Girl Meets Her Future Service Dog

Service Dog’s Life

When the phrase service dogs comes to mind, many people immediately think of a dog that is serving someone with a visible disability. Most people think of military veterans, individuals who suffer mental disabilities, or individuals who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The fact is, there are many people who have service dogs who do not have a “well known” disability or even a disability that is apparent to the public.

Service dogs are not only for individuals who are suffering in one form, but they can also be for individuals who feel they need a service dog for a variety of reasons. One such person who owns and trained her own service dog is Patty Grotberg. Grotberg has been training dogs since the age of ten when she found she enjoyed the process.

“I became interested in Service Dogs several years ago, when it became apparent that I would benefit from having one,” said Grotberg. “Service Dogs are expensive. It is common to pay twenty-thousand dollars and up for a fully trained Service Dog. This was not in my budget, so I looked at alternatives and became involved with an owner-train program. This is where a dog and handler go to classes once a week with a professional Service Dog Trainer. They learn new skills each week and practice daily homework. These classes can last one to two years as the training of a Service Dog is extensive and time consuming. This more economical approach was a good fit for me since I have a background in training dogs and was willing to put in the work.”

Grotberg’s journey has led her to interact with other people who own service dogs and gain extensive knowledge about the service dog world.

“I have had my current Service Dog for nearly a year. Bailey is a 1.5-year-old Labradoodle,” said Grotberg. “He is still in training. This stage is known as SDiT, Service Dog in Training. In NC, SDiT have the same public access rights as Service Dogs. Puppy training, Obedience Training, Public Access Training, how to behave anywhere and everywhere, from the mall to a restaurant, and Task Training, the actual work the dog will perform to mitigate the disability of handler, are all part of the dog becoming a service dog.”

For individuals interested in service dog training, or a service dog of their own, the process is extensive and requires an ample amount of time and training. There are several tests that are used for the Service Dog assessment. The CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and the PAT Test (Public Access Test) are two of the tests that the training dog must pass to become a certified service dog.

“Owning a Service Dog is a huge privilege, and I am so thankful for mine, because these highly trained dogs mitigate individual disabilities and can greatly improve quality of life. They are also a lot of work,” stated Grotberg. “A Service Dog must be clean and well groomed at all times, training must be ongoing to keep behavioral standards high, the dog must be given opportunities to relieve itself before and after each outing and often during as well. For example, when I go clothing shopping, I often leave the store for a potty break for my dog and then head back in again. I must consider the needs of my dog at all times and must train him to wear unusual equipment for a dog, such as protective boots to shield his feet from summer’s hot pavement. I do not believe that most people would keep a service dog long term unless the benefits outweigh the negatives for them. They are just too much work.”

One thing that should be known to the general public is that there are many different types of support animals. Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Animals, and Service Dogs are all different and they all play a different role with their owner. Emotional Support Animals require no special training, only have rights through HUD, and they have no special Public Access rights. Therapy Dogs have special training to visit places like hospitals, seniors homes and prisons. They typically must be tested and licensed for insurance purposes. Service Dogs perform specific task work to mitigate disability for one person. They are highly trained and have full public access rights. They are legally considered medical equipment.

“There is a great deal of public confusion regarding SD in the USA. Many people are confused between Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Dogs, and Service Dogs,” said Grotberg. “This confusion can cause a great deal of difficulty for service dog users because the public and businesses may not be aware of their legal access rights. I have experienced such issues. Generally, the only public places service dogs may not legally access are sterile environments, such as hospital operating rooms. Service Dogs are considered required medical equipment under the law. Basically, anywhere a disabled person would be allowed to bring or use their wheelchair, a service dog would also be allowed.”

“Businesses are, however, protected against abuse of their property by poorly behaving service dog teams. According to ADA regulations, they may ask a SD team to leave the premises if the dog is defecating on their property or if the dogs’ behavior is unsafe or disruptive (i.e. barking, lunging, jumping).”

Along with the public misunderstanding the different types of service animals, there is also a proper etiquette that is construed when the public sees a service dog. If a service dog appears without his or her owner, one should immediately follow the dog. The service dog has been trained to find the closest help possible if they are unable to perform the task needed. Do not try to corral the dog or catch the dog, simply follow them to the location of their owner.

“The Public Access issue is probably the biggest concern for the service dog community. We are often given a hard time or even denied access illegally, when our dogs are behaving exactly right because the public is unaware of ADA regulations,” stated Grotberg. “General public response is also very challenging at times. Proper etiquette for the public is; no talking, no touching, and no looking at Service Dogs. The dogs are working and need to concentrate. Interact with Service Dog users just as if their dog was not there. Do not ask why a person has a Service Dog. You are unintentionally asking them for their personal health information.”

“It is very common to have people want to talk to Service Dogs, bark at them, call to them, try to pat them, follow them around stores, and ask the handlers about their personal health information,” stated Grotberg. “I personally try to be patient, friendly and educational with people who are interested, but it is really difficult to be harassed by people following us and barking or grabbing at my dog as we walk by. My favorite responses are from the people who ignore us, address only me, or just smile. I really appreciate that.”

Service Dog Vanishes

A Wisconsin mother fears she may have been cheated out of $20,000 in donations raised to buy a golden retriever service dog for her son, who has autism.

The contributions had come from all sides of their community: family members, their church and even the Green Bay Packers, who gave a signed football to the Olsons, according to 360aproko News.

“We had so much hope,” Morgan Olson, mother to Noah Olson, told the outlet. “And now it’s quashed.”

When the family finally raised enough to buy a dog through a Virginia nonprofit called Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers (SDWR), they never received a definitive answer from the organization about when they would meet the animal, which they hoped would help Noah manage his anger.

The group did not immediately respond to an inquiry from 360aproko news. The original fundraising page for the Olsons has disappeared from the group’s website, according to KHOU, and the phone number listed on its website has been disconnected. Links to the organization’s social media accounts lead to blank pages.

FEDS CRACK DOWN ON EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS ON FLIGHTS

SDRW’s website says its autism service dogs can help with creating an “overall calming effect,” “redirection from self-harm,” “improved sleep patterns,” “increased societal interaction” and more.

SDWR’s website (FBN screenshot)
In a 2019 interview with Amery Free Press, a Wisconsin news outlet, Olson said her son “had the desire to bang his head on the floor out of frustration, and his communication wasn’t where it should have been. Over the years, it has regressed and essentially disappeared.”

Olson provided KHOU with emails from the service dog organization that said if the family wished to raise donations, they would have to do so through an SDWR-controlled account.

The Olsons agreed, raised the money, and then received an email saying, “‘You have paid for your dog, you are on the waitlist to get your dog,’” Olson told the outlet.

ADOPTING, BUYING A DOG IS MOST, LEAST EXPENSIVE IN THESE STATES

Since then, she has heard nothing more.

An organization web page on frequently asked questions says the organization provides customers “the direction, guidance, and support that is necessary” to raise donations through its “client services department and resource center.”

A  Form 990 tax filing shows SDWR garnered $876,423 from contributions in 2017.

People have received dogs from the nonprofit in the past, though calling them “service dogs” would be a stretch, according to a 2018 lawsuit.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring complained in the suit, filed that May, that SDWR violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act and Solicitation of Contributions Law by misleading “hopeful and vulnerable consumers” who received untrained dogs “not equipped to help them manage a life-threatening disability.”

The lawsuit also alleges that the group violated Virginia laws by “misrepresenting to consumers, or deceiving consumers, about the [dogs’] testing, training, skills and abilities, and efficacy; what goods or services would be included in the cost of the dogs; how the dogs could be paid for; how long consumers would have to pay their balances due for their [dogs] and whether consumers could receive refunds.”

Another customer, Heather Hudson of Connecticut, told 360aproko News in 2018 that she received a six-year-old dog from the organization in 2012 after paying a $1,000 security deposit and raising $20,000. The dog was supposed to help her diabetic son and identify when his blood sugar was low.

Hudson told 360aproko news that the dog had bald spots on its head, likely from rubbing it against the walls of a kennel, had worms and parasites, was not crate-trained and began showing signs of skin allergies.

SDWR refused to refund Hudson any portion of the $20,000 she raised for the dog, she told the outlet.

Police Department Pawfficer

After not being in the office for a couple of months, Sage didn’t want to put her halter on and go back to work. Some can relate.

But she also missed her 20,000 friends. Sage’s freshman year ended prematurely, as the University moved to online classes in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The 3-year-old black lab came to ISU a year ago as a new recruit for the Illinois State University Police Department  (ISUPD). As a part of the community engagement unit, she is everybody’s dog.

And she knows it. In her first year, she connected with nearly 9,000 students, faculty/staff, and community members. And she showed up to 117 events. That’s a lot of socializing, even for Sage, who still needs some down time in her home at the police department in the Nelson Smith Building.

Last fall she had some health issues but a change in diet made all the difference. When the department went to reduced staffing last spring, she went home with one of the officers, but was back in the office in July, doing what she does best–visiting.

Sage came to the University last fall after a successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised more than $4,000 in a week. Her job is to help students transition to campus, assist officers with educational programs, provide comfort to crime victims, and provide a little pet therapy during programs such as PAWSitively Stress Free.

Kevin Goffard ’16, service area coordinator for Tri-Towers, has watched her work her magic at residence hall events, and sees her popularity as a campus icon rising.

“While everyone loves Reggie, everyone also loves Sage,” he said. “Sage truly helps bring out the Redbird spirit of everyone who encounters her. She helps to tear down walls, helps build bridges, and reminds us to be a bit more kind to one another.”

Part of Sage’s outreach is to be there for victims of crimes. Tim McCue, area coordinator at Tri-Towers, understands why she’s so effective.

“They’re not telling the story to a police officer, they’re telling the story to Sage,” he said. “Just as if you had a dog at home, the dog plops down next to you, and you tell them about your day.”

Sage also breaks down barriers between officers in uniform and students. When Sage does meet-and-greets with officers, it’s a different experience than an officer walking alone, McCue said.

“One of the coolest things that happened was students were having conversations with police officers that I’ve never heard before. The flow of that conversation started because the student asked, ‘Can I come pet your dog?’ And within 10 minutes we’ve gotten to, ‘If I feel unsafe walking home, what do I do?’

“Our officers are so seamlessly a part of the interaction. They’re able to let Sage be the star but as they start talking to students, they weave in education, and pieces of soft advice about being successful on campus. They blend the role of police officer and educator. Sage is the foot in the door, but what they are able to do once Sage gets them into the door is really fun to listen to.”

Officers have handed out more than 5,000 Sage badge stickers, which McCue said are like gold. “You see them on students’ laptops. Getting a sticker of Sage is on the bucket list at ISU.”

Watterson Towers Residence Hall Coordinator Kate Rybakova, M.A. ’19, invited ISUPD and Sage to a program she was giving on alcohol and drinking and driving awareness. Sage greeted students at the door.

“Sage was definitely part of the reason why the program ended up having such a high turnout,” she said. “Seeing a therapy dog in the room, students just couldn’t resist the urge to come in and pet her.”

ISUPD Chief Aaron Woodruff knows Sage’s weakness–balls. Any ball.

“She’s spoiled,” he said. “You put a ball in front of her and that’s all she cares about and she won’t stop. She’ll come into the office and drop it there and just stare at you.”

Initially, she was trained as a service dog through SIT Service Dogs, which breeds, trains, and places service dogs for those with disabilities. But trainers found her a little too social for that role. Now, she’s right where she belongs.

K-9 Havoc

Brimfield Police lost a member of the force last Saturday.

K-9 Havoc was 12 years old when he died. Knarr said Havoc’s hips gave out and he had some other complications, so he had to be put down.

Havoc began working as a K-9 for the Brimfield Police Department in 2009 and served for about nine years, said his handler, Sgt. David Knarr. Havoc retired in September 2018.

“Havoc was a phenomenal partner. He idolized me. If he wasn’t looking at me, he was right near me. He just locked on to me right from the start,” Knarr said of Havoc.

Knarr said he got Havoc as a six-week-old puppy from Whited K-9 services in Brimfield and began training him immediately. Schmidt’s of Macedonia worked with Knarr to train the dog.

Knarr said Havoc barked a lot, which could scare people who didn’t know him. But Havoc was also a licensed therapy dog, something Knarr said was rare because hospitals often won’t certify dogs who have had aggression training. Havoc would go to Field Schools on test days to help the students and staff de-stress, Knarr said.

“He lowered the temp of the school, when people were agitated he would walk through the building and calm people down,” Knarr said.

At the time, having a K-9 with the school resource officer was not common, Knarr said.

When it came time for Havoc to retire, Knarr said, he bought Havoc for a dollar and Havoc came to live at his family’s home. But for the rest of his life, Havoc wanted to go back to work, Knarr said.

“The day we retired him, he sat by my door for two hours wanting to go to work with me,” Knarr said.

Havoc was replaced by Brimfield K-9 Recon the same day Havoc retired. Knarr also handles Recon and handled K-9 Ace beginning in 2003 prior to having Havoc.

The Go Team Earns Award

For the first time ever, a team is being awarded the American Kennel Club Paw of Courage Award.

“Mostly, it’s been going to military dogs, service dogs, working dogs,” said Nancy Trepagnier, Executive Director and Founder of the Go Team Therapy Crisis and Airport Dogs.

The Go Team Therapy Crisis and Airport Dogs initially started as a team of two dogs back in 2012, during the Waldo Canyon Fire.

“One of the firefighters asked me what the name of our team was, had to think of a name real quick. So, I came up with the Go Team,” Trepagnier said.

Since then, the nonprofit has grown to more than 600 teams across the U.S., Italy and South Korea.

“We’re not your typical therapy dog team. Most of the therapy dog teams go through like about a 20-minute course, or a testing. With the Go Team, it’s two days, it’s over 20 hours, and you actually have to be referred to our team,” Trepagnier said.

With dogs of all different breeds and sizes, you’re sure to find the perfect one to help ease your nerves.

“Most people, they pet a dog, they’re going to smile. It really helps relax them, a good stress reliever, unconditional love,” said Lori Schlonski, Director of Administration and Regional Coordinator for the nonprofit.

Typically, teams volunteer at schools, assisted living facilities, military bases, and more, but the coronavirus pandemic has made the group change course.

“We haven’t been able to volunteer and I’ve been in touch with several of the nurses where we normally go to the hospital and they said this is when they need the dogs more than ever, because they’re understaffed, they’re overworked, and they’re not having the dogs there. And that’s all they’re talking about every day, is they need the dogs back,”

“They bring down stress in them, they make them happy, blood pressure comes down. You know, all you gotta do is pet them,” said Kim Musgrove, a volunteer team member.

At nearly 14 years old, Tabor, who helped launch the nonprofit, is looking forward to spreading joy in person again.

“Usually, he rides around in a wagon, which is really great when do special education classes because you’ll have the kids in the wheelchairs and they’ll see him in a wagon. And it makes them feel like, ‘here’s a dog that’s just like me,’” Trepagnier said.

“It’s all different for people. Some need it because they’re sad, some need it just because it just makes them feel joy. It’s just a good thing,” Schlonski said.

Police K9 Unit

The Moody Police Department has added a member to its ranks.

Suzi is the new K9 for the department’s Narcotics Unit. She was donated by iK9 and the 1st Foundation in memory of the late Lt. Stephen Williams. The news was announced last month on the department’s Facebook page.

Williams was a 23-year veteran and night sergeant for the Moody Police Department who passed away June 2 while in the line of duty. He was promoted posthumously.

“Every time you look at Suzie, you see Suzie around, you think, ‘You know, that’s a part of Stephen that’s with us today,’” said Moody Chief of Police Thomas Hunt

Suzie was named after Williams’ Suzuki motorcycle by his wife, Michelle Williams. Suzi, a golden retriever, is the second K9 unit at the Moody Police Department, joining the agency’s therapy dog, Izzy, who is a black labradoodle.

“Having a therapeutic dog and a narcotics dog in the department, both have been very instrumental to us. Izzy will be involved in our school system, of course, where the narcotics dog, Suzie, will be on patrol with Officer Burns,” said Hunt

Hunt believes having Suzie will allow for his department to be more effective in getting drugs off of the streets because dogs have a much stronger sense of smell and have the ability to locate illegal drugs much better than humans alone can.

“Having Suzie is going to be very instrumental for patrol. We’ve had a K9 in the past. Back in the mid-2000s to late 2000s, we had a black labrador named Nemo, and its handler was an assistant chief, Rusty Freeman,” said Hunt.

“Nemo, back in his day, was an exceptional dog. Our dog park is named after Nemo. He found just lots of drugs and, you know, took them off the interstate in our streets here in Moody, so bringing Suzie on board is just a continuation of what Nemo did for us here at Moody Police Department.”

Suzie is finishing training with her handler, Officer Austin Burns, and will soon be on duty with Burns to help get drugs off of the streets.

Burns said he has enjoyed working with Suzie and training with her, and believes she will play a key role in anything drug related.

“It’s been tons of fun (working with Suzie). Even with her just riding around with me is a lot of fun,” said Burns

Burns said having Suzie donated in memory of Williams also meant a lot to him.

“[Williams] was my training officer when I first started here. Me and him were super close. He was my sergeant and he meant a lot to me,” said Burns.

Assistance Dogs

A Canberra woman is taking two Blue Mountains accommodation providers to the Australian Human Rights Commission for breaching the Disability Discrimination Act.

Service Dog Missing

A service dog is missing after a vehicle was stolen with the dog inside, according to Arlington police.

Charlotte, a 10-year-old female pit bull, is a service dog with 22 kill, a nonprofit organization providing mental wellness programs for veterans, first responders, and their families. NBC 5 has filed several stories on the organization.

Her owner, Taija Horne — who serves as a social worker with 22Kill — said Charlotte was inside her vehicle when both the car and dog were stolen from a Walgreens parking lot on Matlock Road around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Horne told NBC 5 that Charlotte is her emotional support animal and also provides comfort and support to clients for 22Kill.

“The most important thing to me is getting her back. I don’t care about the car, the car can be replaced. She is irreplaceable. She means so much to me and everybody that’s met her,” said Horne. “She’s come such a long way in her own traumatic start in life and now she gets to return that favor to people who are struggling. She is the reason I can do my job day in and day out working in social services.”

Arlington police confirmed they are currently investigating the theft.

According to the police report, Horne told police she left her vehicle, a 2017 white Subaru Forrester, running with the doors unlocked while she ran into the store to make a quick purchase.

While she was in the store, police said an unknown male got into the vehicle and drove off with it.

Charlotte is gray and white with a microchip, which means she can be dropped off to any animal hospital. Horne said she is not aggressive but is most likely scared. A reward of $2,250 is being offered for her safe return.

Training Service Dogs

For three local veterans, service didn’t stop after life in the military.

“We train service dogs for people that have disabilities, whether that be medical, like physical, or it be mental,” said Taylor Carnell, an owner and co-founder of King and Queen Diamond K9, “Our main focus is on mental health.”

Taylor, along with his wife Sarah and their Kennel Master James Grissom, works with dogs of all breeds and train them to serve.

They’ve learned the benefits of a service dog and have experienced the difficulty of trying to get one.

While they want to help veterans, they will help anyone that needs a service animal.

“We’ll help any veteran. You don’t have to go through a process with us. There’s no criteria you have to meet other than service – that’s it,” Taylor said.

Taylor and James agree that service dogs can help veterans and even help bring down the number of veterans that commit suicide every day.

“I’ve been through it and it is a struggle. It’s very hard,” James said, “and with him, I mean, it’s life-changing for me. My life has completely turned around.”

Taylor and Sarah have been working with dogs for years.

They also learned from a veteran friend of Taylor’s who trains dogs. This past March, they went public with their company King and Queen Diamond K9 and currently have eight dogs.

“We don’t want people to have to wait or get put on a list because sometimes that stuff can take months,” Taylor said. “The waiting game is what sucks for a lot of veterans.”

Right now they work with dogs, but are willing to train any animal that will help make someone more comfortable in their day-to-day life.

“For the most part, though, everything’s trainable,” James said.

“If having a cat, a bird, a lizard or something in your pocket is going to make you feel better, bring it to me and we can make it work somehow,” Taylor said.

Recently, they agreed on a partnership with Valor Recovery Centers in Austintown to bring service dogs to group sessions.

“If someone is talking about something during the group and they get really emotional or it’s hard for them to talk about it because it raises their levels of depression, anxiety, the dog can pick up on that and go over to that person and comfort that person so that maybe it’s easier for this person to talk about something that’s been bothering them,” Taylor said.

James added that the dogs might make people feel more secure, and help people open up and talk about something that they wouldn’t otherwise.

“They might be like, ‘OK I feel safer now… I’ll actually open up and talk about this stuff that’s been bothering me that hasn’t been talked about,’” he said.

Taylor, Sarah and James shared their struggles after life in the military and found a remedy and companionship in dogs that helped them tremendously, and they want to make that available to others.

“It was like a fresh start,” Taylor said. “He opened up a certain part of me that I’ve never seen before. I can approach people. I can go in the store and be in there for three or four hours and it doesn’t bother me.”

James said after the military, it was hard for him to adjust and he was trying to get a service dog to help.

“I seen a post about this dog being up and wanting to be with a veteran so I reached out to Taylor and that’s how I wound up with him,” he said. “From the time that we met, I was pulled away from everybody and ever since I got him, I’m more open.”

Taylor added James’ transformation was drastic.

“It was super exciting to see, not just like the progression in the dog from when we got him, but James as a person completely changed,” Taylor said.

Service Dog Helps Students

Canine Companions

 

A Georgetown man was given the gift of a lifetime: making everyday tasks much less easier to accomplish.

Andres Jimenez is one of 89 people with disabilities across the country that was given a therapy dog during the pandemic by the nonprofit Canine Companions.

Based out of California, the nonprofit has six offices, including one in the Dallas area. Jimenez drove to Dallas last week to spend one week training with his new dog, Dewey, before bringing him back to Central Texas.

Veteran Reunites With K-9

When we first met Mark Lee Jr. in 2018, he had been working with the group Justice for TEDD Handlers to try and reunite with his K-9 partner Rayco. The two were part of the Army’s bomb detection team.

Lee was injured in Afghanistan and left in 2012. It was the last time he saw Rayco.

Also in 2018, a report came out that said the Army mismanaged the adoption of more than 200 military dogs, leaving veterans like Lee without the chance to adopt.

When Rayco finished his service with the military, he ended up working with the U.S. Capital police.

The Justice for TEDD group, made up of a few civilians like Betsy Hamptom, were fighting to try and locate these dogs to reunite them.

Meanwhile, Lee was struggling. He ended up behind bars and in rehab.

“I didn’t do too well,” said Lee. “I guess everything kind of caught up with me. While I was incarcerated. The guy at Capitol police that had Rayco watched our initial interview.”

After our story, Capital officer Steve Nunn got in touch with Justice for TEDD Handlers and said he wanted Rayco back with Lee.

“It’s been 180 degrees since then, as you can see, I got my best friend back,” said Lee. “It shows a lot about his character being that when he reached out to find me as a law enforcement officer and find out I was incarcerated and still do nothing but want me to have him back.”

Lee reunited with Rayco in D.C. and then the two went to Indiana to thank the woman who made it possible.

“This is the one I wanted to happen for so long,” said Hampton. “This is a big deal to me. He’s like a son to me. My husband and I have adopted this kid.”

It’s like the two old war buddies haven’t missed a beat.

“He still has his working harness so if I pull it out of my backpack or pull it up, he goes crazy because he thinks he’s going to get to go work and have some fun,” said Lee.

The pair isn’t finished yet either. They are moving to Texas to work with Mission K-9 Rescue. They will help rehabilitate dogs with PTSD, so they can find homes and reunite other military handlers.

“Me and Rake are going to go over there and see if we can help somebody else get their boy back,” said Lee.

The Justice for TEDD Handlers program is winding down. They were able to reunite 12 handlers with their dogs. A few others went to visit their old K-9 partners. Marines had similar issues finding their improvised explosive device detection dogs after service.

The report on the mishandling of K-9s did lead to a change within the military to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Companions For Heroes

Companions For Heroes, a nonprofit founded by Georgia Senate District 3 Republican candidate David Sharpe, is under investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

State officials declined to release details about the investigation other than to say it is ongoing.

Sharpe, CEO of the nonprofit, has given widely varying accounts of the number of pets the nonprofit has saved. Numerous attempts by The News to contact Sharpe for clarification have been unsuccessful, despite multiple assurances he would speak to reporters.

Missie O’Neal, Companions For Heroes’ chief operating officer, said the discrepancy in numbers likely resulted from poor record-keeping by a former CEO.

The organization’s mission is to rescue pets that otherwise might be euthanized, train them as companion or service animals and pair them with “active-duty military personnel, military veterans, first responders, military spouses and children and Gold Star Families recovering from the psychological challenges they suffered during service to our country,” according to the Companions For Heroes website.

It also strives to bring awareness to post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and other challenges suffered by veterans and active-duty military personnel.

Sharpe told Fox News during a May 2019 Fox & Friends segment that the organization had saved “3,500-plus nationwide … we’re literally saving two dogs, two veterans, Gold Star Family members, military caregivers every day.”

In a June 2019 Facebook video, Sharpe gave a more modest 512 pets saved. But in October 2019 he claimed at a charity event Companions For Heroes had “helped save over 4,000 lives locally” since the organization’s founding in 2009.

Sharpe could not be reached to clarify the “lives saved” metric. He did not return repeated messages left on his cell phone.

An email request for the company’s most recent audit — which the company advertises on its site as available on demand — returned an automated message saying the company has “helped over 5,000 veterans in the last six years.”

Companions For Heroes website has, in a now-deleted post on the organization’s website in 2018, claimed to have “rescued 7,000 dogs and paired them with veterans.”

Figures stated by Sharpe are not accurate, according to self-reported data. Companions for Heroes has reported to nonprofit database GuideStar that since 2009 it has paired 634 dogs with veterans.

The organization’s GuideStar profile is linked on the Companions For Heroes’ website, which also sports GuideStar’s 2020 seal of transparency.

While they were self-reported, O’Neal said those numbers are also inaccurate.

“I don’t know where those numbers had come from,” O’Neal said Friday.

She has been working on an internal audit in an attempt to find the exact amount but does not have a figure yet.

Rather than Sharpe, O’Neal said the CEO in place before he took over in 2017 is largely to blame. Sharpe served as the chairman of Companions For Heroes’ board of directors before the board hired him as CEO.

Poor record-keeping was pervasive under the old administration, O’Neal said, and she is working diligently to right the ship.

The charity is not doing anything wrong or immoral and had not in the past, she claimed. The Secretary of State’s office is obliged to investigate citizen complaints against nonprofits, and O’Neal does not believe an investigation into Companions For Heroes will turn up anything illegal.

She admitted that very little from donations went toward veterans programs under the old CEO and more was spent than was necessary. Since she was hired in June 2019, O’Neal said much more of their donations go to the nonprofit’s causes.

As a military spouse with a love of dogs, O’Neal said the charity combines two of the causes she cares about most. As such, she is committed to improving the organization.

“I would not be part of a nonprofit that would waste donors’ money,” O’Neal said.

PTSD Service Dog

Dog Of The Year

The two Maine service dogs have won their categories in the 2020 American Humane Hero Dog Awards and will appear on the Hallmark Channel this fall, competing for the grand title of “American Hero Dog.”

Aura, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever/golden retriever mix from Brunswick, serves as a hearing dog for Gretchen Evans, an Army veteran who lost her hearing after being struck by a rocket blast in Afghanistan more than a decade ago.

Among other things, Aura alerts Evans to doorbells, text messages, sirens and people approaching from behind — a service that has allowed Evans to regain her active lifestyle.

After winning more online votes than her competitors, Aura was recently named 2020 Guide/Hearing Dog of the Year.

Dolly, a 3-year-old Lab from Naples, is trained to alert when owner Amy Sherwood is having cardiac problems.

Because Sherwood uses a wheelchair, Dolly also picks up or retrieves objects for her — including her wheelchair, which has a leash attached to it so Dolly can grab and pull.

Dolly was named 2020 Service Dog of the Year.

Aura and Dolly will compete with five others for the top dog title. Maine is the only state with two finalists.

The American Humane Hero Dog Awards is sponsored by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and will be broadcast nationwide as a two-hour special on Hallmark Channel this fall. The dog with the most online votes will take the title of American Hero Dog.

Votes can be cast once a day through Sept. 10 at Hero Dog Awards.org.

All seven dogs will appear on the two-hour special. The top dog will get a special tribute.

Evans would love for Aura to be that dog.

“She changed my life, gave me back my independence after my injuries,” Evans said. “I just wanted to honor her service.”

Orlando’s Working Dogs

Service Dog Puppies

Buddy The Service Dog

It’s been a while since we last checked in with Buddy and his training to become a service dog for a veteran suffering from PTSD. Because of the pandemic, he’s a little behind schedule, but Shelter to Soldier is still optimistic that a match with a veteran is coming soon.

“We’re having to pick large outdoor spaces away from people – outdoor cafes, not indoor restaurants,” said Graham Bloem, Shelter to Soldier’s director.

As a result, it’s hard to get the dogs the training they need around large groups of people, strange situations and noisy environments.

Unfortunately, Buddy isn’t alone. The pandemic has forced the nonprofit’s trainers to get creative to help all of the dogs stay on track, but that’s easier said than done.

Southeastern Guide Dogs

The Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Southeastern Guide Dogs in direct support of its programs to supply service dogs for returning veterans.

Over the years, the foundation has now contributed more than $21,000 to this work that helps veterans wounded in body and spirit train with a service dog, allowing them to integrate back into their community and family life.

The Palmetto-based organization operates the most advanced training facilities of any service dog organization in the world. They create elite working dogs and provide life-changing services for people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities, and children with significant challenges such as vision loss or the loss of a parent in the military.

While 2020 has certainly presented the VYC Foundation with many challenges, including the loss of fundraising events due to the guidelines for COVID-19 protocols, it continues to receive the support of the VYC members to insure grants for critical needs are maintained.

Year to date, the foundation has accelerated its grant schedule so that vital programs can continue to operate. The foundation has already gifted $90,000 to 27 local charities fighting hunger, promoting literacy, protecting women and children from abuse, as well as supporting key services to veterans.

Since its inception in late 2010, the foundation has raised and gifted more than $700,000 for local charities.

In addition, the VYC Board has sponsored the building of six homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity South County. The most recent home was dedicated on June 30.

The foundation committee asks people to consider the following: “In your own way and according to your own means, find a place in your heart to support the heroes who are providing meals, hope, homes, education, health and safety as we experience these trying times.