Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Celebrating Independence

Injured in a training exercise, Andrew Goodrich has come a long way since his injury. Having spent the first 5+ months paralyzed from the neck down, Goodrich is thankful for the ability to walk once again. Now, his walking will be aided by a special companion, Charity. Charity was trained by the prison handlers at the Marine Corp Base Camp Lejeune in the Carolina Canines for Veterans program. She will help Goodrich by being his moving hand rail to assist with his balance, pick up dropped items, and navigate just a little easier. Charity, previously named Dixie, came from Carteret County Humane Society as an 8 month old in November 2008. In just 8 months, with the guidance of the prison handlers, she has turned her life around from a throw-away canine to one valued at $38,000 knowing over 70 tasks. Charity is the fifth placement from the Carolina Canines for Veterans program providing just under $200,000 in services to our wounded warriors.

So, how can you get involved in this triple-win program? We do need your financial support to continue to provide wounded warriors and others with quality trained service dogs. All of the costs for the Carolina Canines for Veterans program are the responsibility of Carolina Canines. From food and treats to vet care and leashes, we do need your help to continue to serve those that defend our freedom. PetSmart or PetCo gift cards would help to provide food and treats for the dogs in training.

In our civilian program the wait list is 2-4 years. We need your help to raise and train a service dog and give someone the gift of independence. If you can’t raise a dog for someone in need, sponsor one by making a monthly donation of $100. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law and you are giving the benefit of independence to someone in need.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Meet Snuggle Bug, Soon to be Service Dog

Meet Snuggle Bug, Soon to be Service Dog, Sheba!

Meet Sheba, a 7 week old apricot Labradoodle. Sister of fellow service dogs in training, Luke, Judah, Izzachar, and Zebulon. Office staff, Pat and Rick picked Sheba up on June 20th, 2009 and was blessed to get to know her snuggly personality on the 3 hour “love affair” ride home. When Sheba isn't sleeping, eating, and sleeping some more, she is busy playing with her new foster family, Greg, Debbie and Micah Rupp. She loved to explore things with her sharp puppy teeth and is learning quickly to find other means of exploring! She is adjusting very well without her siblings and has become quite attached to the Rupp’s.

She is already working hard on learning to potty on command and name recognition. She is a firecracker and we hope she has the willingness to learn like her big brothers!She can't wait to get started on becoming a service dog to help a person with a disability.

Let’s all wish her the very best!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Saying Good-bye to a Friend


It is with deep sadness we share with our friends and volunteers, the passing of our friend, Linda Braund. Linda touched our lives when she was partnered with Service Dog Zaccheus in November 2005. Linda was a strong supporter of Carolina Canines and often assisted with presentations and events in the Raleigh area from a fundraiser with the Raleigh Browns Backers to one with Durham Regional Hospital. She and Zaccheus were the reason Carolina Canines has received funding from one grantor after they met someone in the Raleigh area. Linda was a retired U.S. Army veteran and believed in our Carolina Canines for Veterans program.

In Linda’s own words several years ago she said, “Zacheus or Zack is the most wonderful gift I could ever receive to help me deal with my multiple sclerosis. He has opened more doors for me than I ever knew was possible. He literally opens doors by tugging on a cord temporarily attached for that purpose, or rising to touch the pad to open a handicap accessible door; but he can also open the invisible doors that often separate me from the life I used to have. Before Zack, I was alone, having this cheerful, loving dog as my constant companion makes my spirits soar in a way I thought they never would again. I feel like I’m a part of something again and I have the help to be able to live independently. There are not words enough to say what a wonderful gift Zack is; he gave me back my life.”

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Rd., Cary, NC. Burial will be at 1:00 PM, Monday, June 22 at Quantico National Cemetery, Triangle, VA. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, June 19 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Reins From Above, 86 Polenta Rd., Smithfield, NC 27577 or Carolina Canines for Service, Inc., P.O. Box 12643, Wilmington, NC 28405. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.brownwynne.com/

Service Dog Zaccheus will be retired and return to live with Donna Sweetman, advanced trainer for Carolina Canines.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Linda’s family during this time.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Carolina Canines for Service receives grants for one-of-a-kind veterans program


Carolina Canines for Service, Inc. recently received a total of $6,500 in grants from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, the Brian A. McAleese Memorial Foundation, Officers’ Wives Club of Camp Lejeune and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International (SPCA).


These grants will be used to support the Carolina Canines for Veterans program, which teaches prisoners in the Marine Corp Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. prison to train service dogs for wounded warriors. The pilot program is the first of its kind in the United States and is funded by private donations and grants to Carolina Canines. It costs $38,000 to train one dog, but dogs are provided free of charge to wounded soldiers.


“These grants are going to allow us to continue providing service dogs to the brave men and women who have come forth to protect our country,” said Carolina Canines President/CEO Rick Hairston.


The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation awarded Carolina Canines $1,500 as part of its mission to improve the quality of life for others. The Piedmont Natural Gas foundation was established in 2004 with the goal of assisting specific, well-defined areas of the nonprofit community throughout its three-state service area in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The Brian A. McAleese Memorial Foundation granted Carolina Canines $1,500. The Brian A. McAleese Foundation was established to honor McAleese, who was a New York City firefighter that lost his life on 9/11 while trying to save the lives of others at the World Trade Center.

The Officers’ Wives Club Camp Lejeune awarded $2,500 to assist with team training of a wounded warrior with his/her service dog.

Carolina Canines was honored as the SPCA Shelter of the week and received a $1,000 grant. SPCA International recognizes animal organizations that are doing an exceptional job of helping animals, but could benefit from extra financial assistance.

Carolina Canines for Service is a non-profit corporation dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to achieve greater independence. The group trains certified service dogs with the help of volunteer foster families, matches the dog to an eligible recipient and provides the dog free of charge. Since its inception in 1996, Carolina Canines has placed 32 service dogs, valued at more than $1.2 million. For more information, call (866) 910-3647 or visit http://www.carolinacanines.org/.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Carolina Canines for Service receives grant that helps drive community service efforts


Carolina Canines for Service, Inc. recently received a $15,700 grant from the Cape Fear Memorial Foundation for the replacement of its company vehicle.


For Carolina Canines, the grant couldnt come too soon. The worn-out company vehicle nearly left Carolina Canines President/CEO Rick Hairston stranded in the heat with a client and a service dog due to mechanical malfunctions just last year. Hairston drives to the Camp Lejeune Brig three to five days a week to teach inmates how to train canines to serve wounded warriors returning from duty. Hairston also drives to Myrtle Beach monthly to train service dogs and around the state to deliver presentations. Stevenson Chrysler in Jacksonville, NC worked with Carolina Canines to provide a vehicle that accommodates their tight budget.


Without a dependable vehicle we could not offer many of the services that we do, says Hairston We greatly appreciate the Cape Fear Memorial Foundation grant that will provide us a with new vehicle and enable us to get out and meet people, share our mission and to be more involved in the community.

The Cape Fear Memorial Foundation is a private foundation located in Wilmington, North Carolina. The primary purpose of the foundation is to serve the health and medical needs of the people of Southeastern North Carolina. It supports charitable not-for-profit organizations that provide health and medical services and health education.

Carolina Canines for Service is a non-profit corporation dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to achieve greater independence. The group trains certified service dogs with the help of volunteer foster families, matches the dog to an eligible recipient and provides the dog free of charge. Since its inception in 1996, Carolina Canines has placed 32 service dogs, valued at more than $1.2 million. For more information, call (866) 910-3647 or visit http://www.carolinacanines.org/.

Monday, June 8, 2009

CCFS Named SPCA Shelter of the Week

Carolina Canines for Service was named the SPCA International Shelter of the Week and is being recognized on the SPCA website, https://www.spca.com/spca/shelter/item.php?id=57#





SPCA International selects an an animal shelter that they feel is not only doing a great job, but also needs a little extra financial assistance. With the recongnition by SPCA International also comes a $1,000 check from SPCA International which is much needed funding at these economic times.



We are very greatful to have been selected by SPCA International as their Shelter of the Week and here's what SPCA has to say "SPCA International is proud to recognize Carolina Canines for Service as Shelter of the Week. They are helping a community in great need and giving shelter dogs a new purpose in life at the same time."

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

A New Kid in Town



There’s a new kid in town and her training starts now. Meet Holly. She is a lab mix that came to Carolina Canines by way of Tails U Win. She has yet to realize her full potential, but she is already starting to walk to a new cadence.

Holly is the newest addition to the Carolina Canines for Veterans training program. After another online search of numerous dogs, Holly was temperament tested just before the Memorial Day weekend and proved herself worthy of the next step, the hip evaluation. Holly visited a local veterinarian and was found to have good hips and joined the program on May 28th.

Her future job is not yet known so for now she will spend the next several weeks working on basic obedience under the guidance of her prison handler. Once she masters the basics, Holly will progress to learning long distance retrieval, opening doors, turning on light, loading a washer, unloading a dryer and learn to be guided by a laser light to objectives to pick up. Her destiny, the service dog of one deserving wounded warrior.