News

Rescue Dog Elton

July 31, 2020

Elton is an 8-and-a-half-month-old Newfoundland pup weighing in at 100 pounds. He loves his daily trips to the water with mom and dad. But what he does in the water is what makes him stand out. “We’re practicing water rescue,” said Ralph Holzhauer, Elton’s “dad.” Elton will be the fourth certified water rescue dog that […]

Assistance Dogs

July 31, 2020

CHAMP Assistance Dogs, a nonprofit that places skilled service dogs with individuals with disabilities and much more, is showings it’s paw-ssible to make a difference even amid a pandemic. “We have a team of therapy dogs that usually visit anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 people a year,” says Pam Budke, the organization’s executive director. “Of […]

Dogs Detect COVID-19

July 31, 2020

The Army is exploring whether dogs can detect signs of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) thanks to a new research agreement with the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers from the Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center have entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn […]

Shelter Dogs And Military Veterans

July 31, 2020

“Train a Dog Save a Warrior” (TADSAW) is a program to help military veterans dealing with mental and physical issues after missions. The non-profit matches veterans with shelter dogs who can then be trained as service dogs. “22 soldiers or veterans commit suicide daily,” said Jerry Eastman, a dog trainer for TADSAW. Jerry Eastman served […]

Service Dogs

July 31, 2020

The five Islanders who have been waiting for their service dogs will have to wait even longer, since the Lions Foundation of Canada has had to suspend its dog training program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Across Canada, there are 80 people waiting for service dogs trained to assist people living with a number of […]

Dog Robot Fluffy

July 29, 2020

Like any other well-trained dog, Ford Motor Co.’s four-legged dog-like robots can sit, shake hands and roll over. However, they also can perform 360-degree camera scans, handle 30-degree grades and climb stairs for hours at a time. These are truly service dogs unlike any other. That’s because they are actually 70-pound quadruped robots with […]

Service Dog Needed

July 29, 2020

The Roy family of a 5-year-old boy with a rare condition is trying to raise enough money to help get him a service animal, a dog who could help save his life. While pregnant, Jace Ross’ mom contracted a virus called the cytomegalovirus (CMV). The doctors did not know there was anything wrong Jace until […]

Service Dogs In Training

July 29, 2020

The COVID pandemic has been hard on everyone, including service dogs in training. With no staff to train dogs with Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) in Winsted, some volunteers — or home handlers — stepped in to help. The home handlers took in 35 dogs that needed a place to stay. “Usually, a home […]

Gold Award

July 29, 2020

Guide Dogs for the Blind based in San Rafael has been around since 1942. For more than 75 years the organization has lived by its mission statement: “Guide Dogs for the Blind empowers lives by creating exceptional partnerships between people, dogs and communities.” Thousands of people have benefitted from these words. It is through volunteers […]

Dunkin’ And Bark

July 29, 2020

Dunkin’ four-legged fans have something to celebrate—they can finally enjoy their own special Dunkin’ treats—in dog toy form. On Wednesday, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation announced a collaboration with BARK, the dog company behind BarkBox, to create these new Dunkin’ themed dog toys, modeled after Dunkin’s iconic MUNCHKINS donut hole treats box and hot […]

Lab Puppies Have Big Future

July 29, 2020

Five yellow lab puppies have been given a mission. Starting this week they start the next step of their journey towards becoming service dogs for veterans. The nonprofit organization Leashes of Valor trains and pairs service dogs with Veterans at no cost to them. The group typically rescues and trains shelter dogs for the role. […]

Office Police Dog

July 28, 2020

On July 20, at around 5 p.m, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Police Dog Blade passed away due to cancer. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of an Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Police Service Dog (PSD) Blade,” according to a Facebook post shared through the Ellis County page. PSD Blade and […]

Service Dog For Ava

July 28, 2020

Last year, Ava Reed and her parents welcomed a little puppy named Maggie into their home. One day, they hoped, Maggie would be able to replace Ava’s mobility walker, helping her balance, walk up stairs and get up after a fall, since 8-year-old Ava has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurological disorder that makes it difficult to […]

Guide Dogs In Training

July 28, 2020

TransLink has opened the Vancouver Transit Center to host guide and service dogs in training. The new recruits will be familiarized with several buses repeatedly to accelerate their training. “COVID-19 has been a real challenge for everyone, and I’m pleased to support the training of service and guide dogs in any way we can,” said […]

PTSD Service Dogs

July 28, 2020

While recent studies have found the ways pets can help consumers ease stress stress levels — particularly in families with children with autism — a new study is exploring how service dogs can benefit veterans. Researchers from Purdue University found that service dogs provide countless benefits to veterans struggling with PTSD, though dispelling anxiety is […]

Helping Fellow Heroes

July 28, 2020

Every storybook needs a hero. Sometimes even the hero, needs a hero. Maine’s own Christy Gardner is a hero in every sense of the word. We share part one of our two part series on her mission… Christy Gardner played high school and college sports, in Maine, before serving in the U.S. Army. “I was […]

Service Puppy Cheers Up Girl

July 27, 2020

A six-year-old girl paralyzed in a car crash in Wellington last month met a new furry friend at St Mary’s Medical Center Monday. Six-year-old Memphis Rose Hamman was paralyzed from the neck down after a fatal car crash in Wellington back in June. Memphis lost her great-uncle, Kenneth Graden, in the crash near Lake Worth […]

Service Dog Helps Woman

July 27, 2020

Sydnee Geril, of Ocala, Florida, initially decided not to take her dog with her to her treatments out of an abundance of caution, until late May, when she discovered a one-piece suit for dogs called the “Shed Defender.” which controls shedding. Now, her German Shepherd has been able to stay clean and by her side. […]

Sniffing Out Covid

July 27, 2020

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on Thursday praised an army program working to train service dogs to identify the coronavirus in people’s saliva but said there were still many months of work ahead. “I want to make clear here that the next steps, like for example being able to differentiate the virus from a normal […]

Veterans Need Service Dogs

July 27, 2020

“Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” When we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ADA’s passage, it is important to acknowledge that, although the shameful wall of exclusion has been dismantled over time, it has yet to come tumbling down. To this end, despite the great progress we have made in improving […]