,” Gardner said. “He’s given me security, which is life changing and honestly, that is an awesome feeling.”
She said Ford has given her confidence to embrace new opportunities, such as the Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania competition. She was runner-up last year and will take over the crown Oct. 18 since covid-19 forced the cancellation of this year’s event. Her platform is stopping service dog fraud through education advocacy and working with legislators. “People think of it as a beauty pageant, but it’s about advocacy and empowering women with disabilities,” she said.
Oceanside Vet Convicted
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has confirmed an Oceanside Navy veteran convicted of torturing his neighbor’s dogs was released on Monday, months ahead of schedule, due to the coronavirus.
David Herbert, an honorably discharged disabled veteran who was found guilty on six animal cruelty charges in the brutal torture of two Huskies and the death of a golden retriever, was sentenced to nearly nine years behind bars. He has served just 17 months.
It was unclear where Herbert would live following his release. The Oceanside Police Department said they were not notified of that information, and that it would not likely become publicly available.
Herbert was eligible to reduce his sentence by 50%. He was also given two years off his sentence for time served. Even with the reductions, Herbert was set to serve 28 months in prison. His parole release was scheduled for February 2021.
CDCR said that Herbert was eligible to be released even earlier because his parole date fell within an emergency measure to reduce the prison population due to COVID-19. The policy allowed nearly 9,000 incarcerated people to be released ahead of their parole dates.
Michelle Plaketta lived next door to Herbert. Upon hearing that the man who killed her golden retriever would be released from prison, she told NBC 7 she has been overcome with fear.
“In the last 24 hours, I have not slept,” said Plaketta, a mother of four, who has moved twice now because of her former neighbor Herbert. “I have not been able to eat. I fear that somebody will break into my home to hurt my children. When he was still out on bail, I was always looking over my shoulder.”
In May 2017, Lala, the therapy dog of Plaketta’s daughter, went missing just two days after Plaketta’s family moved in next to Herbert. After a lengthy investigation, it was determined that Herbert killed the golden retriever.
“They found blood on a baseball bat and her blood inside his vehicle,” Plaketta said. “It was heartbreaking, definitely, to know the last moments of her life ended in that kind of act.”
Herbert was also found guilty of gouging out the eye of Maria Morales’ husky Estrella and throwing acid in her other dog’s face. The Morales family rented the house next to Herbert’s before the Plakettas.
“You see it in horror movies — you think that that’s what is a horror movie,” she said. Both the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office iand the Oceanside Police Department in statements to NBC 7 ahead of Herbert’s early release said they were not consulted by CDCR.
“Neither the Oceanside Police Department, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office nor the victims were consulted prior to this decision being made, and the Oceanside Police Department does not have any involvement and/or influence in such a decision,” the department said in a statement.
District Attorney Summer Stephan was critical of the CDCR’s decision not to involve their office in the decision-making process.
Troye Sivan And Dog Nash
Troye Sivan has taken himself home — and reunited with his beloved pet dog after seven months apart!
On Tuesday, the “Easy” singer, 25, harkened back to his days as a prominent YouTuber by debuting a new vlog that documented his travels to Los Angeles from his family roots in Australia. Sivan had been self-isolating in Melbourne with his parents and siblings during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — separated from his pit bull mix Nash, who stayed in L.A. with a friend.
In the new upload, appropriately titled “surprising my dog after 7 months apart!!!!!!! 🙂 *emotional*,” the pop star captured his journey back to the U.S., including his traverses through mostly empty airports.
After making it back to his humble abode, Sivan set up his laptop — aka his “Nash Cam” — to record his triumphant reunion with Nash. The singer appeared giddy with excitement to “greet my son.”
The reunion moment was underscored by the song “could cry just thinkin about you” from Sivan’s latest EP, In A Dream.
Before the pandemic put thousands of miles between Sivan and his dog, Nash was a frequent guest star on the singer’s Instagram, including in December when Sivan went on a wintery walk with his “emotional support animal”
Speaking with Don’t Bore Us last month, Sivan told the outlet about missing his pup during quarantine: “I really miss my dog, that’s been a tough thing. What I thought was going to be a couple of weeks has turned into like six months. I really miss him. I’m just hoping that everything will get better soon and I’ll get back.”
In March 2019, Sivan opened up to W Magazine (in an ASMR-style interview!) about the unlikely way Nash entered his life. He and then-boyfriend Jacob Bixenman adopted the foster pup after meeting other adoptable animals.
“So a couple weeks ago, I went with my boyfriend and my friends to go look at some dogs. We weren’t thinking seriously about getting a dog, but we wanted to just meet some, and we met a couple and they weren’t the one,” he recalled at the time. “They weren’t the right dog, so then we left, but on the way out, we saw a dog on an iPad that was in foster care, and we said, we wanna meet that dog. So we organized a meeting with the dog.”
“I was actually on a flight to Singapore, but my boyfriend met the dog. By the time, I landed, he texted me and he told me that he got the dog, so I was keen,” Sivan continued, “and he has since become the love of my life and I’m absolutely obsessed with him and so thankful to have him in my life, every single day. He’s my heart and soul.”
Veterans With PTSD
An estimated 20 veterans take their own life every day. World Suicide Prevention Day is held every year on September 10th to promote worldwide action to prevent suicide.
Since 2011, K9s For Warriors’ mission has been to end veteran suicide as the nation’s largest provider of Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Military Sexual Trauma. The program has a 99 percent success rate, which is one of the highest suicide prevention rates in any organization fighting to mitigate suicidal ideations.
Each Warrior that graduates from the K9s For Warriors program has a unique story about the traumatic experience that led them to reach out for help. K9s For Warriors has gathered three graduates of the program to discuss their stories and experience throughout this life-changing program, and the achievements they have accomplished since graduating with their battle buddy.
Below are three Warriors who are telling their stories in order to spread awareness about suicide prevention.
“Before Bobbi, I had persistent suicidal thoughts. Because I was an addict, I secretly hoped it would just finish me off. Now, through Bobbi, I have found myself again and have celebrated 2 years of sobriety. I look forward to a long and happy life with Bobbi by my side.” – Becca & Bobbi.
“Before Rio, I was a cold and empty shell, but he taught me how to how to feel and love again. I still fight my battles and face my demons, but now I face them head on. Because of Rio, I no longer have suicidal thoughts; They are now only diminished to a memory.” – Will & Rio
“Donna has saved me from suicidal thoughts by being there for me when I would otherwise be alone, which is when I struggle the most with my PTSD and depression. In those times, Donna knows exactly how to get me to refocus my attention on her and calm down. Her unconditional love reminds me daily that the struggle is worth it. ” – Jodie & Donna
K9s For Warriors’ mission is to end veteran suicide. Based in Florida, we are the nation’s largest provider of Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Military Sexual Trauma. Our program is unique, comprehensive, and proven, thanks to groundbreaking research conducted in partnership with Purdue University’s OHAIRE Lab. The majority of our Service Dogs come from high-kill shelters, which means that with each warrior-K9 pairing, two lives are saved. Support our mission to end veteran suicide, which is even more critical during our country’s current isolated times.
