Matthew first served with the US Navy in the Persian Gulf. He was motivated to rejoin the military following the September 11th attacks even though he had been discharged for several years. While serving his country a second time as an infantry medic, Matthew had a near-death experience that left him with multiple permanent disabilities.
He is a medically discharged veteran, but his VA benefits left him with unmet care and treatment needs. Matthew suffers from reduced mobility and severe PTSD. Guardian Angels provided him with his service dog, Skipper, free of charge. They also paid Mathhew’s travel expenses to be paired with his dog and the cost of the week he spent training with our staff. Matthew has now had a Guardian Angels service dog for four years.
“Skipper has given me a second chance to enjoy life,” Matthew said.
Learn more about our recipients and the impact these amazing service dogs make here.
Mrs. Borden’s expertise and accomplishments are acknowledged by numerous national awards from various industries and agencies including the 2018 Corporate Pet Industry Woman of the Year and multiple awards for her organization’s work in mental health and suicide prevention.
She is frequently requested as a Keynote Speaker, and as an Industry Consultant to teach service dog laws to judicial systems, attorneys, and businesses, and to assist in service dog bills in multiple states that were passed into law. In 2020, she started an Institute for Higher Learning and the Borden Veterinary Hospital. Additionally, she has written and teaches college-accredited/VA-approved apprenticeship courses on dog training and service dog training.
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