Service Dog Retiring
November 25, 2020
Talking to police or giving testimony at a courthouse, can be a scary experience for many.
Since 2014, service dogs have been allowed in the courtroom to provide emotional support for those in need.
For Emery Baert, having Madison with her made a huge difference.
“If she wasn’t there, to this day, I wouldn’t know the strength I have now,” Baert told CTV News in an interview. “She helped me stay strong. She was there when I felt like I couldn’t do it.”
Madison is from Dogs With Wings, a Calgary-based organization that breeds, raises and trains yellow and black Labradors to be used as service dogs. She’s helped hundreds of Lethbridge Victim Services clients in her five-year career.
Sarah Selnes suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and felt anxious and sick every time she had to go into a courtroom. She said having Madison with her was the only way she got through giving some difficult testimony.
“Going into the courts was very emotional and was she able to go right in and on the stand and she was there for me.”
However, Madison’s career is now coming to an end. Those who work with her say she takes on secondary stress and is aging a little harder than normal dogs would.
They brought in her replacement, Marlee, in March. Although, there’s no retirement date set, the two will work alongside each other until Marlee is ready to take over full-time.
“We call her ‘mama dog’,” said Lindsey Gehring with Lethbridge Victim Services about Madison. “She’s such a good mom and nurturer with dogs and people and she’s immediately become that amazing big sister to Marlee. She just took her right in and is teaching her the ropes.”
While volunteers are sad to see Madison retire, they’re excited for Marlee to start helping people.
As well as training together, the two have teamed up for a calendar fundraiser. Since the dog program is 100 per cent privately funded, all of the proceeds will go towards paying vet bills and purchasing things like leashes, collars and dog food.
Gehring said what these dogs do matters and they want to ensure the program continues to be successful for the long-term.
“It’s so amazing to see what they can do and how they can really ground somehow.”
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]