US War Veterans Benefit from Assistance Dogs.

 

For wounded veterans who could use some assistance in putting their life back together from an injury, an assistance dog can help provide the help they need to regain independence.

Canine Companions has provided assistance dogs to over 4500 people with disabilities.

Canine Companions is a 501 ( C ) (3) non profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.

Who can apply:  people with physical or developmental disabilities who can demonstrate that an assistance dog can improve their quality of life.  Also professionals who provide physical or mental health care to clients .

Canine Companions trains four types of assistance dogs. Service teams that assist adults with physical disabilities by performing daily tasks.  Hearing teams that alert the deaf and hard of hearing to important sounds.  Skilled companion teams who enhance independence for children and adults with physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities. Facility teams work with a professional in a visitation, education or healthcare setting.

There is no charge for a Canine Companion assistance dog.  Individual  participants in the program are not responsible for payment.

There are substantial costs, however, involved in the lengthy process of breeding, raising, and training each Canine Companion assistance dog.

Canine Companions is funded by private contributions from individuals; gifts from businesses, civic groups, and service clubs.  Also grants from corporations and foundations and ongoing fundraising activities such as special events and mailings.

People receiving a Canine Companions dog must successfully complete a two-week educational course at the regional center designed to match the person and dog and to prepare them to work together successfully.  Each candidate is also responsible for the proper care, feeding,  housings, and medical needs of the dog. The dog must be used in work it was trained for.

For more information, you can go to their website at http://www.cci.org. Canine Companions.

Raju, Free after 50 years of abuse.

His story.

"Raju cried as he was freed from 50 years of cruelty"

Under the cover of darkness a team from London based Wildlife SOS rescued an elephant that had been abused for 50 years.   He was then transported to the Elephant Conservation and Care Center at Mathura, India. He walked free for the first time on July 4, 2014. 
Members believe he was poached when he was a baby.  He had suffered from beatings and painful spiked shackles for all those years.  The owner had made the elephant beg for food, and sometimes  Raju tried to survive by eating plastic and paper. 
A year after hearing of Raju's situation, the team of Wildlife SOS  along with 10 veterinarians, officials and six policemen seized the chained elephant from the Utter Pradesh area of India after receiving a court order. 
"The team was astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue." Pooja Binepal, a spokesman for Wildlife SOS said, "It was so incredibly emotional for all of us.  We knew in our hearts he realized he was being freed."
"Until we stepped in he had never known what it is like to walk free of his shackles-it is a truly pitiful case. But today he knows what freedom is and he will learn what kindness feels like and what its like not to suffer anymore." 
The owner, as reported by the Times of India, was a drug addict and attempted to stop the rescue by blocking the road. He tried to provoke the animal and put more chains around his legs. But the rescue team successfully persisted.  Raju calmly stepped into the rescuer's truck as if he knew he was being rescued.  The team had waited until they got to a vet before the shackles were removed as they were designed to cause pain upon attempted removal. 

Since his arrival at the sanctuary, Raju has received medical attention, been given proper baths and food and is well along in the rehabilitation process.

Wildlife SOS then launched a campaign to raise $17,000. to help Raju begin his new life in a new enclosure which would allow him to roam free with other elephants.  "He'll spend the rest of his days living in dignity, free from suffering and pain.

Shortly after the rescue, the abusive owner petitioned the court to regain ownership of the elephant, and it was a struggle,  but the story has a happy ending. See link below.

https://www.change.org/p/keep-raju-the-crying-elephant-free

Service dogs for the Autistic

Dogs do it again! They continue to prove their worth and importance in our society, and another
job has popped up for them. We’re happy to report they’ve accepted the position and are making
great strides.
Autism continues to increase at a rate of 6-15 percent each year, and there are currently 3.5
million Americans living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, according the Autism Society of
America.
Those who have dealt with getting the care needed for a loved one understand the daunting and
very expensive path they often find themselves walking down while searching for relief.
Enter Service Dogs for the Autistic.
Historically, service dogs have helped those in need by supplementing physical restraints, such
as being the eyes for someone who can’t see, or working with those having recurring seizures.
With Autistic children and adults, these service dogs are providing support that is more
emotional in a world that can be quite isolating. They provide patient and consistent
companionship while also keeping those afflicted safe through extensive training.
One of the fundamental symptoms of Autism is that he or she doesn’t connect well with other
people and/or their environment. Autism service dogs are proving to be that connection needed
by being a steady and consistent force in their day-to-day lives.
Another common symptom is severely Autistic people don’t detect potentially dangerous
situations and having a service dog stops them from walking into the street or leaving the house
unattended.
In addition to the priceless companionship they’re able to provide, these service dogs are
bringing down health care costs.
The health care fees for Autistic adults and children have settled deep into the billions per year
(and counting). These dogs are offering a safe way for families to cut costs by supplying them
with a full-time therapist and confidant.
Prices for a well trained dog start as low as $12,500. Not bad considering the U.S. cost of autism
over the lifespan is about $2.4 million for a person with an intellectual disability, or $1.4 million
for a person without intellectual disability.
Dogs continue to amaze, impress and greatly improve the lives of so many. They are truly our
sixth sense and change lives by seeing (and smelling) things we can’t detect. They deserve our
respect and appreciation as they patiently touch the lives of so many people.
For more information on Service Dogs for Autism visit:
https://www.pawswithacause.org/
http://4pawsforability.org/
http://autismdigest.com/service-dogs-and-autism/

Kate Brack, author.

The Story of Zeus.

 Resulting from a nationwide petition that went viral almost overnight, the “vicious” dog ban of Moreauville, Louisiana was recently overturned, sparing the lives of the town’s “dangerous” breeds.

Under the ordinance, pit bulls and rottweilers were to be “disposed” of on December 1st in compliance to the ban. It was reported that these types of dogs were running the streets and making people feel unsafe.

Behind the campaign was a local mother Joanna Armand and her family; namely her daughter O’hara Owens who is wheelchair-bound and depends on her service dog, Zeus, a pit bull. In addition to saving Zeus, they hoped to reiterate that savage dogs are at the fault of the owner and how they’re raised, not the breed.

The family expressed great love for their furry family member and praised his ability to help O’hara who is often in pain and wears a halo-brace due to severe neck problems. "If anything ever happened to him, I probably would just shut down," said Owens.

The MoveOn petition was created in November with the goal of gathering 100,000 signatures to stop the euthanization of the dogs. At the time of this post, the number of signatures had climbed to almost 350,000, and counting, even as the campaign is now closed.

This spoke volumes to the council of a town and the ordinance was repealed on the very day it was set to take effect. Being that the town is inhabited by under 1,000 people, there was a true need for nationwide support, and the response was overwhelming.

Mayor Timmy Lemoine stated receiving a warning from PETA claiming that if the council didn’t repeal the ordinance, PETA had enough money to shut the town of Moreauville down. “I wasn’t going to be known as the mayor that shut the village of Moreauville down because of this” said Lemoine. 

The new agreement will enact a different statute that targets the owner and not the pet. Lemoine explained, “a citation will be issued like a ticket, if there’s a problem with the animal,” from there it will be up to the district attorney to decide the fine and repercussions for the owner and/or the animal.

This is a strong victory for the dog-loving community of the country while the efforts against breed specific legislation continues.

Author: Kate Brack