Veterans With PTSD

Nineteen years later, Tom Bowen is still reliving the physical and mental pain he endured as a first responder on 9/11 in New York City.

He was one of the heroes – a firefighter from West Virginia – who volunteered to assist NYC first responders who dug for endless hours, days and weeks through “The Pile” at the site of the World Trade Center after it was attacked by terrorist-piloted planes, sifting through the toxic rubble in search of humans, dead or alive.

But the father of three suffered not only bone fractures and bruises during that time, but long-lasting mental and emotional trauma, including PTSD.

At one point, he said, his wife told him, “You’re not the man I married. You’re not the father you could have been to our children.” Bowen knew he needed help to deal with his night terrors and post traumatic stress disorder. One of the ways he found it was through a Labrador retriever named Bragg. The service dog came to live with Bowen and his family in 2015, through the service dog training nonprofit, Paws & Effect, whose founder and executive director, Nicole Shumate, lives in Black Mountain. “She said, ‘this dog is not going to heal you, this dog is a tool in your belt. You have to also take care of yourself,’” Bowen said of Shumate. “A service dog isn’t going to make you all better. It’s a tool in your belt. There’s therapy, doctors, medication, staying fit, working on your diet, learning to trust your friends,” he said. But he would put Bragg at the top of his list.

“Bragg for me has been life changing,” he said.

He wasn’t sure how to explain lugging an 85-pound dog with him everywhere he went because he wasn’t blind or deaf.

“It forced me to have conversations with my parent and friends that I had never had since the (9/11) attacks. This is something in my life that can help, and it has four legs and fur,” he said.

“It’s a very serious illness, a serious struggle for a lot of people. Up until this point I haven’t slept through the night in 14 years. Having Bragg all the time, I feel more comfortable talking about it. For my parents and close friends, it’s allowed them to come to me and ask me questions. It’s caused them to do things and say prayers and send positive feelings and support my way.”

Bragg was trained by puppy raisers and then Shumate was his “finish trainer,” she said. He was the first service dog to be placed with a Ground Zero worker, she said.

“Bragg was named to both recognize Fort Bragg, the home of the Army’s Special Operations and Warfare Center as well as a specific soldier who graduated from West Point and subsequently lost his life in Afghanistan.”

She has placed 60 dogs with combat veterans, but on Sept. 7, Shumate placed the first combat operational stress dog, named Scout, on a military base, with Command Chaplain O’Lear at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.

Since Shumate started Paws $ Effect in Iowa in 2006 as a speech and physical therapy dog service for children, she has expanded it to serve veterans and first responders in light of the growing incidence of PTSD and other mental health issues among these populations and the research showing the powerful healing effects of the human-animal bond.

A lawyer who also has an undergraduate degree in psychology, Shumate started out her career training search and rescue dogs in Breckenridge, Colorado. The focus of her legal work has been policy and legislation, and serving as an expert witness involving service dogs.

Shumate moved to Black Mountain in 2016, and maintains an outpost of the original company based in Iowa.

Puppies, mostly Labrador retrievers, are bred in Iowa, then sent to “puppy raisers” who train the dogs in their homes. The work is intense and takes about 18 months, Shumate says.

“The training is all positive reinforcement and clicker training. That is a type of training they use in commercial facilities like zoos and aquariums. It’s where an animal hears a unique noise when they have presented a behavior that you want them to present again,” Shumate said.

“We use a clicker, which is a unique sound in the environment, to let them know that they have performed the physical behavior that we prefer, like learning how to open doors or resting their chin on somebody’s leg. We work with the dogs to modify their physical behavior, but do it very humanely,” she said.

Once the dogs have graduated training, Paws & Effect gives them to individuals who show a need and an ability to take care of the dogs. But the nonprofit maintains ownership and pays for liability insurance, which can be more than $3,000 per dog. The clients must pay for the dogs’ food and veterinary care.

The way service dogs work with people who have PTSD is by keeping people in the present, Shumate said.

“Sometimes just the idea of a dog resting its chin on somebody’s thigh, or having the dog kind of stand behind somebody so that person isn’t approached by other people who get too close to them,” she said.

“The dog serves the role of helping their mind not drift, so that they aren’t concerned, and they aren’t bringing back up memories from having been in combat. The dogs are also very good at alerting veterans to an oncoming panic attack. That’s helpful if they can manage their panic attacks sooner.”

The dogs are trained to do this by tapping their nose into somebody’s hand in a super subtle way where no one else would notice. That’s the person’s alert that a panic attack is coming, and they can excuse themselves from a meeting, for example, Shumate said.

She had also placed a dog with Army veteran Wade Baker, of Clyde, who died by suicide in 2015.

“We’re very forward about that. Suicide is a possible outcome,” she said, mentioning that September is Suicide Prevention Month. “PTSD is comorbid to suicide.”

First responders in Asheville are also reaping the benefits of Paws & Effect.

In January, Shumate placed a service dog with the Asheville Fire Department, a Black Lab named Denali, who now resides at Station 7 in North Asheville.

Shumate says the pairing made sense, considering the rise of PTSD among first responders across the country. “Denali is a vital part of our station,” said Station 7 B-shift Capt. Mark Jameson. “She lives at the station for 20 days and goes away for 10 days. When she’s gone, there’s something missing at the station.”

After a pilot run, all members of the station filled out a survey saying they wanted Denali to stay, he said.

“She’s 100% a member of our family. We’re on 24 hours a day, so she can affect 15 people – five people per shift – and play a role in positive mental effect,” Jameson said, adding that Denali has received hundreds of hours of training in how to do that. We see some horrific stuff. You get back from a call and she’s there wagging her tail. She brightens the day. No matter how crappy your day was, no matter what happened. She makes it just a bit better, if not substantially better.”

But the study notes that very little attention has been given to subthreshold, or subclinical PTSD, that is, those who show symptoms but have not been fully diagnosed with the disease.

“This is where I think Paws & Effect has the largest opportunity to have an impact, to keep firefighters from experiencing the symptoms that would qualify them for a full PTSD diagnosis,” Shumate said. She said a new litter of “9/11” puppies were just whelped Sep. 9 in Iowa and will be heading to Asheville at the end of October to start their training.

Service Dogs Graduate

Cue “Pomp and Circumstance” because these smart pups are graduating from Saint Francis Service Dogs.

The organization is holding a virtual ceremony for its new graduates on Sunday at 7 p.m. to celebrate the end of their service dog training.

Saint Francis Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization in Roanoke that matches professionally-trained service dogs with children and adults with disabilities who need assistance to lead a more independent life.

It takes a rigorous two-year training period for each puppy to become a service dog, according to organization officials.

The graduation will honor their commitment from the application and screening process to all the training classes and matching interviews.

This year, friends and family will be able to celebrate ten new furry graduates.

“The people we serve are our inspiration to tackle a new pandemic reality with resourcefulness and grace. Although we miss being together and celebrating in person, the silver lining is that we can include even more people in our celebration this way, and we are excited to honor our wonderful graduates and their Saint Francis Service Dogs,” said Executive Director Cabell Youell.

K9s For Warriors

Amanda Peterson tried to go places with her family.

But she was limited to 40 minutes. That’s all she could stand before a tingling in her spine and a surge of overwhelming anxiety would set in causing the veteran of Michigan’s U.S. Army Reserves to panic.

“When people are scared they exhibit the flight or fight response. When I got an anxiety attack I came up swinging,” Peterson said, explaining how Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder impacted her life.

While she would never hit one of her children the possibility was there which only compounded her anxiety. She also suffered from suicidal thoughts and intentions brought on by nightmares and a tremendous guilt at not being able to be the wife and mother she wanted to be for Doug and their daughters Ariannah, 12, Leilah, 8, and Myrah, 5.

Then she got the help she needed. After battling PTSD for eight years Peterson sought the support she needed to overcome that which had taken over her life.

“Military personnel are always looking out for others – saying someone else is worse than me or whom am I to say I need help when there are so many more in trouble,” Peterson said. “Until a soldier is ready to ask for help there’s not much people can do.”

When Peterson joined the Army in the summer of 2001 it was to get an education. “I distinctly remember my mom being worried. I was 18 when I signed up and she asked me, is there any chance of a war?”

That fall the World Trade Center in New York was attacked and after six-months of basic training to become a member of the Military Police, Peterson found herself fighting terrorists in Afghanistan, where mortar attacks were an everyday occurrence. It the carnage created by these bombs, rocketed into buildings and city squares where crowds of people congregated, that haunted Peterson.

Among the worst, was an attack on a hospital in the middle of the night. Peterson said she remembers being knocked out of bed by the sounds and scrambling to get dressed into her uniform, grabbing her gun and rushing to the scene.

“It was a horrible site,” she said. Men, women and children, families that had gathered in a waiting room while their loved one was being cared for, by doctors and nurses going about their duty, broken to pieces by a mortar shell.

“I did everything from helping in the emergency room to locking down exits to make sure everyone was safe,” Peterson said, of her duties on that long and terrible night.

One would think after that she would be done. But Peterson carried on and was deployed two more times. It was on her second deployment that she became friends with a fellow member of her military police unit, who made her laugh despite the world they were in and easily transitioned from best friend to husband. “We got married at the church where I grew up wearing traditional wedding attire,” said the 37-year-old daughter of Gary and Christine Adams. Doug served alongside Peterson but by the time they were parents to their first little girl, he was able to serve as a stay-at-home dad.

As Peterson was shipped off to Iraq. “My last deployment was the hardest because my oldest daughter had just turned 1 when I left,” Peterson said.

Yet, she had to go. The mission required someone with her qualifications and skills. So, she weaned her daughter off breastmilk and with the promise from her husband, that their daughter would not forget her, Peterson headed overseas once again.

“I knew he would not let her forget me. He put a picture of the two of us on the fridge at her eye level and every day he reminded her to give mom a hug,” Peterson said.

While deployed she also participated in a USO program that allowed her to record herself reading a book. Knowing Ariannah would hear that every night before bed also helped her deal with the anxiety of being separated from her child.”I never realized what an emotional strain it would be. It was so hard. When I joined I had no one to worry about but me,” Peterson said. Once she became a wife and mother forced to leave her family behind every day in the military made it harder to stay.

“I got out in July of 2010,” Peterson said. “I knew after going through three deployments in nine years I could not do it again.

However, while she left the military it was not until she reached out to K9s for Warriors that she was able to enjoy her life at home.

Since 2011, K9s For Warriors has served as the nation’s largest provider of Service Dogs to military veterans like Peterson, who came home suffering with PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Military Sexual Trauma. The program has a 99% success rate, which is one of the highest suicide prevention rates in any organization fighting to mitigate suicidal ideations.  “I always thought I did a good job of hiding my problem but my children,” Peterson said. “But when we told them I was going into the K9s For Warriors program and that it would help me, my daughter said, ‘Does that mean we can finally go places.'”

And oh, the places they have been. “We visited the aquarium at Great Lakes Crossing,” Peterson said, with a tone of triumph in her voice.

“We also went to a Jojo Siwa concert,” she added, referring to Joelle Joanie “JoJo” Siwa, who is a singer, actress and YouTube personality popular among tweens and teens. “The girls had so much fun. It’s amazing to see your children experience such undiluted happiness.”

Tagging along on all of their trips is Chesdin, the friendly service dog named after the lakeside community in Virginia that supported his training to become a K9 for warriors.

“Now when start zoning out and feeling a need to leave he will bump my leg or draw me back. Chesdin senses my anxiety building and instead of worrying about things that might happen I see the situation we’re in and what’s going to affect him instead,” Peterson said.

Breath Of Fresh Air

The outdoors have provided a much needed escape for one student and her service dog.

The life of Emily Miller, a junior at Morehead State University, hasn’t been affected greatly by COVID-19, however, her service dog, Blue, has had her training disrupted.

“I was very lucky in that she had already passed the major socialization period with my trainer,” she said. “But it was very important that she get socialized and get public access under her belt.”

Much of her task training took place at home, while her public access training had to be put on hold because of COVID-19.

Blue is psychiatric and mobility trained service dog whose ask training assists Miller with issues she has throughout the day.

“Some days I have impaired mobility and can’t walk around,” said Miller, a biology major. “She can retrieve items, turn on and off lights and push buttons. She’s also psychiatric, so if I have a panic attack or a flashback or psychotic episode, she can help me with that.”

Despite her halted public access training, Blue is still able to enjoy open spaces such as Eagle Lake. Miller’s daily routine alternates between outside time with Blue and working on coursework.

The time spent outside makes their training sessions run smoother. According to Miller being outside is much better than being stuck indoors all day, especially if you are sensitive to the effects of isolation. Even if you are not interacting with anyone, it’s good to just enjoy the outdoors for a while.

“Going outside is literally a breath of fresh air,” said Miller. “It’s really nice just to be out and see things that are growing that aren’t affected by COVID.”

Paws For Purple Hearts

Lighting Distinctions, a well-known San Diego specialty lighting company, announced that they have recently finished a lighting project for the local Paws For Purple Hearts facility in Penngrove, CA. Paws for Purple Hearts is a dedicated team of service dog trainers that provide these incredibly dedicated and smart animals to veterans who have been wounded in combat to help them recover. With the high demand for these therapy dogs, the facility needed to be able to extend their training hours, but they had no capacity to do so at night because they lacked proper outdoor lighting. In stepped Lighting Distinctions with a well-designed solution. Best of all, they donated their services for the entire project.

Joel Barnett, the owner of Lighting Distinctions, says, “Every once in a while, a business will come upon a project that they feel is very close to their heart. That is 100% the case with the recent Paws for Purple Hearts lighting project that we just completed. Others and I at our company felt so strongly about the good that this facility does, we wanted to help them achieve their dog training quota in any way possible. With the outdoor lighting solution that we created for them, they can now train these amazing animals during both the day and evening hours. Now more of our cherished veterans that have been wounded in combat can always benefit from having a dedicated furry friend with them. We were extremely honored to donate our services and get them lit up!”

The company owner went on to say that the project was not without its challenges. They had to do such things as carefully consider what type of lights to use, how many lights were needed to do the job, and the placement of the lights to help create the proper nighttime dog training atmosphere. He stated among the biggest challenges they faced on the project was the fact the building was only being rented by the organization. This necessitated that they did not damage the structure of the building. Barnett added that both those at Paws for Purple Hearts and his professional lighting crew were very happy with the way that the project turned out. He said this is evidence that even a “simple” lighting project has a better result from careful thought and planning that’s gained through our team having so much expertise in the outdoor lighting field.

A spokesperson for Paws for Purple Hearts said, “THANK YOU! We love our new lighting and are so grateful for your support.” The spokesperson added that they will now be able to help even more veterans on their road to recovery with their canine-assisted warrior therapy program.

This indoor and outdoor lighting company is also very highly rated by those that have used their services. Mitch Adler stated, “Wow, Lighting Distinctions handled everything from A to Z! Our home looks simply gorgeous! Joel and his team knew where to place the lights to get the desired effect and what they created made our home look like a grand showcase! They were a delight to work with. We could not be happier!” This is one of 26 reviews found on their Google Maps Listing and all of them rate the company 5 out of a possible 5-stars.

Guide Dogs Trainers

The coronavirus has no boundaries and has the potential to sideline the guide dog business that transforms the lives of those visually impaired and blind.

When the virus spread uncontrollably across the country in March, Sylmar-based Guide Dogs of America carefully moved forward with a plan to secure its future against the possibility of shutting down leaving a void of available service dogs.

“If we were to shut down, we’d see the effect of that in two years when there wouldn’t be enough of-age, highly trained guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired,” said Puppy Program Coordinator Stephanie Colman. “There wouldn’t be any breeding, no training.”

When the pandemic first brought the state to its knees and stay-at-home orders were enacted, Guide Dogs of America had a nursery full of puppies and several dogs due to give birth. It was impossible to shut down.

“We made changes to the campus environment to enact physical distancing and put several health and safety measures in place,” Colman said. “We also quickly figured out how to pivot from in-person puppy training classes where our volunteer puppy raisers learn how to teach the pups in their care the skills they’re expected to learn in puppyhood to Zoom-based learning. We also turned out puppy pick-up process into a curbside drive-thru affair, passing puppies through car windows like Happy Meals.”

A majority of the guide dogs are Labradors followed by a Labrador/golden retriever mix breed and German shepherds.

Labradors are mainly used because they are adaptable. They have a willingness to work for food and are flexible given the variety of people they live with over the years.

“They love the one they are with, so they handle that transition very well,” Colman said.

It takes about two years and $60,000, at no cost to the blind person, to raise and train the dogs and their future owners. The organization is primarily funded by International Association of Machinists local across the country.

When a dog is about eight weeks old it is given to a puppy raiser.

Raisers teach them to be obedient in a variety of environments and follow commands.

“And most importantly, they are going to get that dog out into the world and incorporate the dog into every facet of their life so the dog learns to be civilized, calm and competent in all the different possible settings it might find itself in later once it is a guide dog with a world view,” Colman said.

Puppy raisers keep the dogs for a little more than a year before they return to Sylmar for an additional four to six months of training with professionals who teach them highly complex guide dog skills.

During months of coronavirus restrictions, the organization is experiencing an uptick in puppy raisers, but there are still chances for anyone interested in pursuing the job. A call for volunteers to raise puppies is in full force during September, national guide dog month.

The coronavirus outbreak has also presented challenges for puppy raisers as well as those who eventually receive a dog. Raisers haven’t been able to get the dogs out as much.

Those outdoor training sessions are an important part of the puppies’ socialization and exposes them to many situations they may encounter later in life as working guide dogs.

Dogs are matched with their partners throughout the United States and Canada.

Before COVID-19, qualified clients stayed at the 7.5-acre Sylmar campus to learn about how to team up with their dogs during a three-week, in-residence program. Those vitally important classes have been cancelled.

And while post-coronavirus days can translate into more isolation for the dogs and their owners, one skill harnessed guide dogs don’t learn is how to keep socially distanced while working outside in their communities.

The ability to judge 6 feet for the dog is impossible and is especially challenging for their blind owner.

“Please if you see someone with a guide dog or anyone with a disability walking down the sidewalk, don’t make the decision for them that they are not going to get 6 feet between you,” said Lorri Bernson, a blind spokeswoman for Guide Dogs of America. “Please make the decision for them by taking yourself and moving around because many times I can hear someone coming down the sidewalk and I can tell the sound isn’t moving around me but it’s still coming at me. Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to go off the curb (quickly) and take the direction on my own to get away to make that 6-foot barrier.”

Bernson, 58, is teamed up with her third guide dog, Captain, a happy-go-lucky 2-year-old yellow Labrador.

She has been visually impaired for 25 years due to complications with diabetes and admits to feeling isolated the past six months in her Encino home especially since she is working from home.

“(The isolation) is a little more elevated because of not being with others and I miss being out there with Captain,” Bernson said. “Many people with guide dogs will say their dog is the bridge to their social (interactions) and can be the magnet that draws a stranger into a conversation that otherwise might not have happened. Captain and I are a team; we go everywhere together. I trust him with both of our lives in his paws. I trust him more than myself because he has all of his senses and I know his role. He’s selected to be that dog, the dog that takes the challenge on and is going to succeed. In training, we give them many opportunities to show us that this isn’t their thing.”

Not all of the 150 puppies born and bred annually in Sylmar go on to be guide dogs. Guide dog work is complex and not the right job for every dog. About 60 are eventually matched with blind clients.

There are many reasons some dogs don’t make the elite job of being a guide dog including hip, eye, elbow and medical reasons. Those dogs that don’t make it may become other types of service dogs and could be paired up with a veteran with post traumatic syndrome or someone with autism for example.

If the dog is not eligible to be a service dog of any capacity, then the volunteer puppy raiser has a chance at adoption.

Pam English of Santa Clarita and her family are puppy raisers and on dog No. 33.

She and husband are area leaders for 46 puppy raisers in a cohesive group that stretches from east Simi Valley to Burbank and out to the Antelope Valley.

The Englishes were first introduced to guide dogs when their oldest daughter was earning a Brownie troop merit badge called “Walk a Mile in Another Girl’s Shoes” based on disabilities and learned about the Sylmar guide dog school. The discovery transpired when a children’s story hour at the local library had a few volunteers with guide dog puppies talking about puppy raising.

“They were putting out the plea for puppy raisers … so we went to a graduation and the girls in the troop had made treats for the dogs and we passed those out at graduation when the president did a plea for puppy raising and 16 little Brownies looked up at me and said, ‘Can we get a puppy?’” English said.

English acknowledges it can be hard for some puppy raisers to relinquish their puppy when it’s time for more formal guide dog training. But her family vowed they were in the puppy-raising business to help others, a commitment they never forgot or broke.

“Of course, the perk for us we get to work with animals and the dogs,” English said. “When you are committed to something … it starts to become a passion and we see that in a lot of our puppy raisers that they are very passionate about the puppy raising. It builds such a community. We know what our end goal is and that is to help someone who needs to have that dog for independence in their lives, so seeing that and meeting the graduates through the years that only solidifies and makes that even more meaningful of what we are doing.”

Service Dog Plates

Tennesseans who love dogs, want to support wounded veterans, and would like to sport an inspiring specialty license plate on their vehicle can order a Smoky Mountain Service Dogs plate while they are pre-selling 1,000 specialty plates.

Smoky Mountain Service Dogs (SMSD), located in East Tennessee, trains mobility assistance service dogs for veterans with service-connected physical and psychological disabilities. The nonprofit has helped veterans, such as retired U.S. Army First Sgt. Charles Stewart, regain their lives. Stewart served 26 years and participated in 7 combat tours. He is a 100% Veterans Affairs disabled veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Smoky Mountain Service Dogs trained and provided Sadie, a Labrador Retriever, for Stewart.

“Sadie gives me confidence and the ability to be more mobile through her mobility assistance and calms me during my PTSD episodes,” Stewart said. “I find myself having structure back in my life just being with her 24 hours a day. My family has seen the change in me as my wife has commented that I show sides of me before I was ever in the service.

“I am truly blessed to have gone through this experience with Smoky Mountain Service Dogs.”

The nonprofit is an all-volunteer organization except for professional trainers so 95 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to the organization’s mission. It costs approximately $25,000 to train one mobility assistance service dog, which the organization places with a veteran at no cost to the veteran.

Smoky Mountain Service Dogs relies on grants, donations, and fundraisers for operating expenses, and SMSD is accredited by Assistance Dogs International as the only accredited service dog organization located in Tennessee.

Suzy Kitchens, co-founder of Smoky Mountain Service Dogs said, “To see the loving bond that develops between a veteran and his or her beloved service dog is extremely gratifying. With a service dog by their side, veterans’ lives and their families and communities are changed forever because the veteran can finally acclimate back into society after experiencing what most of Americans will never truly understand.

“These magnificent, highly trained mobility assistance service dogs are the hands and feet of their recipients and provide unconditional love and support. Please help us to continue to serve wounded veterans by taking Smoky Mountain Service Dogs on the road with you by purchasing one of these beautiful specialty plates.”

Training Service Dogs

A local woman is trying to raise money to help people who can’t afford to get a service dog.

Jacqueline Gori is the director of Partners with Paws, an organization that helps provide individuals in need with a service dog.

Gori says she has first-hand knowledge on the importance of a service dog because her service dog Samson has saved her life multiple times.

“So when I have a PTSD flashback, he is trained to interrupt any harmful behaviours. He has literally knocked knives out of my hands, pills out of my hands. He has intervened in seven suicide attempts.”

She says her dog Samson can see a flashback coming 15 minutes in advance — and he has in the past also used that power to help strangers.

“I remember in a shopping mall, there was a child who was hiding behind a clothing rack and he wouldn’t come out to his father. Samson went in behind the clothing rack and he brought this child out to the father and the father was in tears because he had never seen this before.. the power of a service dog.”

Gori says she’s raising money with her book of illustrations to help people who need a service dog but can’t afford it.

“It’s a book about 50 of these amazing labradors. Some of them are pets and some of them are service dogs. So it’s really our loveable friends being clowns and rascals, stealing things, not getting into boats.. or getting into the wrong boats. Just having fun!”

Service Dog Saves Life

Corrections Dog Saves The Day

Excellent sniffing by Passive Alert Drug Detection dog Carrie led to drugs worth an estimated $48,000 being seized from a woman intending to visit Townsville Correctional Complex (TCC) last month.

Carrie and her handler were taking part in a joint weekend operation by Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) on August 22, conducting searches of TCC visitors.

On one of those searches, Carrie gave a conditional response to a potential visitor which indicated to her handler that the woman may be carrying illicit substances.

After a locker search and questioning by QCS and QPS officers, the woman retrieved a package from her bra which was subsequently found to contain a quantity of Buprenorphine, used to treat opioid addiction, worth an estimated $48,000.

The woman was then taken to Stuart Police Station where she was charged with unlawful possession of a restricted drug.

TCC General Manager Chief Superintendent Louise Kneeshaw said QCS had a zero-tolerance approach to contraband in prisons.

“No matter the reason, if people attempt to introduce contraband into QCS properties or facilities, there will be consequences,” Chief Superintendent Kneeshaw said.

“The introduction of contraband, particularly drugs, is a significant risk to the safety and security of our officers, prisoners and visitors, and our officers work diligently to thwart attempts to smuggle contraband into our centres.

“I commend our intelligence and custodial officers on their ongoing efforts, in conjunction with QPS, to ensure the safety of our officers working in the centre.

“This is just one example of the work they do every day to keep our community safe and ensure their colleagues on the front line remain safe.

“Our Delta Units provide another layer of security for our centres, and they work hard to keep their colleagues safe by sniffing out contraband.

“It is not worth the risk trying to smuggle contraband into our centre – you risk ending up in prison yourself.”

Taking or attempting to take a prohibited item into a corrective services facility is an offence with a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment.

In addition, introducing dangerous drugs into correctional centres is classified as “aggravated supply” under the Drugs Misuse Act 1986, with a penalty of up to 25 years’ imprisonment.

Firefighters Need Comfort

Golden Healer

“The healing power of dogs is incredible,” Jill Kesler said. The Draper art teacher and cancer survivor adopted her English Cream Golden Retriever, Gus, shortly after she was diagnosed. Not only did the then 8-week-old puppy bring some much-needed joy to Kesler’s family, but Gus seemed to intuit when Kesler wasn’t feeling well and would sit with her and comfort her.

That intuitive nature and sensitivity is characteristic of the dogs at Golden Healer Service Dogs who are bred and trained to become therapy and service dogs. Some, like Gus, become beloved pets. Kesler adopted Gus from Golden Healer Service Dogs founder Mike Carlson last year. “Mike’s program is amazing,” Kesler said.

“There is no other organization like ours in the area,” explained Carlson. “There are organizations that help vets and people who train dogs, but no group that breeds and trains therapy and service dogs.”

Carlson started breeding and training Labrador Retrievers as pets over 25 years as a hobby. In 2008, during the economic downturn, he lost his business and had to regroup. “That was the only time in my life I didn’t have a dog,” he said. “Roughest years of my life.”

In the ensuing years, Carlson held various jobs, including one in the field of behavioral health which he found rewarding. “It’s a great field to really help people,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘What’s my passion?’ I wanted to do something that had more meaning in life. I love animals and really enjoy being around them. I thought about what I could do to bring that to others.”

Back in the business of breeding Golden Retrievers, Carlson came across the English Cream Golden Retriever breed in 2014. He learned that many of them are used as emotional support and service dogs due to their temperament and disposition.

Golden Healers Service Dogs was officially founded in 2019 and the nonprofit’s first batch of puppies was born in February of that year. Currently, the program has around 30 dogs in various stages of training.

According to their website, Golden Healers can offer clients service dogs to assist them with a variety of issues. There are dogs that are specifically trained to help people of all ages with autism, PTSD and mobility issues. Dogs can be trained to alert family members when someone is about to have a seizure or experience changes in blood sugar levels due to diabetes. There are also emotional support and therapy dogs.

Carlson explained that emotional support dogs are trained in basic obedience while service dogs receive an additional six to 12 months of training in performing specific tasks. “There is no one size fits all scenario in this business,” he said. The needs of each individual are taken into consideration.

Golden Healers relies on volunteers to help with everything from puppy sitting and raising to training. Raquel Mills became a puppy raiser last spring during the quarantine. “We were home and had an older dog. That cute puppy just brought life to our whole house and joy in the midst of uncertainty,” she said.

The family named the new pup Chrystal and Mills decided to train her to become a therapy dog. She was inspired by the story of a woman in Las Vegas who brought her dog to visit first responders in the aftermath of the 2017 mass shooting. The power of animals to calm anxiety in humans is well established by science.

“We’re going through the training to be on a pet therapy team,” Mills explained. “We’ve visited hospice patients and nursing homes.”

Utah State University student Kiara D’Amico also started out volunteering as a puppy raiser in December 2019. “Puppy raisers basically take the dog everywhere,” D’Amico explained. The idea is to thoroughly socialize the puppy.

“Every month we have a big group training which all the dogs come to,” she said. “We take the dogs different places. Last time we went on TRAX to get them used to trains. We’ve been to the mall. The goal is to keep the dogs focused in different environments.”

D’Amico enjoys taking her dog, Violet, to interact with people living in nursing homes. “That’s really rewarding,” she said. “It’s the best part.”

Around the same time that she started working with Violet, D’Amico was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) which causes problems with breathing and other serious symptoms. D’Amico has decided to train Violet as her service dog.

“Violet has made me realize how lucky I am, that I am still able to get around,” she explained. “It helps to have the responsibility of caring for someone else. Having to take her out gets me out of the house.”

D’Amico also suffers from a failing kidney and will learn in September if she is a candidate for a transplant. “If I get the transplant, I’ll need Violet a lot more because I’ll be bedridden,” she said. D’Amico plans to start training her dog to do tasks such as bringing her medication and alerting family members if she needs help.

Volunteers such as Mills and D’Amico are central to the success of Golden Healers. Mike Carlson explained that it can cost between $30 to $40K to care for and train a service dog. “We don’t ask the client to pay that, just assist with fundraising,” he said.

Golden Healers’ website features profiles of service dog recipients and invites the public to contribute funds for the dogs care and training. Also, in honor of National Service Dog Awareness Month, Golden Healers will conduct an online auction September 21-30.

Service Dog Walk

On Saturday, October 3, BluePath Service Dogs will host their fourth annual walkathon – this year virtually. The event, which begins with an online kick-off at 10:00am, will raise funds in support of BluePath’s mission to provide autism service dogs, offering safety, companionship and opportunities for independence.

As with many nonprofits, BluePath Service Dog’s mission continues despite the uncertain times. The virtual walkathon, which is open to all ages, will help ensure that the organization’s important work extends beyond the pandemic. Following the online kick-off, participants will head out to walk in their own communities and at their own pace – all while doing their part to support children with autism and their families.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of every 54 children born today will develop an autism spectrum disorder. It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States.

For the Rosenbaum family in Purchase, BluePath Autumn has helped their daughter Lindsay to lead a fuller life. The four-year-old Golden Retriever Lab cross not only keeps Lindsay safe, but also fosters meaningful social interactions, giving the Rosenbaums a renewed sense of hope and empowerment.

“Lindsay has a lot of anxiety when traveling, and Autumn calms her down and keeps her safe,” said Lindsay’s mom, Kim Rosenbaum. “When they’re together, people often come up and ask about her dog, providing nice opportunities for Lindsay to practice her communication skills. She also feeds and walks Autumn daily, which has helped her learn about responsibility. The love between the two is evident; BluePath Autumn has been the most wonderful addition to our family!”

Founded in 2016, BluePath has established a robust network of supporters throughout the country. Individuals and families serve as puppy raisers, fosters and administrative volunteers and comprise more than 95 percent of the organization’s workforce. The generosity of donors, volunteers and industry partners allows BluePath to provide its service dogs to families free of charge.

“We are all connected somehow to an individual with autism,” said Tricia Zarro, BluePath’s Board Chair. “Our family’s autism service dog has meant my son’s journey is full of more joy, more safety and more social experiences then I could have ever imagined. BluePath has made such a meaningful difference in our lives, and in the lives of so many others.” “Elopement is a critical safety issue for individuals with autism,” noted BluePath President and CEO Jody Sandler. “Our service dogs act as an anchor for children who wander and dramatically reduce danger. This year our walkathon may look a little different, but it is every bit as essential. The need for our services doesn’t stop, and neither will we. I encourage all those interested in BluePath’s life-changing mission to get involved.” BluePath Service Dogs, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 to provide autism service dogs, offering safety, companionship and opportunities for independence. The organization transforms lives by providing families with expanded opportunities to unlock life’s potential. BluePath relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers to fulfill its mission.

Service Dogs Need Homes

Service Police Dog

A highly decorated U.S. Forest Service police dog suffered nine stab wounds during a marijuana raid in Northern California. But he survived after he was airlifted to a veterinary clinic, the agency said Friday.

What’s more, it’s the second time the dog, an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois named Ice, recovered after being seriously injured on the job.

Ice was wounded Aug. 27 in the Klamath National Forest south of the Oregon border when he was released to catch a suspect who had fled down a steep hill to escape the raid that unearthed more than 5,500 marijuana plants. He kept hold of the suspect even after he was stabbed, while his handler, Patrol Capt. Christopher Magallon, made the arrest.

Magallon then gave his dog first aid while calling in a helicopter, which flew Ice more than 70 miles to the Veterinary Specialty Center in Medford, Oregon. The dog, which had been wearing a protective vest, was released later that afternoon, and federal prosecutors are still considering charges.

He received the 2016 Law Enforcement and Investigations Director’s Award for Valor and Heroism after surviving the earlier assault. He was also honored then as a “Top Dog” award winner in the international category by American Humane Hero Dogs, appearing in a nationally televised award ceremony in 2017.

Veterans With PTSD

Non-profits and organizations have been struggling during the pandemic to give those in need the services they provide.

1 Veteran Foundation is no different — the foundation provides services to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Veteran Affairs says eleven to 20 percent of veterans who served in either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, struggle with PTSD in a given year.

David Gardner is one of those veterans, but with the help of his service dog, he’s coping with the disorder.

“Since day one, she’s been my ride or die and she goes pretty much everywhere I do, unless I’m on a motorcycle,” he said.

Gardner served seven years in the Army and deployed to Iraq in 2006.

“I recognized I had PTSD — probably a good five-six years ago. But, you know, like being a father. I kind of put myself on the back burner on taking care of myself. And like I said it wasn’t until I met Brian, that this became the best option for me,” he said.

Gardner found 1 Veteran Foundation, the group gave him the opportunity to train his service dog to help him combat PTSD — through his motorcycle association.

Brian Latta, the Vice President of the foundation says since 2015 more than 20 veterans have been paired with dogs. However, like many organizations, donations are dropping and 1 Veterans Foundation has another seven vets on the waiting list.

When Mark Lacy, the founder of Southern Arizona Musicians for Healing, another PTSD organization, heard about the need he stepped up to help the cause. He raised thousands of dollars for Gardner.

“We’re all in this together, and it doesn’t matter the tax id number, etc. because we’re all here to help one. We’re all here to help veterans. We’re here to help military and we’re here to help first responders, no matter police officers fire department, a nurse, doctor,” said Lacy.

As Garnder awaits his companion’s month away to undergo training, he shared his advice to other veterans who might find themselves in the same situation.

“I sat on it for five-six years before I even decided to do anything. The stigma is there but you got to worry about yourself. You got to take care of yourself first and foremost. Most military guys, we want to help people,” said Gardner. “If you’re going through some me definitely need to talk to somebody, reach out. I got lucky and he reached out to me.”

Furry Partner Freddy

Life-Saving Service Dog

September is national service dog month.

In honor of national service dog month, The Miracle Flights organization helped a boy get his own life-saving canine.

Seven-year-old Owen O’Bryan was born with an extremely rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome.

O’Bryan’s seizures were so severe he could not be alone or sleep in a bed by himself, until now.

Miracle Flights flew Owen O’Bryan and his parents nearly 5,000 miles from Alaska to Kansas for free to meet Juno.

Juno is a seizure-alert dog from The Cares Foundation.

For 35 years, Miracle Flights has provided free plane tickets to help families reach specialized or distant medical care.

Melissa O’Bryan said, “To be able to not have to worry about getting there, to not have to worry about the cost of it, so we’re able to fly in and just have that taken off our stress level, was a lot. It was awesome.

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!'”

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.