Armstrong works to pair service dogs with veterans
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs of Williston, Fla., and Armstrong are teaming up to match owners with dogs. But it's not some “free to a good home” proposition.
The specially trained dogs are very expensive, and it could take a year's worth of fundraising to purchase the five that will be paired with service veterans.
Guardian Angels and Armstrong are partnering in the project called Healing Heroes to raise funds to place five highly trained service dogs with five veterans within the Armstrong system.
Guardian Angels began in 2009, when founder Carol Borden was approached by Sam, a young man paralyzed in a high-school football accident. Sam required the constant aid of a caregiver, and had acquired a young German shepherd named Bessie for companionship.
Sam asked Borden, an expert dog trainer, to train the dog. After what seemed endless hours of training, there emerged a service dog that was settled, obedient and able to pick up dropped items, open and close doors, bring Sam water from the refrigerator and help him move from his chair to the shower.
Since that first successful pairing, Guardian Angels has donated more than 170 service dogs to deserving veterans and others in need. Guardian Angels trains for a variety of conditions.
Adam Daniels, Armstrong field marketing manager, witnessed the dogs' expertise firsthand at a breakfast with veterans and their service dogs.
“A dog would jump up and start going through its exercises to calm the owner down,” Daniels said. “The dog could sense their (owners') distress at the stories being told or events even though there were no obvious indications.”
Tara Hardsock, Armstrong community marketing manager, said the dogs Guardian Angels uses are typically German shepherds.
“They have a very specific sense of smell that can recognize certain scents related to panic attacks, PTSD, seizures,” Hardsock said.
But it costs $22,000 per animal for the training necessary to recognize those scents and cater to the individual needs of their veteran.
“We're promoting donations from the community through all our offices,” Hardsock said. “You can also donate online at medicalservicedogs.org.”
Hardsock emphasized selecting Armstrong on the website as the recipient of the donation. This guarantees that the money will go toward dogs for veterans within the region.
“And we plan to match every donation,” Daniels said.
The total cost for five dogs is $110,000. Armstrong's goal, then, is to reach $55,000 in donations and match that.
“All of the money donated goes directly to Guardian Angels,” Hardsock said.
Daneen O'Donnell, Armstrong marketing coordinator, described a current fundraiser and hinted at future events.
“Right now, if you stop in at our local office, we're selling little stuffed dogs,” O'Donnell said. “They make perfect stocking stuffers.”
Guardian Angels and Healing Heroes also invite local veterans to submit applications for one of the service dogs on Guardian Angels' website.
“Guardian Angels will be selecting applicants and pairing them with dogs specific to their needs,” Hardsock said.
But the project itself is more than a fundraiser.
“Ultimately, it's about raising awareness in the community,” Daniels said. “It's an opportunity to really understand the problems that veterans face and do something about it.”
