From Stuff.co, New Zealand.

Crimebusting dogs show patient side
By EMILY WATT - The Dominion Post

TOP DOG: Six-year-old Kenneth Nielsen, who is being treated for cancer, gives Matt Fage a hand leading police dog Blade during a visit to Wellington Hospital yesterday. Blade, who has retired from police duties, is himself recovering from cancer. MAARTEN HOLL

You might think Blade has a better idea than most dogs what it is like for the sick children at Wellington Hospital.

Recovering from cancer himself, the retired police dog and his colleagues Asco and Utah, the national police dog champion, paid a visit to the children yesterday.

Six-year-old Kenneth Nielsen, who is being treated for cancer, had a huge smile as Blade padded into his bedroom.

Kenneth has been travelling to Wellington Hospital from his home in Feilding for the past year.

Though he has his favourite toys in hospital, it was nice to have a visit from a dog, he said.

Blade and partner Matt Fage have become regular visitors to the children's ward. This is the first visit for Blade since he had surgery for his own cancer.

Just weeks after Blade was officially retired in August, Mr Fage found a lump on the dog's left front leg. Massey University vets operated, but his recovery has been hampered by infections. "It was touch and go," Mr Fage said. "I thought we were going to lose him."

But the dog - who caught more than 1000 crooks, found a dozen missing people and survived being stabbed with a pitchfork and hit on the head with a machete in his seven-year career - did not give up.

Utah and partner Ben O'Connor, and Asco and partner Alf Sawyer, are also regular visitors, often in their own time.

Mr O'Connor said the dogs had no problem displaying their softer side with the young patients.

As another nine-year-old grinned and patted the dogs, one of the hospital staff noted: "That's the first smile I've seen on him today."

The visits were the idea of Lower Hutt constable Dean Gifford, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year.

While spending time in hospital for treatment, he realised children might be cheered up by visits from the dog section.

This is such a touching story. It shows how a dog can mean so much to someone at any time. These are very special dogs.

From the Thousand Oaks Acorn.

Love on a Leash therapy dogs bring joy to the sick, suffering
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

LOVE ON A LEASH- Therapy dogs and their owners are, from left, Thousand Oaks resident Betsy Elliott and Karoo, an Irish wolfhound; Westlake Village resident Jay Goldman and Sherlock, a golden Lab; Thousand Oaks resident Frank Clark and Layla, a black Lab; Camarillo resident Glenn Hogan and Aloha, a flat-coat retriever; West Hills resident Jane Gribin and Jack, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel; Simi Valley resident Pat Dehler and Tikaani, a Siberian husky; Westlake Village resident Carol Moss and Tess, a Pomeranian; Thousand Oaks resident Donna Ross and Sterling, a standard poodle; Thousand Oaks resident Kathy Cocke and Molly, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Westlake Village resident Jackie Atkinson with Zoe, a Coton De Tulear. JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers

Dying is not easy on anyone, but a dog named Tess made it a little more bearable for the Holloway family in Thousand Oaks when she came to spend time with her very sick friend Jack.

Tess began visiting Jack Holloway when he was under the care of his daughters and hospice. He'd once loved a Pomeranian, and those who loved him thought a little dog might cheer him up.

Tess is a working therapy dog and she knew her mission. She went right to Jack and let him know she loved him. Not usually one to be picked up, Tess made an exception for the wheelchair-bound Jack and let him put her in his lap. She also did her tricks for him, his daughter Melinda recalled.

"Tess perked him up tremendously. He began to look forward to Tess coming again and would ask, 'When are we having a Tessy visit?'" she said.

Jack also bonded with Tess' owner, Carol Moss, who he called "a quality woman." Jack passed away in February, but Moss and Tess still keep in touch with his daughters.

Moss understands what a visit from a therapy animal can mean. Three years ago on a skiing trip in Colorado she crashed into a tree with a snowmobile and was impaled on the handlebars. It was Christmastime and her husband took their children home to leave them with a grandmother before returning to Moss' bedside.

As she rested alone Moss felt very sad, she said. Then a nurse opened her hospital door and asked a strange question: "Would you like a visit from a cat?"

"At first I thought it was time to turn down the morphine. But she said just what I thought she said," Moss recalled.

Within moments a twopound cat was on her hospital bed cuddling and purring.

She loved it. When the cat's owner asked if she could come back the next day, Moss quickly agreed to the visit.

"The whole next day, that's what I looked forward to. It changed my whole outlook and really made me feel better," Moss said.

That made her think about Tess, the Pomeranian at home that she had rescued. Tess had so much love to give, Moss thought, and realized then that Tess might have a calling.

When Moss returned home she began the process of getting Tess certified as a pet therapy animal. Now Tess is one of the smaller members of a very special group called Love on a Leash, Moss said.

The dogs must pass a test showing their calm personalities and willingness to get along with other dogs. Before a recent visit to Hillcrest Royale, a senior community in Thousand Oaks, the dogs lined up, waiting to go inside.

None of them sniffed each other. Each sat on command calmly next to their owners. When they began walking toward the front door, their demeanors changed. Each showed a certain bit of excitement to go inside, but they also marched as if they knew they had a purpose, concentrating like dogs who help the blind or work security at airports.

"We bring happiness on our visits," Glen Hogan said as he held onto Aloha, a flatcoat retriever.

"It's very satisfying when we visit someone who hasn't smiled or spoken in weeks and they begin to smile and speak when they touch one of our dogs," group president Betsy Elliott said. Her dog, the biggest, is Irish wolfhound Karoo.

The sense of touch is the last to go, she noted. People suffering from dementia may touch a dog's coat and find memories come back.

Love on a Leash dogs will be participating in the Conejo Valley Days Parade on Thousand Oaks Boulevard on Sat., May 3.

These dogs are veterans. I hope there will always be a home for them when they retire.

Adopting retired working dogs can be challenging
By Cindy Fisher and T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, April 7, 2008

After years of faithful service, military working dogs in the Pacific do what any other servicemember does, they retire to spend the rest of their lives with a loving family — an adopted one.

On Okinawa, there are two potential sources of adoptable military working dogs: the Air Force’s Kadena Air Base, and the Marine Corps’ Camp Foster.

Euthanasia is always a last resort for Kadena’s retiring dogs, said Tech. Sgt. Steve Montez, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of 18th Security Forces Squadron’s military working dogs element.

Like all military working dogs, a retiring Kadena dog must first go through a temperament evaluation, primarily to make sure that it is no longer aggressive toward people, Montez said in an e-mail.

Once a dog is deemed adoptable, preference is given to former canine handlers — or at the very least, people with dog-handling experience, Montez said.

At Camp Foster, meanwhile, military working dogs also are evaluated for adoption once a kennel master or veterinary officer has made the determination that the animals are too old to work, said Marine spokesman 2nd Lt. Kurt Stahl.

Once a dog is deemed fit for adoption, the Marine working dog section advertises locally “to find suitable and well-qualified owners,” Stahl said.

Potential owners “must have experience handling large dogs and must undergo a thorough application process,” Stahl said.

This includes a recommendation from the Marine military working dog section and the kennel master.

Like all working dog adoption applications, the application is then sent to the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where all military working dogs are trained. A board meets each month to review and approve each adoption.

The dogs themselves, however, are adopted directly from the kennel where they are retired. Each potential new owner must first meet the animal, face-to-face — no exceptions, according to Barbara Stadts, the 341st disposition coordinator.

No Marine Corps military working dogs were available for adoption from Camp Foster last year.

However, Marine military working dog Jumbo — a 9-year-old German Sheppard — is in the process of adoption this year, Stahl said. Jumbo is being retired because of lower spine and hip problems.

A civilian with “experience handling large dogs” has submitted an adoption package with approval currently pending from Lackland Air Force Base, Stahl said.

Kadena did not adopt out any military working dogs last year either, but officials expect one dog might be available for adoption toward the end of this year, Montez said.

Zuro, a 9-year-old German Sheppard, “is starting to show early signs of hip displacement,” Montez said. This is due to high operational tempo and deployments the dog has participated in over its career, he said.

Anyone interested in inquiring about the availability of retiring military working dogs to adopt can call Kadena’s Military Working Dog section at DSN 632-5080 or the Marine Kennel Master at DSN 632-5835 or DSN 632-5600.

In South Korea, servicemembers and their families also are welcome to apply to adopt retiring military working dogs, according to 8th Army spokesman Lt. Col. B.J. Bailey.

Five dogs have been identified as candidates, he said.

“A few people” have expressed interest in adopting them, he said.

Kennel masters in South Korea are reluctant to euthanize an adoptable dog, Bailey said, with the procedure reserved for dogs who are sick, in pain, or “too aggressive to adjust to life as pets.”

The Air Force’s 8th Security Forces Squadron at Kunsan Air Base also has seen working dogs adopted from their kennels.

“If a dog is adoptable, then we do our best to find someone to adopt them before considering euthanasia,” said Staff Sgt. Bernie Hall, a military working dog trainer.

The squadron adopted out one of its dogs in the past year using the standard procedure, Hall said.

No dogs were euthanized in the last year, he said.

People interested in adopting dogs from Kunsan should call the Military Working Dog section at DSN 782-4969.

To learn more about adopting a retired military working dog, go to www.workingdogs.com

Stars and Stripes reporter Lisa Burgess contributed to this story.

From Canada.com

Dogs with wings born
Jennifer Fong, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Sunday, March 30

"Purple" is part of a litter of six puppies born on Saturday that will be trained by Dogs with Wings. Debbie Csongradi/Special to the Journal

EDMONTON - On Saturday afternoon, five-year-old Labrador retriever Libby gave birth to dogs with wings.

Bred by Edmonton-based charitable organization Dogs With Wings Assistance Dog Society, the six black and blond retriever puppies will be trained to become service dogs that will work with the blind, autistic and physically disabled.

Dogs With Wings has been training guide dogs and service dogs since 1996, and have graduated 62 dogs that are now out in the community living and assisting someone in need.

In a year or two, Libby's little ones, along with another litter of four to six Labrador puppies to be flown in next week from Nova Scotia, will join their ranks.

The only trouble with having so many puppies? Finding homes for every one of them can prove a challenge, no matter how cute and cuddly they are.

Dogs With Wings are now searching for foster families that are willing to raise the puppies and bring them to weekly training classes for a year.

"It's a big time commitment," said Elisa Irlam, founder and director of training at Dogs With Wings. But "being able to say that they've helped someone live a more independent life … Once they get to meet the client — they're invited to graduation and such — they can see just how much that dog has helped someone. That's what makes it all worth it."

And with puppies this adorable, how could anyone say no?

jfong@thejournal.canwest.com

To see photos and video of the puppies, and read a blog detailing their births on Saturday, please visit www.dogswithwingspuppies.blogspot.com.

Here's a story that perfectly illustrates how you can't tell from looking at someone that they have a disability. And you can't discriminate against a person and their service dog. They are allowed in all public areas by law. Yet so many business owners don't know this law and give the disabled a hard time. This has to change.

From the YumaSun.com

Service animals more than sight dogs
BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER

Libby Westphal, who suffers from a neurological disease that causes her to fall, harnesses up Budley, her service dog, who helps her maintain her balance. PHOTO BY TERRY KETRON/THE SUN

Those dogs wearing special harnesses following owners everywhere like an extra pair of limbs are not pampered pets but service animals performing what the disabled cannot do alone.

Yet some businesses refuse entry to people with dogs. However, since 1992 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits privately owned business serving the public from discriminating against the disabled.

ADA requires businesses with a "no pets policy" to make an exception for service animals. The only time they may be excluded from a facility is when they pose a threat to the safety of others, according to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site.

But for Foothills residents Bill and Libby Westphal and their service dog, Budley, the welcome mat is not always at their disposal.

Libby has severe peripheral neuropathy, a disability that affects the nervous system and can make it difficult to walk.

Yet since drafting Budley into service four months ago, the Westphals have encountered a sweeping lack of knowledge of what a service animal is and at times have been refused entry into a favorite tavern even though he was initially accepted.

"We've had comments such as, 'You can bring the dog in as long as we're not busy,' or 'You ain't blind and that ain't no service dog,'" Bill said. "I think there is an opportunity here to educate the folks about service animals."

Budley, a 95-pound golden Lab/retriever, helps Libby keep her walking disability under control. She works as a volunteer at the Sunrise Elementary School library three days a week and relies on her dog to get to get there safely.

"If you look at me I look just fine. But I have no feeling in my legs and my feet are numb. I'm probably the only person with a prescription to have my dog walking around with me."

It was only in the past year Libby's disability worsened and she has taken several spills. Her dog has a harness she grips for support and can stop her if she loses balance.

Often accompanying her husband while he flies his model airplanes, their dog came to the rescue recently.

"Budley was able to catch me when I stumbled at the Yuma Aero Modelers' Flying Field," Libby recalled. "He can help me getting up and pick up things I drop - my cell phone if I need to call for help."

A major obstacle is that many people are unaware it is not just the blind who need service dogs. The dogs also help the deaf, those suffering seizures, assisting the ambulatory with balance problems, pulling wheelchairs and retrieving objects out of reach.

ADA defines a service animal as one trained to provide assistance to the disabled regardless if they have been certified by a local or state government. Yet Budley has been trained and received the American Kennel Club's obedience certification.

In fact, his demeanor is so compatible with people that he also serves as a therapy pet. A therapy pet's principal function is to cheer up the lonely or disabled. Many visit nursing homes and schools.

For the past five months every Tuesday morning, Budley has been greeting seniors at Copper Hills House, an assisted living facility.

"He's very calm," said Coleen Lovato, Copper Hills sales manager. "He brings a sense of peace. He reminds them of the pet they used to have and he helps residents with depression. It shows another living being cares about them."

Budley is also helping some remedial readers at the Sunrise Elementary School to get up to speed. He visits the school once every two weeks, where struggling students are empowered by reading aloud to the dog who does not make them feel self-conscious, said Judy Amick, first-grade teacher.

"He just so laid-back, all the kids swarm him. It's a fun way to learn, and the dog encourages them to read more than they would if just the teacher instructed them."

Most businesses welcome the Westphals with their dog, including the airlines such as US Airways, the carrier that will take them to Hawaii this summer. But they feel some have not yet gotten the message of how critical these special dogs can be.

"I hope people become more familiar with different kinds of service dogs and more accepting were they to need one," Libby said.

—

William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858