Happy 2 - DOG DAYS

Vietnam Veteran Finally Receives Welcome Home

Sgt. William L. Elkins, Jr. finally receives his welcome home

On July 4th, 2014 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in Charleston, SC, home of the Charleston Riverdogs,  Sgt. Butch Elkins, United States Air Force, retired was recognized in a special ceremony honoring his service to our country.  Canines for Veterans had the honor of thanking Sgt. Elkins for his service and presented him with Service Dog Abner.  Sgt Elkins honorably and proudly served our country from 1966 to 1970 including tours of duty in Udorn and Danang.  While on duty serving our country he was injured and to this day experiences the lasting effects of exposure to agent orange.  Sgt. Elkins is thankful to finally receive the thanks and a welcome home all Veterans deserve.

Service Dog Abner was rescued from Colleton County Animal Control in South Carolina after they found him as a stray. 

Remarkably, Canines for Veterans had already recruited his brother Eli who was also found wandering Colleton County, SC.  The two brothers were perfectly suited for Service Dog work.

  

Canines for Veterans is changing the lives of our Veterans in ways that doctors, hospitals and medications cannot.  The sad reality is that while thousands more Veterans could benefit from the gift of a service dog, we are limited by funding. We receive NO government funding.  We receive NO reimbursement from insurance companies or the VA.  

The value of one of our dogs is $40,000. For just the care of the dogs in training alone the monthly costs are almost $1,800 and include the following:

Heartworm/Flea Meds:    $217
Dog food/treats:            $370
Veterinary Care:            $528
Harness/Collar/Leash:    $217
Other Supplies:             $377

When a Veteran is partnered with his or her Service Dog, it is referred to as Team Training.  The Veteran stays in Charleston for a week to train with the dog.  This training week alone costs $2500 or more per Veteran.  

You have the opportunity to help SGT Sean Knapp receive service dog Bosor RIGHT NOW!  We are making plans to partner these two but need help with the funding of team training.  You can help Bosor get his Veteran by clicking HERE.  Check out the video about Bosor while you are there! 

  

CFS DOG DAYS OF SUMMER CHARITY AUCTION AUGUST 18-21, 2014

Now accepting donations of new or gently used items for our first online Facebook auction.  Anything goes!  (Well, let's keep it clean people!)  Anyone on Facebook will be able to bid on the items up for auction starting August 18th.  Click HERE for details.  

Here are just a few items currently listed:

• Hilton Wilmington Riverside Downtown: 2 night stay
• Bissell Vacuum Cleaner
• Free Illustration of your pet by local artist

Don't miss out on these great items.  Start bidding August 18th!

Do YOU have anything you could contribute?   

CFS Happenings

There is so much happening here that we are trying to keep up with it all!!  

Service Dog Ava

Gotha-ya Day

On June 15th team training begins with a Marine receiving his service dog.  Sgt Kyle Miller and his wife, Vanessa, will spend one intensive week learning to work with Service Dog Ava.  This is always a very exciting time filled with many emotions for the recipient and the team of trainers and volunteer handlers at Canines for Veterans.  Service Dog Ava came  Francis Willis SPCA in Summerville, one of our rescue partners, in July 2013 and has completed her training in just under one year.  Ava with assist her person with balance and post-traumatic stress related issues.

Gotcha-ya Day

Service Dog Abner training with a harness

Later in June, Service Dog Abner will meet his partner, Air Force Sgt William Elkins, Ret., a Vietnam Veteran. Service Dog Abner came from Colleton County Animal Service, a high-kill shelter in October 2013 and is finishing his training in just under 8 months.  Abner is the brother of Service Dog Eli partnered last November also with an Air Force Veteran. 


In other news,  Wilmington Sharks invited Canines for Service, Bat Dog Titus and our service dogs in training to be a part of the 2014 baseball season in Wilmington as a sponsor of Canines for Service.  Appearances will be made during the season at one game each week.  Service Dog in training Abigail is working to step into Bat Dog Titus's paws by learning to retrieve bats.  Bat Dog Titus will be at the games on June 13 and July 11th. 

Harry Barker Inc., a supporter of the Canines for Veterans program with a line of products with a portion of the proceeds donated to us will be at the Atlanta  market in July with a special appearance by Veteran recipient Dean Suthard and Service Dog Esther.  Read the latest news here.  

Happening now, Canines for Service has launched a 2015 Calendar Contest! Through July 31, 2014, pet photos can be submitted for a donation of $10 per photo for judging by three local photographers to be included on a month in the 2015 calendar.  If folks don't want to submit a photo for a $5.00 donation your pets name will be listed on a date of your choice.  Pre-order for the calendars are being taken with the calendar planned to be available in time for the 2014 holiday giving season. For contest guidelines and how you can submit a photo visit our website Events page. 

A new store has been launched on our website and a new tee-shirt is available through Bonfire Funds for a limited time only.     

Order at Bonfire Funds

There are so many ways for your to support the mission and services of Canines for Service .  Please join us today in giving the gift of independence to those in need.

Canines for Therapy goes to College!

You wouldn't know it by the smiles on their faces, but these college students are in the middle of final exams.  Canines for Therapy has played a prominent role in bringing stress relief to students at colleges like Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and William Peace University during the stressful time of final exams.  

Multiple studies prove that pets offer a powerful form of stress relief, lowering not only blood pressure but also harmful stress hormones like cortisol, which is associated with depression and anxiety, and elevating beneficial ones like oxytocin, which is linked to happiness and relaxation. [Source: Grimshaw]   Some people even experience an increased output of endorphins and dopamines after just 5 minutes with an animal.

Check out the video made by the News & Observer about our visit at Duke by clicking here.

Canines for Therapy is only able to provide these services because of the generosity of our strong network of volunteers.  If you have a dog you think might enjoy meeting new people at various different facilities and are interested in becoming a certified team, you can get more information and watch our Canines for Therapy video by clicking here.

We offer Pet Therapy classes in the Wilmington and Raleigh areas for people and their pets.  If you are a pet obedience trainer and are interested in adding our Pet Therapy course to your business please contact us for more information on our Pet Therapy Instructor Workshop or click here.

Rain Drops Can't Stop Our Supporters!

The rain didn't stop our awesome volunteers, supporters, clients, vendors, walkers and dashers from coming out and having a GREAT time at our 8th Annual Walk and Dog Dash on March 29th, 2014 here in Wilmington, NC.  There might have been lots of soggy doggies but there were also lots of wagging tails and smiling faces.  A good time was had by all.  Here are just a few pictures.
       

   

Check out our Facebook photo albums here and here to see more great photos of this event.  We had so many fun activities this year including a new "Kissing" booth to get your photo taken with your pooch, a costume contest, a booth to make your dog's paw prints and a chance to let your dog try some Pet Reiki.


Thanks to the generosity of so many individuals, we came together to raise more than $30,000 in cash and in kind gifts that will help another person receive the gift of independence through a specially trained service dog.  This event was a true community effort for which we are eternally grateful.

If you attended the event and have some pictures you would like to share please tag us on Facebook or email them to us at information@caninesforservice.org, we would love to see them!


Of course we could not make this event happen without our sponsors. Thanks to all of our community sponsors that help to make this event possible!

Hope to see you all next year at the 9th annual Walk and Dog Dash!