FORTUNA IS DENYING SERVICE ANIMALS INTO THE STORE,

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Dear Community;

Grocery Outlet in fortuna is denying service animals into the store but not lap dogs. I went in yesterday with my service animal and they told me I can’t have him in there and that he needs to be wearing a vest and they wanted to see his papers. No where in the ADA guidelines does it say that I have to show proof or provide visual evidence that he is in fact my service animal. He was well behaved and leashed by my side. The only way we could’ve been asked to leave the store is if he was disruptive or say not potty trained.

I called to speak to the manager and she asked me what my disability was which by law is not legal for her to do. However, I have severe social anxiety panic disorder and ptsd he is to help calm me. I am out of medication and is the only reason I ATTEMPTED to take him to go grocery shopping. Which I wasn’t able to do. The manager was dismissive, and I emailed corporate to no avail. But this business should know the legality of this which they denied my entrance with a legitimate service animal and I am almost certain it was based on his breed, again ADA has no breed restrictions on service animals. This should be brought to the attention of the public.

If you’d like to tell them that you also disagree you can call them at this number (707)725-7010. Hopefully after enough people say something they will have the proper education and training in dealing with ADA guidelines.

S.D. Rio Dell, Humboldt

His registration number is US-SAR-654259281

If you have dogs, this could be relevant to you.

Teen with rare form of muscular dystrophy given drive-by birthday parade

HIGHLANDVILLE, Mo. The sirens that filled the quiet, dead-end residential road in Highlandville brought a smile to the face of Billy Scott. He didn’t know that all the noise was actually the front of a parade dedicated to him, but he knew something was up.

On his 15th birthday Billy was getting something most of us never experience. A surprise drive-by parade with police and fire department representatives as well as 35 cars of teachers, fellow students and community members who wanted to say they missed that smiling face at Spokane High School where Billy is a freshman dealing with life circumstances most students aren’t.

“He has a very rare form of muscular dystrophy,” explained Cassandra Bray, a teacher at Spokane High School who works with Billy. “He’s been confined to a chair since he was eight years-old. It’s affected his eyesight and his speech greatly.”

After moving from the Kansas City area this is Billy’s first year at the school but it’s obvious he’s made a lot of friends in a short time.

“He’s honestly just the cutest little boy ever,” said Spokane senior Jordyn Rollings. “And it’s his humor. He knows how to make someone laugh. He likes to make jokes about your mom!”

“He has this kind of sass to him,” added fellow senior Josie Jordan. “When we tease him or say anything funny to him, his comeback is always ‘Your mom!’ It’s a good time! He’s the most inspiring student we have at Spokane. He has so many opportunities to not be happy but he’s grateful for what he has and is really a special kid.”

“Whenever I’m annoyed or sad I always think about how Billy could be upset about his life but I’m upset over nothing,” added Spokane senior Jacy Bray. “He’s always wanting to do something to make you laugh and that’s so awesome about him.”

“I think that’s the reason he clicks so well with a lot of these people is that he sees himself as normal,” said Nick Hooper, a teacher at Spokane. “He doesn’t want anybody to see him as the disability kid.”

“He’s very approachable and knows how to make others feel good,” added Spokane teacher Timothy Burden. “One of the funny things he’ll do is when we’re in the hallways and he’s not doing what he wants to be doing, he’ll sense someone around him and yell ‘Help!’ in a very ominous tone so we have to explain to the person that this kid in a wheelchair is fooling around and really doesn’t need help.”

As the parade came by his house Billy couldn’t see the cars because he is legally blind, but he could hear the constant honks of love and support.

And that sense of humor was very evident.

When asked what he thought when he first heard the sirens?

“I thought I was going to juvie,” he said in referring to a juvenile detention center.

He got several gifts from girl students and lit up when his service dog “Bear” came by in one of the cars. The two later had a up-close reunion as “Bear” is only with Billy when he’s in school, so the two have been separated during the coronavirus pandemic.

When asked who he was more excited to see, his service dog or his female admirers?

“The girls,” he said with a smile, laughing when it was pointed out to him that “Bear” was right there next to him and could hear everything he was saying.

At a time when our world is devoid of hugs and high-fives, it’s at least nice to hear that the word “drive-by” can be referring to something positive and that a honk can mean just as much as a caress.

“He’ll talk about this forever,” said his mom Amanda. “This will be one of the greatest things that has ever happened.”

 

Paws of War is helping veterans during COVID-19 lockdowns

NESCONSET, N.Y., April 27, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — When disabled veteran Hank Urnaitis answered the door, he wasn’t expecting Paws of War to be there, ready to help him through the pandemic. But that’s just what they did. The organization, which helps veterans and animals, stopped by to provide Hank with face masks and pet food. They also teamed up with Cambridge Catering to take him some prepared meals. When they looked around, they realized that he had some safety issues on his property that needed to be addressed, so they also got busy fixing those items, too.

“Hank is a decorated veteran who we paired up a service dog with back in 2016,” explains John Walis, veteran relations director of Paws of War. “We know he’s humble and didn’t want to take the assistance, but we wanted to give back to our veterans in need who won’t ask for help. It’s paramount that we are there for them and their service dogs now and in the future.”

After delivering the essential items, the Paws of War team took to helping with some safety issues that needed to be done. They fixed unsafe boards in the steps leading up to his home, replaced tattered flags in his yard, and fixed an area of his fencing a tree had fallen on.

The area of the fence that was down made it impossible for Hank to allow his dog to run around the yard, adding to his stress of trying to take him out for walks each day. By repairing the fence, Hank will be able to once again allow his dog to run free in the yard. All the supplies for the repairs were provided by Paws of War, and they provided the services free of charge.

Seeing the tattered flags be replaced with new ones was the biggest perk for the veteran. Being a proud veteran, the flags were a big deal for him. The organization is on a mission to help even more veterans through the pandemic, but they need the public to team up with them to help make it happen.

“We fight to save lives on both ends of the leash, and we are honored to be able to help Hank and other veterans just like him,” added Walis. “We use the donations that people give to us to help vets and pets. During this time there are many veterans who could use some additional supplies or assistance, and we will continue to what we can to help them. Donations are down, yet we have more veterans to help, so we really need the support of the community at this time.”

Pitbull rescued from dogfighting starts new life as veteran support animal

CINCINNATI — WCPO first introduced you to Promise in November 2019, when she was on the mend from being rescued.

“We found her abandoned at a home with a lot of evidence of dog fighting there,” Mandy Franceschina, owner of Rescued & Ready said. “She was the only alive dog we found on the premises.”

Franceschina had a goal to rehab and possibly train Promise, the gray pitbull-type dog, to be a service dog to a veteran as she’s done in the past.

“Echo (a previous rescue who was successfully paired with a veteran) took off, but other ones might not have the attention, they might not have the physical structure to hold up a full grown man,” Franceschina said.

Without the right skills, the focus turned to making Promise a comfort animal for a veteran instead. After one match-up fell through, Promise was discovered by an Army veteran almost 300 miles away in Lansing, Michigan.

“I was just thumbing through Facebook one day and I saw her picture — the one picture with flowers on her head,” Theresa Bousson said.

It was love at first sight, according to Bousson.

“I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, she’s so precious I have to see whose dog this is,’ and then I started reading her story and then was like … ‘aww,'” she said.

After applying to officially adopt Promise and undergoing a home visit, Promise was on her way to Michigan.

“When everything was good to go we were like, ‘Oh my God, we found her, we found her, this is perfect, we found her,’ and I got Promise in the car and drove to Lansing,” Franceschina said.

Promise has already started changed Bousson for the better.

“First of all, with everything going on, she has been a wonderful companion to me because me in this house — I have severe depression — it wouldn’t be working,” Bousson said.

Franceschina credits the veteran community with helping her find Promise a forever home by sharing her story online.

“We started reaching out to veteran groups and lot of veterans even reached out said, ‘My family is not the right fit, we have other dogs, we have small kids, whatever, we have cats, but this is awesome. Let me spread the word,'” Franceschina said.

Bousson said Promise is helping her in ways she didn’t even think about — from mental health to wellness.

“We’ve been doing about two to three miles a day,” Bousson said. “She needs it and I need it.”

For Franceschina, it’s another successful placement — another Promise fulfilled — with dreams of rescuing more pit bulls to help other veterans across the country.

 

How Dogs Will Cope After Lockdown

The coronavirus has been a testing time for most of us, but thankfully our dogs have been there for us to provide companionship and emotional support through unprecedented times.

But take a moment to imagine the upheaval that your dog must be experiencing. Days that were once full of long periods of quiet solitude are now filled with noise and bustle and people. It’s the kind of thing a dog could get used to. But since the lockdown (hopefully) won’t be lasting forever, canine advocates are urging people to start preparing their pooches for a return to the old normal.

In a statement today Becky Bristow of Dogs Trust Ireland said:

“Last year, we received over 2,300 requests from members of the public wanting to surrender their dog to us,”

“We are extremely worried that this figure could significantly increase this year if lots of dogs develop separation anxiety and become potentially unmanageable for their owners.

“Anxious dogs can panic when you leave, causing them to become destructive and damage your home, they can also bark and howl.

Bristow’s advice to dog owners is to implement a structured routine, which gives your dog some alone time. She even says its worthwhile to put your dog in a separate room.

She added that she is also concerned about the welfare of puppies that were purchased during the lockdown as people sought distraction and affection. These dogs will have to adapt not having their owners around all the time and will inevitably find it challenging.

“We are also worried that some people have rushed out and impulse bought puppies because they knew they would be at home for a few weeks. However, they may not have the time to commit to them when they return to work.”

The lockdown has posed so many challenges to the vulnerable members of our society, but lets not forget that its changed the lives of our pets as well, and they deserve the highest level of care whenever we emerge out of this crisis.

 

Dog stays connect with students virtually during remote learning

With students around the city learning remotely, teachers are digging deep to keep kids connected, and they’re turning to some four-legged friends for help.

Mushu is a member of the Department of Education’s Comfort Dog Program. He provides educational and emotional support at school to hundreds of sixth through eighth graders.

When New York City schools closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Assistant Principal Philip Hammaack found a way to keep the comfort available to students.

“There’s a lot of research that indicates reading to dogs in person is a really great way for struggling readers…. As we’ve moved into remote learning, it’s been a way for us to connect with kids,” said Hammack.

For an hour each Wednesday afternoon, Hammack and his canine co-author host virtual storytime.

They read books like “Mushu Makes A Mistake” and “Mushu Goes To School” to sixth graders.  They also tackle themes that are relevant to the times and give students a chance to talk about them.

Those experiences can also serve as inspiration for Mushu’s next story. Hammack says students are submitting ideas to keep the tales coming.

“The entire city is figuring out how to do this. And Mushu is just a tiny piece of that puzzle, but an important one,” said Hammack.

Inseparable retrievers are captured snuggling under the same blanket and watching the sunset together in heartwarming photos

The incredible bond between a pair of retrievers has been documented in a series of adorable photos.

 

Golden-brown Kiko, eight, and five-year-old Watson, from Spokane, Washington, were introduced to each other in June 2015.

Owner and professional photographer Jennifer Medrano, 26, originally from Mexico,rescued Kiko at eight months old with Watson taking an instant shine to his adoptive brother.

‘I taught Watson how to hug,’ she said. ‘He knows many tricks but that’s his favourite. I was teaching Watson to hug when I was in the process of making our bond stronger.’

She said: ‘Their favourite things to eat are dog cookies and apples, and they always do everything together.

‘Sleep, cuddle, swim, eat. The love that these two brothers feel for each other brings so much joy.’

Jennifer was matched with Watson in January 2015 when he was seven weeks old to act as her emotional support dog in to help her with PTSD and social anxiety.

And the trio have formed an ‘extraordinary’ bond with Jennifer currently isolating with her two hounds in lockdown.

In a bid to spread joy, Jennifer set up an Instagram account, @wat.ki, for her pups to show their brotherly bond and to raise awareness for amputee dogs and those with cancer.

And the stunning pictures, taken using the Sony Alpha &R II, have attracted 930,000 followers with Jennifer documenting her dogs in the water, on hikes and cuddled up in bed.

‘I think their popularity is because of the love, connection and compassion they show in every photo or video. But also the lovely places they explore together,’ said Jennifer.

The events photographer said: ‘I met Watson on January 11 2015 when he was seven weeks old. He was meant to be my emotional support dog so it took me a while to find my perfect match.

‘I trained him all by myself, I have PTSD and social anxiety. So bonding with Watson and then Kiko have helped me so much.

‘Watson met Kiko when he was about eight months old. And they became instant friends.

‘It took no effort on my part to have them like each other. Adding Watson to my life has been amazing but having Kiko added to the mix has made it extraordinary.’

She continued: ‘Although I’m no longer close to and in communication with their previous owners, I’ll always be grateful I was able to get Kiko and give him a chance of a better life full of love and adventure.’

She revealed how Watson can be picky when it comes to canine friends but took an instant liking to Kiko.

And Watson is the only dog Kiko tolerates,’ she continued. ‘He wouldn’t let other dogs get near him at first. He was an aggressive dog at first, so I was worried he wouldn’t get along with Watson.’

However despite their adventurous lifestyle, Jennifer is still having to support Kiko through his cancer battle.

She said: ‘Kiko is still battling cancer sadly but he is doing a great job at fighting it.

‘As a family we all dedicated our time to help him get through it all with love. Next month will mark a year since his operation on the 29th.’

 

Dog is apparently first in U.S. to test positive for new coronavirus

The pet dog of a family taking part in a study at Duke University is apparently the first in the U.S. to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

Dr. Chris Woods, the lead investigator of the Molecular and Epidemiological Study of Suspected Infection (MESSI), confirmed in a statement to CBS News that, “To our knowledge, this is the first instance in which the virus has been detected in a dog. Little additional information is known at this time as we work to learn more about the exposure.”

Early last month, Hong Kong health authorities said a coronavirus patient’s pet dog that tested positive for the virus was “likely” the first case of human-to-animal transmission.

WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, which was first to report the U.S. development, said the dog, a pug named Winston, is part of a family in Chapel Hill.

The mother, father and son in that household were enrolled in the study and tested positive as well, WRAL said.

But another family dog and a cat didn’t test positive. The family’s lizard wasn’t tested.

The station quoted the mom, Heather McLean, a pediatrician at Duke, as saying Winston was having mild symptoms.

Ben McClean, the son, told WRAL that Winston “licks all of our dinner plates and sleeps in my mom’s bed, and we’re the ones who put our faces into his face. So, it makes sense that he got” the virus.

According to WRAL,  the McLean’s daughter, Sydney, was the only family member who didn’t test positive. Her husband works in the emergency room at UNC Hospitals.

Tips for training

Caroline Gresham and her family have been thinking about adding a new member to their family for a couple of years.

So her family, like many others, decided that now might be the chance since they are spending more time at home.

“Zachary (Dad) spent an hour one day pretending to be a dog for the kids. After that he was like, ‘It’s time. We’re getting a dog,'” Gresham said.

“She goes a little crazy on walks when she sees another dog. We’d like to train her to walk better.”

Their story probably sounds familiar to many new dog owners. Sheltering at home has its advantages for adopting and training new pets, including more time for walks and play.

But in-person training classes with professionals are restricted, and social-distancing rules mean you can’t socialize a new dog at a park.

Here are a few things that new owners can keep in mind to help train their new best friend while stuck at home.

Like meetings, parties and family gatherings, dog training has pivoted to video conferencing. There are plenty of online resources and videos for training tips, but Mark Spivak, a professional dog trainer for over 30 years, says to make sure you’re finding the right resource for your dog.

“Each dog and family are unique. Internet media and books pose the disadvantage of not customizing instruction for the characteristics of the dog and family,” said Spivak, president of Comprehensive Pet Therapy. “Moreover, videos and print media do not provide feedback.”

Socializing your dog with new people and other dogs is an important aspect to get them adjusted. It’s especially important for puppies. But there are things you can do to help your pup get used to a new environment while staying safe.

“You can still expose your dog to riding in the car. You can still take your dog for a walk,” Stilwell said. She says if puppies have had their vaccinations, then you can put them in your arms and carry them out for a walk.

“Remember socialization is not just about touching. So just by going for a simple walk, that is exposing your puppy to a whole load of different experiences. They are seeing different people, they’re seeing other dogs.”

Don’t forget alone time for socializing your new pet. While being available right now for your new dog’s every barking command can be great, you do not want separation anxiety when you do need to leave them alone. Stilwell suggests leaving your new dog in a different room a little bit every day.

Spivak says that giving dogs time inside their crate can be helpful for housetraining puppies and breaking in older dogs to new homes.

“The crate reduces the probability of housebreaking and chewing errors during times when the family can not supervise the pet.” And, Spivak adds, “At least until the dog becomes comfortable with new routines, outdoor toileting areas, and existing household pets.”

Whether you have a brand new puppy or an older adult dog, use some of your extra time at home to teach your dog new tricks and skills.

Spivak says even though you may have time for long training sessions, dogs work better when the sessions are broken up.

“Obedience training practice is best conducted in multiple short sessions. While working from home there is more flexibility to apply several five-minute sessions versus a lengthy half-hour session.”

Also, keep in mind that dogs are learning even when you are not teaching them. No matter the breed or age, if you put in some time and effort, dogs will probably surprise you with what they can learn. Stilwell says that she’s been teaching her Chihuahua to help her find her keys.

The Gresham family says they might still seek some professional help once they are able to meet trainers in person again, but overall their new family member has been a welcomed addition.

“She’s perfect for the kids.They play with her all day. Overall, it’s been amazing.”

Paws of Courage

The AKC Paw of Courage is an award given to show appreciation for the work that dogs do in the service of humankind. This award recognizes dogs who serve their communities, making great impacts in the lives of their human counterparts. Paw of Courage awards can be presented to Police K-9s, Military Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs and other canines that work to make the lives of the people around them safer, easier or just simply happier. In light of COVID-19, we are awarding three special dogs who have made a difference during the national pandemic with the AKC Paw of Courage.

Jackson is an eight-year-old Golden Retriever owned by Bob Wharton. Jackson has been a Certified Therapy Dog for six years and completed more than 1,400 visits. He has also earned his CGC, Trick Dog Advance, and Therapy Dog Distinguished titles. Jackson also holds Therapy Dogs International Titles of TDI Gold and Tail Waggin’ Tutors and has received a “Certificate of Recognition” from his township. He is presently a Certified Therapy Dog with Angel On A Leash, “America’s Therapy Dogs”.

In this trying time, Jackson and Bob haven’t been able to do their regular visits due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, this hasn’t stopped the duo from visiting the people who need them – they have continued to do virtual therapy visits with Independent and Memory Care Facilities and 1^st graders at an Elementary School twice a week through photos and videos. Jackson is even the main character in a children’s book written and illustrated by Bob. The book has been sent electronically to the homes of the children from the 1st-grade class that they visit for the children to read to their families during this stay at home order. In such an unsettling time, Jackson and Bob continue to bring smiles and comfort to the people around them who need it most. Molly, officially known as Little Girl Molly RN THDD CGCA CGCU TKP RATN NSD, is a ten-year-old Vizsla owned by Connie Priesz. Molly has been a registered therapy animal with Pet Partners for nine years. They also belong to North Star Therapy Animals, a twin cities group of registered Pet Partner therapy animals.

Since the COVID-19 stay at home order, Connie and Molly have taken steps to stay connected in order to continue to bring comfort and joy. In an effort to change to virtual visits, the therapy dog team has made movies while reading a book, for schools, libraries and social media sites to share and have made virtual visit videos for the patients at the VA hospital they usually visit. In addition, Connie and Molly have joined the AKC PupPals program, submitting countless videos to those in need and have sent cards and pictures to all the sites they typically visit. The pair also created a Facebook group called “The Therapy Animal Space” for people with animals to stay connected and share stories during this global crisis.

These new trying times have made Connie and Molly think differently about how to help bring adventures and connections to those who need a smile. They plan to continue to serve their community and beyond by using technology to bring the effects of the human-animal bond to more people and reach even further as they work in this new way.

Phoebe,  is a 10-year-old Belgian

As part of their ongoing work as an AKC Canine Ambassador, Phoebe is used to participating in public demonstrations about training, responsible dog ownership, performance sports, how to greet a friendly dog, meet the breeds, and other important topics at schools, fairs, museums, and similar venues.  Of course, all those fun public demos came to a halt in March due to the nationwide efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. But that didn’t stop Pamela and Phoebe from continuing their work as an AKC Canine Ambassador team.

The pair created several videos for the AKC PupPals program and have been regularly going on “front yard visits” to individual homes and assisted living facilities for the past six weeks.  During the visits, Phoebe performs tricks and stunts while her audience is safely sheltered inside and watching from their windows. Although her Harry-Potter themed tricks are a favorite among the younger generation, the Obedience and Agility tricks – in particular, scent work (“Can Phoebe count?”), hand signals, hoop jumps, retrieving, and weave poles – are the crowd favorites! Phoebe is a big-hearted, willing dog, who works so tirelessly to bring joy, entertainment, and social connection to people’s lives during these uncertain times.

Coronavirus and your pet

For many of us, our everyday lives have changed dramatically, suddenly, as the coronavirus pandemic has swept the world, crossing continents, invading communities large and small.

Although there are hundreds of existing coronaviruses in humans and animals, this brand-new “novel” coronavirus has never been seen before and has proven to be highly contagious among humans.

It is only natural that people question if their dogs and cats are also at risk. Diseases spread from animals to people are called “zoonotic.”

At this time there are no confirmed reports of pets becoming sick with COVID-19 in the United States. There is no information that suggests dogs or cats might be a source of infection to people.

In case you might need to be home-quarantined, please keep at least two weeks of pet food and your pets’ medication(s) on hand at home.

Veterinarians are essential workers and most clinics are open to help you. Call your veterinarian if you need advance medication.

Should you test positive, have arrangements in place to limit your contact with your pet(s) just as you would limit contact with other family members. It is recommended that you not pet, kiss, hug, or share food with your pet during your quarantine period.

If you have a service animal (please refer to CDC guidelines for definition of service animals) or you, yourself, must care for your pets, please wear a cloth face covering and try to minimize contact, washing your hands well before and after pet contact.

You should not share any dishes, drinking glasses, towels, clothing or bedding with your pets during this time.

The coronavirus is primarily spread from an infected person’s bodily fluids, like saliva or mucous when they cough or sneeze.

Secondary transmission is possible if you touch a countertop or surface that is moist with infected sneeze or cough droplets. A smooth, nonporous surface like a countertop transmits better than a porous and fibrous surface like pet fur.

Again, at this time, per the CDC, there is no evidence that companion animal pets can spread the coronavirus to people. Pets are an important part of our lives and give joy and comfort, especially during a time of home isolation.

There is no reason, at the moment, to remove pets from a coronavirus positive house unless the owner becomes too sick to care for the pet and no other family member is available.

Should the owner be unable to care for a pet, and has no family to take it in, then the community will need to step in to help. Contact your veterinarian, a local Humane Animal group or your local Animal Shelter for service under these extreme circumstances.

Police welcomes new recruit

An idea years in the making finally became a reality this week when the Claremont Police Department announced that a new furry officer will join the force later this year — a comfort dog from Hero Pups in Portsmouth.

In a public Facebook post on Wednesday, April 22, Claremont Police Department said that a male Black Lab mix, whose duties consist of “supporting victims of all crimes, engaging with families and children during difficult times, and being a resource that the community as a whole can access,” will arrive at the station ready for work in the next four to five months, according to Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase.

Chase believes having a service dog who can provide comfort and support to members of the community and first responders will be a vital resource for the team’s response to a myriad of calls.

Fundraiser for dogs

An online trivia game is going to the dogs.

After several of its fundraising events were postponed by COVID-19, BC and Alberta Guide Dogs needed to get creative with ideas for generating revenues online. A Virtual Trivia Night live game on Saturday, April 25 will allow people to maintain physical distancing and still help the charity raise much-needed funds to provide life-changing guide dogs, autism service dogs and PTSD service dogs to those in need.

“Our in-person Trivia Nights in Calgary and Delta are so much fun and are our most attended events in both provinces,” Joni Wright, director of development and communications,” said in a press release. “We want to re-create this positive atmosphere for our supporters online.”

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online at www.bcandalbertaguidedogs.com. People are instructed to sign up early to receive game tips and information before the event

The live game link will be sent to participants’ emails an hour before the game starts – there’s no app to download, so participants just click and play. Players from across the country will compete for the 2020 Virtual Trivia Champion title, as well as puppy sponsorship prizes, such as naming a future puppy.

B.C. players will start playing at 6 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, April 25.

Through BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, Willie, Spoof, Dougie and Rubix are currently living in New Westminster with their puppy raisers.

Longtime New West resident Lynn Radbourne will be among the folks taking part in the fundraiser.

“Willie is the dog living with me and is sponsored by the New Westminster Youth Ambassadors,” said Radbourne, founder of the New Westminster Youth Ambassadors, in an email to the Record. “Dougie is sponsored by the Lions Club and Rubix is in the puppy sponsorship program, and anyone can send a donation directly to sponsor him or any of the others.”

BC & Alberta Guide Dogs is a registered charity that breeds, raises and professionally trains guide dogs for people who are blind or visually-impaired, Autism service dogs for children aged three to 10 with autism, and PTSD service dogs for veterans and first responders. It takes two years and upwards of $35,000 to produce one certified dog, provided free of charge to the recipient.

Veteran and service dog

U.S. Army Veteran, Nick Myers of Grand Haven has seen his email and Facebook blowing up with messages ever since we brought you his story on Friday.

“I’ve received probably close to 40 or 50 emails from people that want to help out,” Myers said.

Myers served in Afghanistan and is diagnosed with PTSD. He had to give up his service dog recently due to financial hardships during this pandemic.

“We ran out of money,” he said, “we were on our last 50 dollars and we have a house to pay for and we can’t lose our house, we have kids.”

His dog, Zelda is a year and a half old and has been helping him cope with different stressors. Not to mention, she has been a great friend to his young kids.

“I’ve never seen a dog that is that well around kids that was also trained to be a dog in the police force and a service dog,” Myers added, “she’s really well rounded.”

After Friday’s story aired, dozens of people called our station, took to Facebook and emailed asking how they could help Myers bring his dog back home.

“The help has been such a blessing,” he said, “it feels really good to know that there are still really good people out there.”

Myers says it will take about a thousand dollars to get Zelda home who is currently back with her breeder, who happens to be a great friend as well. However, thanks to the incredible people of West Michigan, Myers has met that financial goal.

“My message to people that have helped out is that my family and I thank you all very much,” Myers added. “It makes me speechless, honestly.”

Nick says Zelda should be back with his family within the next three days and says he will personally send everyone who helped him a thank you card and a photo of his family.

Service dog in training

This is Dolce. But don’t let his calm demeanor and cute button eyes fool you. Dolce is in training and soon enough he will have a very important job to do.

“Today we are really excited because we’ve been donated a puppy by a very gracious breeder in Red deer to work towards service dog training and a service dog team and his new owner is here to pick the dog,” said Shelley Beck of the Cypress Canine Society.

At just four months old Dolce will be going to a family in Airdrie to help 17-year-old Olivia who has been diagnosed with autism.

“It’s great, it is really great. I think she will be a great companion that will always be there for me, which is really great, and somebody that I can take into places that you can’t take normal pets,” said Olivia Levy.

For her family, it’s a long awaited relief.

Diagnosed with autism at 17, the family hopes the dog will be able to act as a companion and help Olivia overcome some of the challenges.

We are hoping for calming. She suffers from anxiety and depression so we are hoping the dog will be able to break up some of that,” Levy said.

For Dolce the dog, training involves a lot of specialized scent training. The training is needed to help detect when Olivia needs assistance.

“When she starts to have an attack, she’ll have different smells in her mouth, her electrodes inside her body will be different, the dog keys on that and the dog goes right to that person and nudges and that person, will go ‘oh I better start petting my dog there’s something wrong,’” said dog trainer Sterling Hintch.

Aside from picking up smells there are some other key skills needed in order to get a passing grade as a service dog.

” The temperament, for one thing, the ability to pick up clues on some people, and it is something that you will need to read in the dog, with the person that it is being matched with and lots of patience,” said Hintch.

Skills needed to make life a little easier for the people by their side day by day.

coronavirus pet concerns

The Oklahoma Humane Society has responded to animal concerns regarding the coronavirus.

“Although it is true that some pets such as cats, hamsters and ferrets might develop mild illness if exposed to a person with COVID-19, there is currently no evidence to suggest that pets can transmit it to people,” said the OHC. “Please continue loving and caring for your pets in your home.”

Only four animals have tested positive for the coronavirus worldwide. All animals have fully recovered.

According to the OHC, there is currently no evidence that a human has caught the coronavirus from a pet.

“Do not be afraid of your companion animal, especially during this pandemic, said the OHC. “Animals can provide a great source of emotional support and comfort.”

If you exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus, OHC recommends that you contact your doctor and self-isolate from your pets and humans in your home.

Police gets two new dogs

Will 2020 Mark The End Of Emotional Support Animals On Airlines?

Michael Goldstein Contributor
Travel

In 2020, the issue of Emotional Support Animals (ESA) on planes may come to a head. Airlines for America, an airline lobbying group, is pushing for new rules for “animals in the sky” that would effectively limit the service category to trained animals, such as guide dogs. This would eliminate untrained ESA animals who purportedly provide psychological support to their owners.

To many, the topic brings a menagerie to mind, with airline tales of emotional support snakes, ferrets, hamsters, and monkeys. American Airlines had to banish an 80-pound support pig after it squealed and defecated in the aisle. Dexter the emotional support peacock was turned away from a United flight and subsequently died.

Last summer, a flight attendant was reportedly bitten by an emotional support dog during an American Eagle flight from Dallas to Greensboro, North Carolina. The flight attendant required five stitches in her hand.

Airlines for America is leading an effort to get the Department of Transportation (DOT) to change the definition of “service animal” on aircraft to match that of the American Disability Act. The ADA definition of service animal is “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks performed can include…pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button.”

The key word is probably “trained.” An airline spokesperson told me it was all about the explosive growth in untrained ESA animals and their “uncontrolled” behavior. Airlines for America, which represents US airlines like American, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue and Hawaiian, enlisted 80 non-profit organizations in their effort to get DOT to change the rules. These include the Airline Pilots Association, Association of Flight Attendants, the American Kennel Club, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Travelers United and K9s for Warriors.

The airlines group notes the doubling of ESA certifications in the last three years, with websites selling on-line certifications from psychiatrists, harnesses and tags. Some allege this is a scam for pets to fly free, instead of their owners paying airlines up to $125 each way. The number of emotional support animals flown has grown from 500,000 to over a million since 2016.

Yet the issue may not be as clear-cut as portrayed. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, (ACAA) and separately, under Federal housing laws, an animal doesn’t have to be trained for a specific task to be considered an emotional support.

Professor Rebecca F. Wisch of the Michigan State University College of Law wrote, “An emotional support animal is an animal…that provides a therapeutic benefit to its owner through companionship. The animal provides emotional support and comfort to individuals with psychiatric disabilities and other mental impairments. The animal is not specifically trained to perform tasks for a person who suffers from emotional disabilities.”

Such assistance animals are recognized as a “reasonable accommodation” for a person with a disability under the Federal Fair Housing Act, based on documentation of a disability. Wisch writes, “Emotional support animals have been known to assist disabled individuals with severe depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many other emotional and psychiatric disabilities.”

For the airlines, under DOT rules the current definition of service animal is “any animal that is individually trained or able to provide assistance to a person with a disability; or any animal that assists persons with disabilities by providing emotional support.” Documentation, such as a doctor’s note, “may be required of passengers needing to travel with an emotional support or psychiatric service animal.”

To the airlines, the issues are clear. They want to be in control of the cabin, without untrained animals posing a nuisance or danger. There may also be concern with loss of income from owners reclassifying their pets as ESA animals.

The new rule making submitted for comment to the DOT last year by the airlines will “address the appropriate definition of a service animal and include safeguards to ensure safety and reduce the likelihood that passengers wishing to travel with their pets on aircraft will be able to falsely claim that their pets are service animals.”

“They’d have to change the law. They’re trying to make an end run,” says Professor Favre, Professor of Law at Michigan State University and head of the Animal Legal Web Center. “I don’t think Federal law will let them do that. Emotional support animals arose in the context of housing. It was broadly supported. There was no requirement of training, as the animal wasn’t going to do anything but be there. You did need to get a letter proving you had a psychiatric assistance animal [to present to the landlord.]”

Other than housing, “The airplane is the only other place that animal is allowed to go. You can’t bring your emotional support chihuahua to Starbucks,” says Professor Favre. “There are people with phobias about flying—I could see an emotional support animal being very helpful. The difficulty is who really needs it.”

“There needs to be a middle ground—too many people are abusing the system. All of these animals on the ESA side are crowding out the true service animals. Now people are getting looked at funny if they show up with a trained Labrador because the public thinks it’s another fraud,” adds Prof. Favre.

Professor Favre cited Delta Airlines as a potential ESA model. “Delta has on their website the requirement that paperwork be filed in advance. That’s a good step for filtering ESA requests. The Delta profile might work well for the airline industry. If the animal shows up and seems to be a risk, they can say no. But I’d go with the presumption that the paperwork represents a legitimate position.”

Statistics say that up to one in five Americans has a mental illness. Is there a continuing need for emotional support animals to help people get through our traumatic air travel system?

The airline industry might get the rule change they seek, says Prof. Favre. “There’s nobody organized on the other side.” But that might not be the last step in the ESA saga. “A lawsuit is possible, because it is going too far.”

Jet the fire service dog

Arson and deliberate fires are serious crimes which take up valuable time from Avon Fire and Rescue Service, when crews could be dealing with other major incidents.

Therefore, the service needs all the help it can get when it comes to finding and detecting deliberate fires across Bristol.

And so a Fire Dog called Jet, introduced to the service in February last year, provides much-needed assistance when he sniffs out and detects deliberate fires.

The five-year-old black Labrador is part of the service’s fire investigation team and and has assisted at the scenes of deliberate fires across the service area here in Bristol, including discovering that the Guildhall Fire was a deliberate act.

The role of a fire investigation dog is to use its highly-tuned sense of smell to find traces of accelerants which may have been used to deliberately start a fire.

Accelerants are substances, such as petrol, which help a fire to spread more quickly.

Even when a fire has been put out, fire investigation dogs can still smell exactly where an accelerant was used.

When Jet finds traces of an accelerant he lets handler Martyn Bolt know by ‘freezing’ and placing his nose close to where the substance has been found.

Jet was born in May 2013 and was selected at a young age based on his drive for play and ability to follow a positive reinforcement training programme, which rewards him with a tennis ball each time he detects an ignitable substance.

He is a quick learner and in September 2013, aged 16 weeks, was enrolled on a 12-week fire investigation dog training course.

Jet completed his training with flying colours in January 2014 and became the youngest dog to ever pass the course.

Despite being operational for some time, Jet was taken out of service while a search took place for a new handler.

However, he eventually found a new handler in Martyn.

Martyn said: “I’ve been part of the service for 23 years and have had extensive fire investigation training.

“When it was clear Jet needed a new handler and that the service could use him in a positive and proactive way, I jumped on the opportunity.

“Jet really is exceptional at what he does. He is able to help the service identify ignitable substances which could have been used to start a fire and it never ceases to amaze me when he locates the source of a fire.”

“I’m proud to be his handler and I look forward to working with him over the coming years.”

Jet is sent into cold fire scenes to search for evidence of ignitable liquids, identifying the areas they were used in, which are documented before samples are taken by the police for analysis.

The speed and accuracy of the dogs can save both police and fire investigators valuable time and resources.

When investigating fire scenes, Jet wears boots to protect his paws from any shards of glass or other sharp objects and also have his own personal protective equipment (PPE).