Brian Kellum served a more than 15-year career in law enforcement, where he faced danger and worked hard to catch criminals guilty of heinous crimes. “I spent several years in law enforcement, have been through three sniper schools, all more advanced than the first one, worked as a Private Military Contractor serving as a Designated Defensive Marksman and Sniper overseas, as well as on a Human Trafficking Taskforce,” Brian said. (more…)
Tucker Whetstone, Trainer and IT Assistant at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, uses his passion for animals and his technical knowledge and abilities to further our mission of helping veterans in need! (more…)
June 3, 2023: McMurray, PA (EIN Presswire) – Everyone at VFW Post 764 goes all in to help their fellow veterans. Each year, they host a number of fundraising activities that culminates in one awe-inspiring day, featuring a final fundraising event and motorcycle run.
As part of the day’s festivities, more than 80 motorcycles took part in the motorcycle run, 5 incredible bands took the stage including: Two Wolfe Moon, TFOG, Jasperillo, J Craiger and Shady Mugs. The all-day event also featured 50/50 raffles, food, drink, and an amazing penny auction.
Guardian Angel Ambassador and volunteer, Bri Hall said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who came out and participated, donated and made the day so special.”
The funds raised will be donated to Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, who rescue, raise, train, and then donate individually trained medical service dogs to veterans and others who are struggling with permanent disabilities. Guardian Angels is also working to bring a state-of-the-art Service Dog Training facility to Washington County, PA.
Asked about the fundraiser, Guardian Angels Founder & CEO, Carol Borden said: “It’s incredible – simply incredible what a small group of passionate individuals can accomplish to change and save lives. We’re so thankful to everyone involved in this effort, and we’re looking forward to next year already!”
This year, the McMurray VFW 764 team raised enough to cover the costs of training and pairing three future Service Dogs for veterans on the waiting list.
On June 23, 2023, Guardian Angels CAO, Sylee Gibson and Founder and CEO, Carol Borden traveled to VFW Post #764 with future Service Dog, Bucco to receive the donations raised.
About Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs:
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a 501(C)3 Based in Florida that rescues, raises, trains and then donates individually trained medical service dogs to veterans, first-responders and others who suffer from disabilities including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, seizure and diabetic disorders, mobility issues and much more. Over the past 13 years, Guardian Angels has paired more than 400 individually trained medical service dogs with recipients in 30 states, and with your help, that number can continue to grow. Visit their website at: www.MedicalServiceDogs.org to get involved or learn more.
About VFW Memorial Park Post 764:
The McMurray VFW Memorial Park Post #764 is led by Commander Brian “Top” DeLong, Sr. Vice Commander, Ted Kantner, and Jr. Vice Commander, Nick Demicheli. The post is located at 460 Valley Brook Road in McMurray, PA. This post offers many veteran services and is open to new members. Visit https://www.vfw764.org to learn more.
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What a night it was at Celebrate Michigans Military 2023! Held in a brand new venue at The War Memorial in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, this event was our most successful yet.
Of course, the importance of the June 6th (D-Day) event was evident to all who attended. At this event, not only were we able to fund several more Service Dogs for deserving veterans on our waiting list, but we also celebrated the unveiling of the new statue of Les Brave II, at Water’s Edge art installation, dedicated to the allied troops who landed on Omaha Beach during WWII. We were honored to be joined at the event by several WWII veterans, as well as several “Rosie the Riveters”.
The evening featured many presentations, including representatives from all four branches of service, Guardian Angels Founder & CEO, Carol Borden, a moving speech from Guardian Angels Recipient, Bryan and his Service Dog, Fahrny, as well as incredible food.
This was the eighth Celebrate Michigan’s Military event, and by far the largest with over 400 registered guests in attendance. Thank you to all who sponsored, supported, attended and donated to this great event in support of Guardian Angels!
While the ADA does not have specific rules for leaving your service dog at home, if you truly need a service dog, it is not recommended by Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs that a recipient leave home without him/her. Service dogs are protected under federal law and granted accommodation rights by businesses, allowing them to accompany their recipient everywhere they need to go that the public would normally be allowed to go.
Why Should I Avoid Leaving My Service Dog at Home
A service dog is intended to work for someone 24/7. While service dogs do sleep and take breaks, they are also very tuned into their recipient. To even qualify by law to have a service dog, you must have a disability for which the dog is trained to mitigate the challenges.
Therefore, if you have a permanent disability, those challenges can occur at anytime, anywhere. If you leave the service dog at home, they will not be able to assist you if you experience a medical event or other issue while in public.
There is also a very strong bond between a service dog and the recipient. The dog understands their job, so if you leave them at home, they often become very anxious and upset that they have been separated from their recipients, and that is an unhealthy state of mind for them. If you leave them behind regularly, the dog will decide that you do not need them to really work for you. If you become complacent in doing what is necessary to maintain this strong bond with the dog, they will become complacent as well.
If you only ask the dog to help you some of the time and not all the time, then the dog will not know when he is supposed to work and when he isn’t.
Making Lifestyle Changes for Your Service Dog
Disabilities such as seizures, diabetic changes, PTSD, mobility, and more can cause complications for recipients when they are in public at any given time. While there are instances where you may be tempted to leave them at home, you are placing yourself in a situation where you could experience an emergency and would be left without the assistance of the service dog.
When you get a service dog, it is sometimes necessary to make lifestyle changes. For example, if you enjoy riding motorcycles, you will have to give up riding since you cannot take your service dog with you. Another example would be if you like to go to the shooting range. It is not an appropriate place for a service dog because the gunshots are very loud, and they have not been adjusted to noise like that in most cases to where they’re comfortable with it. This can cause the dog to start having a negative experience which can materialize into behavioral issues and other problems you want to avoid. Concerts and clubs are another very loud environment that is not appropriate for a service dog.
Leaving your service dog at home to go enjoy these types of activities puts you at risk of having a seizure, diabetic high or low, PTSD episode, vertigo, etc., or can leave you with difficulty getting up from your seat or keeping your balance without any support from your service dog.
You cannot predict what things are going to happen while you’re away. If you leave the dog at home, you are gambling that you might be okay without your service dog, putting your health, safety, and life at risk. If you are comfortable going places and doing things without your service dog, then it may be the case that you do not require the assistance of a service dog.
How to Ensure Success with Your Service Dog
Service dogs are highly trained and do a wonderful job with their assigned tasks. To ensure the best performance and relationship possible, it is a 50/50 effort between you and your service dog. If you do not do what you are supposed to do with your service dog, then you will not have a proper working relationship with the dog.
Service dogs are trained to mitigate the challenges of a wide range of disabilities 24/7, so they should be always with the recipient, no matter the circumstances. This not only keeps the recipient safe but also provides the dog with the opportunity to fulfill the purpose for which they were trained.
Learn More About Service Dogs Today!
Visit the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog website today to learn more about how service dog organizations help those with permanent disabilities regain their independence!
For years, people thought that PTSD was an emotional issue. It has carried several different names throughout the generations, including Shellshock, Johnny Blues, Combat Fatigue, etc. Today, we know that this condition is known by the name of post-traumatic stress. (more…)
