Latest news with #serviceDog
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Webb City groups donate to provide service dogs to veterans
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Thanks to the cooperation of five groups in Webb City, another area veteran will be paired up with his own highly trained service dog in the coming year. Jimmy Burgess and his service dog, Riley, were on hand at the building in Webb City that houses the American Legion Post 322 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7630 on Friday morning to accept a check on behalf of Heartland Canines for Veterans for $25,000 from the Elks Lodge of Webb City, the American Legion post, the VFW post, the Women's Auxiliary for the American Legion post and the Dawson Heritage Foundation. Burgess said the money will go to pay for the training of another service dog, which generally costs about $19,500, and to pay for Burgess to be trained as a master trainer of service dogs. 'We want to start training dogs internally instead of always having an outside trainer,' Burgess said. 'Right now, we outsource our service training, but that costs us quite a bit of money and it limits the number of dogs we can train in any certain timespan depending on the money we have to spend. 'We figured with it being our 10th year, it was time for us to get our own internal plan for training.' Burgess said this is the second year these particular groups have raised money for Heartland Canines in one of their 'One of Us' campaigns. He said the goal at Heartland Canines is to have one master trainer so he can train others to train service dogs. 'So the idea behind having an internal trainer is that we can continue to train because I'm already on staff,' Burgess said. 'Also, we're going to start an actual veteran training program so I'll be able to train other veterans in the dog-training community' Burgess said Heartland Canines will be celebrating the graduation of another service dog and the creation of a veteran-service dog team at the coming Veterans Outreach Night hosted by the Joplin Outlaws at Joe Becker Stadium on Saturday, June 14. Gates open at 5 p.m., and before the game, Burgess and his staff will introduce the new team. The dog was trained thanks to a donation by Jack Henry and Associates. More details about Heartland Canines for Veterans can be found at
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Bride-to-be branded 'self-centred' after banning chronically-ill sister from bringing service dog to her wedding because it's 'not elegant'
A woman has revealed her sister tried to ban her service dog from attending her wedding because the pooch would make the day 'less elegant'. Taking to Reddit, the 28-year-old woman, believed to be from the US, shared how she has a chronic condition that can trigger sudden fainting spells and her dog Lucy is trained to alert her before an episode so she can sit down. When the woman explained to her sister that her 'life-saving' dog will be with her at the wedding, the bride claimed Lucy would ruin her day and steal the spotlight. She suggested her sister should leave Lucy at 'home for a few hours or that she should sit near the back where 'people won't see her'. Upset by her sister's suggestion, she explained that it's 'unsafe' for her to go anywhere without Lucy but the 'bridezilla' 'dug in her heels' and accused her of 'making this all about me'. The post read: 'I (28F) have a service dog, Lucy, who's been with me for four years. I have a chronic condition that causes sudden fainting spells, and Lucy is trained to alert me before an episode so I can sit down, and she'll stay with me during an episode until I'm alert again. It's a life-saving measure and has become a non-negotiable part of my daily life. 'When my sister (30F) got engaged, I was thrilled and, of course, very excited to attend her wedding. 'I reached out well in advance to let her know I'd be bringing Lucy along, expecting her to understand. But my sister was less than thrilled. 'She claimed Lucy would "distract'" from her big day and that having a dog there would make it less elegant. 'My sister suggested I "just leave her at home for a few hours" or that I sit near the back where "people won't see her." 'This upset me because, as I explained to her, Lucy is there for my safety and it's genuinely unsafe for me to go anywhere without her. I offered to keep her as out-of-sight as possible and assured her that Lucy is highly trained and would stay by my side quietly. 'But my sister dug in her heels. She told me I was "making this all about me" and asked why I couldn't "just be normal for one day."' When the woman explained that she couldn't compromise her health or safety, her sister said she was 'choosing my dog over her.' According to the woman's post, her family is now divided on the issue, as her parents believe she should honour her sister's wishes. She concluded: 'Our family is split. My parents think I should respect my sister's wishes since it's "her special day", but a few of my friends believe she's being unreasonable. I've even thought about skipping the wedding to avoid the whole mess, but I know that would upset her too. 'So, AITA for insisting on bringing my service dog to my sister's wedding?' When the woman explained to her sister that her 'life-saving' dog will be with her at the wedding the bride claimed the service dog would ruin her day and steal the spotlight (stock image) Many rushed to the comments to leave their own thoughts on the drama, with most slamming the bride's attitude. One person said: 'Seriously, OP's sister sounds very self-centered' Another said: 'It's like she would tell a person in a wheelchair to not bring their wheelchair because it would distract from her "special day". Someone else added: 'At 30-years-old, if she thinks she will be outshone by a dog, she has bigger problems than you.' Many suggested it would actually draw even more attention away from the bride if her sister fainted during the ceremony without warning from her service dog. One person wrote: 'Having an episode at her wedding because you don't have your dog will inadvertently make it even more about you.' Another added: 'I was gonna say something similar - wouldn't it pull focus from the bride if the sister has an episode in the middle of the wedding and doesn't have Lucy to pre-warn her?' Someone else added: 'Sister is really ignoring the obvious. EMS having to come in and tend to someone who fainted is much more distracting than a quiet dog.' A fourth agreed: 'I was thinking, wouldn't collapsing at the wedding in the middle of the ceremony or onto the buffet table at the reception be more of a disturbance than a quiet, well trained dog?' Others also called the woman's family out for siding with her sister, as they suggested they were essentially 'choosing a party over your health and safety'. One person's comment read: 'If I had a sister who was prone to fainting, I'd let her bring her dog, her cat, her horse, and her doctor. She could come in a horse-drawn carriage, for all I care. You sister is a bridezilla, and that's the NICE word for her.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Felger: Sweeney extension shows B's are not ‘championship-driven'
This adorable pup joined the Philadelphia Flyers. Here's why Last week the Philadelphia Flyers introduced a new head coach and this week they are welcoming a new member of the team and he's got four legs! Philly Live's Sheila Watko introduces you to Stanley, the teams new service dog in training. This adorable pup joined the Philadelphia Flyers. Here's why originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia 4:05 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Angels Medical Service Dogs give our veterans the support they need at home
Every day, in every way, the bond between man and dog is unmistakable. It's physical and emotional, but for Megan Stanislow and her service dog, Josie, it's protection and medical service for a veteran combating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. "Just watching you with her eyes, don't do anything, she's got my back," said Stanislow. Stanislow calls the partnership between Josie and her "the perfect pairing." For 18 years, Stanislow served as an electronic technician in the U.S. Navy. She said, "For me, I was assaulted," she said. "In active duty, women make up 7% of our armed forces, at least when I was in. We're talking 2007-2008, you just bear it. You know, things happen, move on, keep going, and that's what happened." She explained that the trauma and PTSD caught up with her when she got out of the service. "It was even while I was in, I could not go to the grocery store, Walmart, other places without somebody else in tow," Stanislow said. "I realized it was bad." So, she knew she needed to reach out, to find some help. Then, just over a year ago, Stanislow got Josie, and now she's able to go out independently, work, and even play in social softball games. "I'm doing things that I was not expecting to do, because I have her (Josie) on my side," said Stanislow. Josie is a huge gift Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs gave her for free. Brian DeLong is the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs regional coordinator. "Our dogs can take care of PTSD, TBIs, diabetes, seizures, mobility issues, and many other things they can be trained for," he said. So far, the non-profit's donated 450 dogs to veterans. "Anyone that's ever received one of our service dogs, there's zero suicides, so that phrase right there is what convinced me to go to work for Guardian Angels," said DeLong. To get a dog, veterans must apply, and the dogs they receive are trained, certified, and paired appropriately. It costs about $27,000 per dog, but donations make it possible. "We're actually very appreciative of all our community partners that help us take care of these people who took care of us," DeLong said. Those American heroes, with some hidden scars, are truly being saved by the service of some four-legged friends. "I can't even put it into words, how grateful, because it's just, it's been life changing," Stanislow said. Some of these service dogs are rescues, and others are bred. Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs plans to expand to another space in McDonald. When the new space opens, about 70% of the service dogs for this non-profit will be rescue dogs, in partnership with Animal Friends Pittsburgh. To donate, volunteer, or learn more about the non-profit, click here. If you are a veteran struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can reach the Suicide Crisis Lifeline. It's 9-8-8, and then press option number one.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- CTV News
OPP K9 service dog officially off duty
This OPP K9 service dog is now officially off duty after years on the job helping find missing persons.
