Canine Companions held a graduation ceremony for two veterans and their new service dogs on Saturday, April 18, at the Helen and Murray Main Canine Companions facility on John Clayton Memorial Highway in Mathews.
This was the first graduation ceremony held at the organization’s newest facility, which opened its doors last April. It also included recognition of a facility dog that has been placed with Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.
Rudy Breedy, executive director of Canine Companions–Northeast Region, recognized senior instructor Kim Doyle, who recently moved from New York to Virginia and is serving as a senior instructor here. Breedy said it had been a pleasure to watch the teams that graduated grow during a fast-paced week of training with Kim.
“From California to volunteer puppy raisers to professional trainers, these dogs have been on a long road to get here,” he said. “Their raisers know they’re destined for the greater good.”
Canine Companions, based in California but with facilities across the nation, connects service dogs to people with disabilities, including veterans with PTSD. The dogs are provided free of charge, which is made possible because of the efforts of volunteers who raise the puppies for the first year or so of their lives, then turn them over to their new owners at ceremonies such as the one on Saturday.
Each of the veterans had spent the week before training with their new dogs, with the ceremony serving as the final goodbye for the puppy raisers.
One of the three puppy raisers, Reilly Hazard, who raised Yolanda, shared her experiences, clearly emotional about handing over the dog she had welcomed into her life, taught the basics of behavior, and loved. She said she had joined a Canine Companions club her freshman year at college in Connecticut and that it had changed her life.
“Raising Yolanda has been the greatest privilege of my life,” she said. “I’m endlessly proud of her and endlessly grateful for everyone who’s helped her get to this point.”
Hazard and her co-raiser Deanne Rendock turned Yolanda VI over to U.S. Navy veteran Teri McConnell of Chesapeake.
U.S. Army veteran Catherine “Cat” Kemmerling of West Virginia received service dog Opal X from puppy raiser Emma Brown during the transfer ceremony. Kemmerling said the training she had undergone under Kim Doyle’s guidance had been “a rewarding and confidence-building experience.” While both she and McConnell previously had service dogs, Cat they needed to be trained with the new dogs to make sure they were ready for the dogs as well as for the tasks the animals will be assisting with.
“Canine Companions is such a wonderful organization,” Kemmerling said. “I’ve never had to pay a penny for a dog or for veterinary care. I’m truly grateful.”
Finally, co-puppy raisers Rebecca Danko, Paige Marino and Taylor Jones were recognized, along with facility dog Waldorf and therapy manager Kristen Morales of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, where Waldorf will perform tasks to help children during physical therapy, will provide counter-balance as needed, will play games with children, and will provide emotional support as a calming presence during complex procedures.
For more information about Canine Companions, visit canine.org.
SHERRY HAMILTON / GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Three Canine Companions dogs were recognized during graduation ceremonies held on Saturday, April 18, at the Helen and Murray Main Canine Companions facility in Mathews. Shown from left in the photo at left are U.S. Army veteran Catherine “Cat” Kemmerling, her service dog Opal X, and Opal’s puppy raiser Emma Brown; center photo, U.S. Navy veteran Teri McConnell, her service dog Yolanda VI, and puppy raisers Deanne Rendock and Reilly Hazard; and at right, therapy manager Kristen Morales of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters with facility dog Waldorf and puppy raisers Rebecca Danko and Paige Marinol; not pictured, puppy raiser Taylor Jones.