Join host Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, and Event Sponsor PNC Bank for Mutt Strut 2021.
This event is virtual & nationwide and will be live from September 8, 2021 – September 11, 2021.
The dates were chosen on purpose. Sept. 10th is Suicide Awareness Day, and September 11th we will recognize the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks – the single largest reason why this generation of soldiers chose to join our armed forces, and fight for our freedom.
The goal is simple – bring together patriotic Americans who want to help our Veterans, struggling with permanent disabilities that are both visible and invisible. We aim to raise funds for 11 additional service dogs this year, and your participation can help us get there.
Because we never have to share another video like the one below, featuring our friend, Stephanie Hannan. Stephanie is the sister of the late United States Air Force Master Sergeant, Brian Charles Riley. Please help her honor his memory by watching her powerful story below.
Meet the Guardian Angels Ambassadors. Recipients of our Service Dogs, who have volunteered to participate in the Mutt Strut, and offer their perspective on how their dogs have changed their lives.
Guardian Angels are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a VETTY Award in the Suicide Prevention category by the Academy of United States Veterans (AUSV).
On Saturday, July 3, 2021, the AUSV held their Vetty La Vie Awards ceremony. Actor and philanthropist, Casey Affleck presented the award for Outstanding Service to Veterans in the Suicide Prevention Category to Guardian Angels’ Recipient and Advisory Council Member, Chris Cadigan, with Service Dog Brit at his side.
Chris’ moving speech read
“On behalf of our founder, CEO, and tireless advocate Carol Borden, our board, staff, countless volunteers, foster families, donors, and all the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Recipients, I would like to thank the Academy of United States Veterans for this recognition of 11 years of amazing work, donating hundreds and hundreds of dogs to recipients in 29 states.
Carol and Guardian Angels, have not lost a single recipient to suicide, and have less than a 2 percent divorce rate; lower than the Disabled Veteran rate of 90 up to percent higher than the national rate of 47 percent. We have one of the only college accredited, paid, service dog training apprentice programs, in the entire US which have been approved by the Veterans Administration under the GI Bill and are also taught to incarcerated Veterans.
Guardian Angels have participated in several notable research studies, reinforcing their program’s success, and has a proprietary 6 life-stage training program based on the mental learning capacity of a dog at various stages which builds self-confidence, the ability to think and make life saving decisions, be desensitized to things that would otherwise be scary, and never present a public safety threat, all through positive reinforcement training. In the last year, Guardian Angels created a Medical Savings plan for all of our service dog teams to further enhance the lives of the dogs. Dogs like Brit, by my side, here tonight ensure that our recipients are alerted to their unique diagnosed disabilities quickly; efficiently allowing them to effectively address an onset of symptoms which in many cases allows them to live their lives more fully.
This week, I attended the memorial service and funeral of two friends who succumbed to their invisible injuries, One a US Navy SEAL, friend, mentor and the other a classmate, fellow Army Officer and the friend that I chose to be my best man at my wedding. They had everything to live for, including a family that loved them, teenage children who excelled academically and athletically…..and long and distinguished careers that they could be proud of. It is unknown if a medical Service Dog could have helped them. Both had met my dog and were considering the application process at the time of their deaths.
Guardian Angels receive up to 40 inquiries each day. There is an average wait of approximately a year for any veteran applicant. Should you have the ability to make a donation to help train and pair an amazing dog like Brit, at MedicalServiceDogs.Org you’ll have a direct impact on helping a veteran and Guardian Angels continue this important work.”
Thank You.
This award represents Guardian Angels’ 2nd VETTY win. We were honored to receive the VETTY Award in the Mental Health Category in 2018. Watch Chris’ fantastic acceptance speech below.
We hope you enjoyed the segment!
To sponsor a dog, please contact Jeff Dobbertien at: (352) 817-0184 or JDobbertien@MedicalServiceDogs.com
To join in on Florida or Pennsylvania Campus Campaigns, Contact Mary Jo Brandt at: (239) 771-3703 or MJ@MedicalServiceDogs.com
To participate in our Puppy Huggers or Foster Family Programs, Please contact Kelsey Klee at: (352) 789-5016 or KKlee@MedicalServiceDogs.com
Join our Paw Prints Monthly Giving Club: Paw Prints Club
If you are interested in applying for a Service Dog, please visit: Medical Service Dogs
Recipient Kelsey and her Super Service Dog Flag were featured on WFLA station “Bloom” program today, talking about Women’s History Month, and of course, Flag!
Media Contact:
Jack Wagner
412-352-1111
jwagner@medicalservicedogs.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Awarded Economic Development Grant to Support Construction of New Campus in Washington County, Pennsylvania
WILLISTON, FLORIDA (Jan. 5, 2021) – Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs was recently awarded the Economic Development Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to go toward the construction of its newest facility. Guardian Angels raises, trains and donates medical services dogs to veterans, first responders and civilians with permanent visible and invisible disabilities. These recipients suffer from PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, diabetic and seizure disorders, mobility issues and more. Over the last decade, the national nonprofit has placed more than 350 medical service dogs across 29 states with more than 40 recipients in Pennsylvania.
The grant comes as part of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), which supports the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. The awarded funds will be used toward Guardian Angels newest campus in Washington County on a sprawling 102 acres just 20 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. This is Guardian Angels’ first facility outside of its home state of Florida and will serve as their campus for the Northeastern United States region. Naming rights, matching donations and other fundraising opportunities are still available, with the facility already receiving pledges for support from major donors.
“Guardian Angels’ new state-of-the-art facility will be a unique asset to our Commonwealth and undoubtedly provide critical support to those who are paired with service dogs throughout our state. It will also provide significant economic opportunity through new jobs in the construction phase of the project and throughout the facility’s lifetime, as well as provide vocational training for new careers in the pet industry,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs would like to thank Governor Wolf. In addition, many thanks go to Senators Camera Bartolotta, Michele Brooks and Pam Iovino; Representatives Jason Ortitay, Valerie Gaydos and Tim O’Neal; Washington County Board of Commissioners Diana Irey Vaughn, Larry Maggi and Nick Sherman; and Washington County Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Bill McGowen for their support.
The Rocky Bleier Construction Group has been chosen by Guardian Angels as construction manager for this project.
“As a service-disabled veteran, I understand the plight of the veteran and the visible and invisible wounds many of our service men and women return home with,” said Rocky Bleier, former Pittsburgh Steelers halfback and owner of Rocky Bleier Construction Group. “Guardian Angels has changed the lives of so many individuals already, and I am proud to have my company involved in a project that will better the lives of so many more.”
“I am extremely grateful to Governor Wolf for his efforts in bringing economic development to the people of his Commonwealth by supporting our unique and lifesaving campus to be built in Pennsylvania,” said Carol Borden, founder and CEO of Guardian Angels. “We will be positively changing and even saving lives through our highly skilled medical service dogs, bringing new revenue opportunities to the state, and employing many people, as well as teaching new career paths through our apprenticeship and vocational programs.”
Guardian Angels’ medical service dogs undergo a rigorous two-year training process, written by Borden, which is one of the only college accredited curriculums on training service dogs in the United States and is also approved by the Veterans Administration. It costs more than $25,000 for the organization to raise and train a single medical service dog. These dogs are then donated to recipients free of charge.
To learn more or donate to Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, please visit Medical Service Dogs.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a 501(C)3 headquartered 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 10 years, Guardian Angels has paired more than 350 individually trained medical service dogs with recipients in 29 states and trained the #1 Service Dog in the US and the Top American Dog Hero of the year for 2019. With your help, the number of recipients paired can continue to grow. Visit our website at: Medical Service Dogs to get involved or learn more.
Watch here.
by: Briana Brownlee
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – As the saying goes, a dog is man’s best friend, but in this case, a woman’s best friend.
Karen Louise O’Neal, is a Navy veteran who served her country for 20 years. From 1973 to 1993, she served an EMT. After her stint in the military, she was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression because of events she witnessed. “Of course, being part of the ambulance crew, I saw a lot of gruesome injuries,” O’Neal said. “Also, when I was in San Diego, there was a PSA plane that crashed in San Diego with a smaller plane I think there were 163 lives lost in that and it stuck with me for a long time.” While still serving, O’Neal said she was able to push those traumatic events to the back of her mind. When she retired, those memories started to resurface. Before going to counseling, she struggled with rational and irrational fears.
“I would fear that something would happen to our daughter when she went outside,” she said. “I would hide in the doorway and keep an eye on her. I could only go as far as the mailbox and that was it. I became a hermit, I couldn’t go out to do grocery shopping, the pet store, whatever we needed to do, I withdrawn from that.” At her lowest, she decided to seek counseling. Her doctor suggested that she get a medical service dog. Taking the advice, O’Neal applied for a medical dog at Guardian Angles Medical Service Dogs; a service dog organization that raise, train and pair medical service dogs to people with permanent visible and invisible disabilities. Approximately 95% of the recipients for Guardian Angels are veterans.
According to Guardian Angles’ Chief Operating Officer, Mary Jo Brandt, many donors choose to donate dogs their dogs to aide veterans and first responders start a new normal. “We just have a passion for our veterans for people who go out there and do everything they can to keep our country safe. This is our way to give back,” Brandt said. O’Neal has found a new friend with the help of Brandt Guardian Angels: Patton, a 5-year-old English Box Head Black Lab. Patton is known to help wake O’Neal when she suffers from night terrors.
“Like they say in the military, he got my sixth, he got my back,” O’Neal said. “I had contemplated suicide, in fact if I didn’t have Patton, I’m’ not sure I would be talking to you right now.” Brandt “Guardian Angles is here to help because dogs aren’t here to judge. “If you drop something on the ground and need it picked up for the 100th time that day that dog does not care, it is a game and that dog is happy to do it, they just need a little love and praise,” Brandt said.
Patton does more than help O’Neal with her depression. “He’s an excellent listener, He keeps me distracted in overwhelming environments, he alerts me when my blood sugar is too low or too high,” O’Neal said. One Christmas Eve, O’Neal was at church and she noticed Patton kept putting his head on her knee and his tail was wagging. She tried several times to get him to sit down but he wouldn’t. “I was thinking maybe it’s not him, it’s me not him,” O’Neal explained. “I checked my blood sugar and it was extremely high so once I took my insulin, he was fine. He alerted me by the change and smell of my skin because of the increase sugar level.”
O’Neal told WANE 15’s Briana Brownlee that she decided to join the military to help pay for school and the opportunity to travel across the world. Now that she is doing better mentally, she is proud that she served her country.
If you are interested in applying for a service dog click here. If you would like to donate, click here.
Karen and Patton are one the hundreds of teams we’ve paired in 29 states across the nation. Our dogs save & change the lives of their recipients, by allowing them a beautiful New Normal that restores dignity, freedom and independence to their lives. If you would like to donate to, or fundraise for Guardian Angels so we can continue providing these incredible, individually-trained dogs to deserving applicants on our waiting list, simply click fill out the form below.
This interview was done in Pittsburgh, as we paired 5 new recipients with Service Dogs. Dustin, who’s had his Service Dog Spangle since August of 2018, and Ben and his Service Dog Bolt, who’ve been together since September of 2019; joined with the newly paired recipients to help them get answers to some of their questions about their new service dogs, and to give a friendly welcome, and some sage advice.
Thanks to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for the great video.
#TeamNick & #TeamRhino Enter Hero Dog Awards
Our recipients may be of different genders, with different medical conditions and different histories. They may live half way across the country from each other, but #TeamNick and #TeamRhino share 3 very important things:
- They both have Service Dogs that come from Guardian A
ngels Medical Service Dogs. - They’ve both had their lives saved by their Service Dogs.
- And they’ve both thought the world should know how amazing their Service Dogs are!
Recipient Gina is a former first-responder and lives in Colorado with her Super Service Dog Rhino.
Rhino is a seizure-alert dog that helps keep Gina safe before, during and after a seizure occurs.
Check out her video below as she explains how Rhino makes a difference in her life:
You can vote for #TeamRhino through May 7th at: http://herodogawards.org/dog/rhino-the-apache-warrior/
Recipient Jody is a veteran of both the Army and the Navy, and lives in the Pittsburgh area.
Nick is a PTSD and Diabetic alert Service Dog. Check out Jody’s video on why he decided to nominate his Service Dog, Nick:
You can vote for #TeamNick through May 7th at:http://herodogawards.org/dog/nick/
Getting Noticed!
The good folks at KDKA in Pittsburgh have noticed, and recently did a story about Nick’s entry – check it out!
Guardian Angels travels to Michigan to Deliver Service Dogs to Veterans during COVID-19 crisis.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs donates individually trained medical service dogs to veterans, first-responders and civilians who suffer from both visible and invisible disabilities including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, diabetic & seizure disorders, mobility issues and more.
This year, Guardian Angels had planned its first group pairing for mid-March. This involves covering the travel for applicants from around the nation as they come to our headquarters in Williston, Florida for a 10-day intensive training process.
Typically, when people come to Guardian Angels, they’ve tried everything else. They’ve tried medications, counseling and many of our phone calls begin with “you’re my last hope”. That being said, it made cancelling our March pairing that much more heart-wrenching. Our applicants know that preparing their dog will take time, and when the time for pairing is near, the phrase “hope is everything” becomes literal.
Then, COVID-19 happened. Trips and travel cancelled – especially for those who were immuno-compromised. As we began calling applicants, letting them know we had to cancel, tears rolled down our faces, as our applicants begged us not to postpone what they’d already waited so long for.
We decided not to cancel, because we couldn’t break their hearts – but the situation worsened, and just days later, we again were forced to cancel the scheduled March pairing group. Heartbroken applicants who’d already waited so long for their miracle to arrive were crushed.
As people began being told to prepare for a more intensive lockdown, trainer Kathleen decided that she would take a leave of absence, to spend her quarantine time with family in Indiana.
Three of our scheduled March pairings were set to pair Michigan veterans in need. Kathleen met with Guardian Angels Founder & CEO, Carol Borden, and offered to take the 3 Michigan Dogs with her for a very modified special pairing with their waiting applicants.
These 3 special dogs were Babe, who’s training was sponsored by Stahl’s Automotive Museum; Sterling, sponsored by Grosse Pointe Board of REALTORS®, the city of Sterling Heights, Michigan and Jim Riehl Dodge. the 3rd dog is Catherine, sponsored by the Veterans Support Foundation.
The 3 anxious applicants met Kathleen at a hotel in Battle Creek Michigan, where they were, at last, united with their individually trained service dogs. Kathleen stayed for nearly 2 days to provide a condensed version of the pairing process, and Guardian Angels staff followed that brief training with additional instruction via phone and online sessions.
Due to the nature of the disability, our first recipient has chosen to remain anonymous at this time, but shared that “even after just hours together, my service dog, Catherine is already responding so positively to me, and I don’t even know how to tell you how life-changing this is, I just know this is going to be great”.
Also paired were Veteran, husband, and father of two young children, Gregg who was paired with Service Dog, Sterling, and Marine Corps Veteran Mindy who is now paired with Service Dog, Babe.
Thank you, to trainer Kathleen, who went above & beyond to ensure these veterans were able to be united with their service dogs, and to our entire team for their always outstanding work and commitment to serving our veterans, first responders and civilians in need.
Guardian Angels was thrilled to be recognized by Fox News in their “Good News” segment with Janice Dean on Wednesday, April 8th for pairing Service Dogs with Veterans.
Take a minute to watch the video segment below. We are the third story, beginning at about the 1:16 minute mark.
If you’d like to continue to support our mission of pairing individually trained medical service dogs with veterans, first-responders and civilians in need click HERE.
Please enjoy the photo gallery of trainer Kathleen’s journey to Michigan, and the photos she snapped of our dogs, meeting their Recipients for the first time.
What a beautiful day for Recipients’ Robert & Sarah, who, with their Service Dogs by their sides, walked down the aisle and said their vows. Robert & Sarah have made many friends through their Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Community, many of whom were in attendance; including Service Dog Nina who served as the “flower girl” with her handler Jim. Service Dog Harry who served as Ring Bearer, with handler Charlie; and Service Dog Rocket, who, with handler Rudy walked Sarah down the aisle.
In all, 10 medical service dogs attended the wedding with their handlers, all of them paired by Guardian Angels.
Mary Jo Brandt, Chief Operating Officer of Guardian Angels performed the ceremony, and it was well-attended by Guardian Angels staff members as well.
Robert & Sarah have requested donations to Guardian Angels in lieu of gifts. If you’d like to donate, please visit: https://medicalservicedogs.networkforgood.com/projects/88155-robert-sarah-brown-paws-wedding-campaign
Robert & Sarah’s Wedding was covered by both the Gainesville Sun and WCJB20, and we’ve included their stories or links to their stories below.
You can also find a photo gallery in the Gainesville Sun: https://www.gainesville.com/photogallery/LK/20191212/PHOTOGALLERY/121209980/PH/1
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog Recipient Brigadier General Donald Bolduc and his Service Dog Victor made an appearance on Fox & Friends this September 11th to discuss the military response to the attacks and the policies that have followed.
Below is General Bolduc and his Service Dog, Victor; pictured with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Founder & CEO, Carol Borden shortly after their pairing in 2018.
Our Connecticut supporters, lead by Dr. Rick McFarland came together this past weekend for Barks, Brews & BBQ. An annual event they’ve hosted over the past 3 years. The event was a huge success again this year, and three Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog Recipients were on-hand to tell guests the huge difference Service Dogs make in their lives.
Connecticut News 12 captured the story:
2019 Hero Dog of the Year Awarded toGuardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Alice.
Los Angeles, California; Oct. 2019 (Send2PressNewswire): Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is both humbled and honored to announce that on Friday, October 5, 2019 after more than a million public votes, our Service Dog, Alice; specifically trained to assist Recipient Antonio was named the 2019 Hero Dog of the Yearin the American Humane Hero Dog Awards.
Alice has been watching over Antonio since 2016, after he tragically suffered a gunshot wound to the head at the age of nine, while sitting in his parents’ car in 2015.
Since that day, Antonio has struggled through 5 brain surgeries, leaving him with a permanent traumatic brain injury, and an artificial flap that covers a large portion of his skull. He suffers regularly from seizures, spells, migraines and balance issues. Alice is at Antonio’s side constantly, including attending school together; and she is focused on Antonio at all times. She not only alerts to oncoming seizures and spells, but assists him with balance issues, as a fall could potentially be fatal.
Seven truly incredible dogs were finalists for each category including: Sgt. Yeager: Military; Piglet: Search & Rescue; Leader Dog Lady: Guide/Hearing; Jeanie: Therapy; Gus: Shelter; Dax: Law Enforcement/Arson and of course, Alice in the Service Dog Category. We congratulate each category winner and recognize their incredible unique skillsets.
Alice completed nearly 2 years of unparalleled custom training to prepare for a life partnering with and assisting Antonio. Giving her acceptance speech, Antonio’s Mom Tara said:
“It’s so incredible, we are truly honored to receive this award… I thank everybody who voted and showed support for my boy and Alice. Through a shooting, and something so dark, you forget to believe in humanity; but when something like this happens you start to learn that there is good in this world”.
You can view the Hero Dog Awards in its entirety on the Hallmark Channel airing October 21, 2019. Check local listings for times in your area.
Guardian Angels was founded in 2010, and custom-trains medical service dogs for veterans, first-responders and individuals like Antonio. Although the cost of training each service dog can take up to 2 full years, and cost nearly $25,000, we donate each dog to the recipient at no cost. Everything we do is funded by donation. To date, we have paired over 320 service dogs in 23 states across the nation. If you would like to learn more about our organization, or support this life-saving work, visit our website at www.MedicalServiceDogs.org.
2019 Service Dog Hero of the Year Awarded toGuardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Alice
Washington D.C., July 30, 2019 (Send2PressNewswire): Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is excited to announce that on Friday, July 26, 2019 our Service Dog, Alice; specifically trained to assist Recipient Antonio was named the 2019 Service Dog Hero of the Yearby more than 900,000 nationwide voters and the American Humane Societies’ panel of judges.
Alice has been watching over Antonio since 2016, after he tragically suffered a gun-shot wound to the head at the age of nine, while sitting in his parents’ car in 2015.
Since that day, Antonio has struggled through 5 brain surgeries, leaving him with a permanent traumatic brain injury, and an artificial flap that covers a large portion of his skull. He suffers regularly from seizures, spells, migraines and balance issues. Alice is at Antonio’s side constantly, including attending school together; and she is focused on Antonio at all times. She not only alerts to oncoming seizures and spells, but assists him with balance issues, as a fall could potentially be fatal.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog Alice completed nearly 2 years of unparalleled custom training to prepare for a life partnering with and assisting Antonio. His Mom, Tara says:
“Alice is a hero in our eyes because without her, Antonio would not be able to do the simple things in life we take for granted, like going to school, the store, or even just walking outside. She has never once failed in alerting and has saved Antonio’s life many times. Alice has given Antonio a chance at a new normal life he did not have without her. The life that was ripped away for no reason. She has NEVER let him down. If that is not a hero, I don’t know what is”.
Now that Guardian Angels, Alice has claimed the top spot in the Service Dog Category, in October, Antonio and Alice will head to California, to take part in the LIVE 2019 Hero Dog Awards, being broadcast on the Hallmark Channel, to compete with the 6 other category winners for the title of Hero Dog of the Year. Voting will be open until September 9th, and you can visit www.herodogawards.com/Alice to read their full story, and show them support with your vote!
Guardian Angels was founded in 2010, and custom-trains medical service dogs for veterans, first-responders and individuals like Antonio. Although the cost of training each service dog can take up to 2 full years, and cost nearly $25,000, we donate each dog to the recipient at no cost. We receive no federal or state funding. Everything we do is funded completely by private and foundation donations. To date, we have paired over 320 service dogs in 23 states across the nation. If you would like to learn more about our organization, or become a supporter, visit our website at www.MedicalServiceDogs.org.
Antonio, Alice & his Mom, Tara interviewed on the Red Carpet.
A great interview on KDKA’s Pittsburgh Today Live show with Guardian Angels’ Regional Development Director, Jack Wagner; Recipient, Dustin and his Service Dog, Spangle about Guardian Angels’ Pennsylvania Property Purchase…
If you’d like to become involved with our program by supporting the training of Service Dogs for those on our waiting list, please visit:
https://tinyurl.com/GAMSD-Giving
If you would like to contribute to the building of our Pittsburgh-area Campus, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/GAMSD-PACampus
