CLOSE
Tags Posts tagged with "America’s VetDogs"

America’s VetDogs

by -
0 130
Employees from Bedgeat meet with America's VetDogs. Photo by Daniel Febrizio

America’s VetDogs is a nonprofit organization based out of Smithtown which provides specially trained service and guide dogs to first responders, veterans and active-duty service members. VetDogs was created by the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in 2003.

On Thursday, May 4, Bedgear, a Long Island-based company which produces what it calls performance bedding, donated all-new items for the dormitory at America’s VetDogs.

VetDogs’ employees introduced some of the dogs to the Bedgear employees and put on a display of the dogs’ training, including opening doors for their owners and comforting them during nightmares. The company representatives then unpacked the new bedding, including dog beds, and set everything up in the rooms in the dormitory.

VetDogs staff were appreciative to Bedgear and its employees for their generous mattress donations as well as their time to set up the rooms. 

“Our clients really are going to love having these incredible mattresses, pillows, sheets,” said Allison Storck, director of marketing and public relations for America’s VetDogs. “Your donation is going to reach so many folks that come through our doors here every year.”

Chief marketing officer of VetDogs, Mike Rosen, also expressed his gratitude. “It’s so extraordinarily generous, and it’s going to make such a huge difference in our clients, our students, feeling at home,” he said.

“Our veterans and our guide dog recipients are going to be blown away,” said Laura English, VetDogs’ chief administrative and financial officer. “We are so appreciative.”

America’s VetDogs organizes two-week programs for veterans and others from all over the country. The nonprofit provides transportation as well as meals and housing, while visitors bond with their guide or assistance dogs and learn to utilize the aid that their dogs provide.

by -
0 262
1 of 5
An image from the Oct. 21, 2022 Animal Planet Puppy Bowl. Texans Pup, Kirby, participated.
An image from the Oct. 21, 2022 Animal Planet Puppy Bowl. Texans Pup, Kirby, participated.
An image from the Oct. 21, 2022 Animal Planet Puppy Bowl. Texans Pup, Kirby, participated.
An image from the Oct. 21, 2022 Animal Planet Puppy Bowl. Texans Pup, Kirby, participated.
Kirby
Long Island based nonprofit’s service dog In training to play on Team Fluff In Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XVIII

America’s VetDogs, a Long Island based national non-profit that trains and places guide and service dogs with veterans and first responders with disabilities, is thrilled to announce future service dog in training “Kirby” will be competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl XVIII on Animal Planet on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13th at 2 p.m. Kirby will be one of more than 100 adoptable puppies running around and scoring touchdowns for a chance to win the “Lombarky” Trophy. The Puppy Bowl pre-game show begins at 1 p.m. with the game to follow at 2 p.m. They will air on Animal Planet and stream on Discovery+.

On Saturday, February 12, Kirby will be taking over Animal Planet’s Instagram for a “day in the life” feature of what it’s like to be puppy co-raised by NFL team Houston Texans and what training goes into raising a future service dog for a disabled veteran or first responder.

Kirby, a male Labrador retriever, joined the Houston Texans last July at 10 weeks old and was named by Texans fans through a voting contest. He is currently training to be a service dog in a partnership with America’s Vet Dogs. Once his training is complete, Kirby will be placed with a veteran or a first responder with disabilities. You can follow Kirby’s puppy raising journey but visiting his Instagram page at @Texanspup or @americasvetdogs.

by -
0 193
Photo from America's VetDogs

The Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs,  two Smithtown-based nonprofits that provide guide and service dogs to individuals with disabilities, is in urgent need for volunteer temp (temporary) homes across Long Island and the New York Tri-state area, to open their hearts and homes during the Omicron surge to host a puppy or trained dog, from anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks and continue to support their training during the duration of the stay.

Temp homes provide a puppy/mature dog a safe and friendly home with a loving environment where a puppy will learn, or an adult dog will maintain, housebreaking, obedience, excellent house manners, and socialization.

Requirements include a fenced in yard or access to daily and frequent walks, attend an online orientation class, access to a smart phone for virtual home check and is comfortable with emailing, texting and attending virtual classes. Veterinary care, dog food and supplies are provided by the Foundation and VetDogs.

Anyone interested in becoming a Temp Home volunteer, can apply directly online at: guidedog.org.

B-roll of Foundation puppies and dogs in training can be found here.

by -
0 161
Photo courtesy of America's VetDogs

December 21 marks first day of winter

America’s VetDogs, a Long Island-based national nonprofit that provides specially trained guide and service dogs to Veterans and First Responders with disabilities, is encouraging everyone to keep their dogs in top shape during the coming winter months. Despite the popular misconception, a dog’s fur coat is not enough to protect them from the elements. Much like people, dogs have varying degrees of tolerance when it comes to temperature extremes. Below is a list of care tips for dogs this cold weather season.

  • Be attentive to your dog’s body temperature and limit time outdoors.
  • Remove any sharp objects from your property before the snow flies as with snow on the ground, it’s difficult for dogs to see things like jagged rocks, sharp edged toys, even left-out garden tools.
  • Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tile and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
  • Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer.
  • Prevent frostbite on your dog’s ears, tail, and feet by not leaving them outdoors for too long.
  • Supplemental heat sources like fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog.  Make sure all fireplaces have screens and keep portable heaters out of reach.
  • Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat if it does not impede the use of a harness. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning.
  • Towel or blow-dry your dog if they get wet from rain or snow.  It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
  • Don’t leave your dog alone in a car with the engine off and no proper precautions as the temperature in the car will get too cold.
  • Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
  • Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Rinse your dog’s feet after a walk with a warm, damp cloth or towel and be sure to dry them off afterwards.
  • Don’t use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian. If you think your pet has eaten something potentially dangerous, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control center right away.
  • Dogs can be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.

by -
0 71
Photo courtesy of America's VetDogs

America’s VetDogs, a national non-profit that trains and places guide and service dogs with veterans and first responders with disabilities, hosted a ribbon cutting event on Tuesday, July 6 at their campus in Smithtown to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated, state of the art, training facility.

With the ever growing demand for service dogs, the need for expansion of the training facility will assist in placing more guide and service dogs with veterans and first responders with disabilities. The expansion and renovations were made possible by the support and donations by the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation, Francis & Gertrude Levett Foundation, Manual Barron, Ludwick Family Foundation, Scaife Family Foundation, Van Sloun Foundation, Manitou Fund and the The Omer Foundation.

Notable attendees included New York State Senator Mario Materra, New York State Senator Alexis Weik, New York Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Steven Castleton, Senior Veterans Services Officer for Suffolk County Retired U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard Master Sgt. Melissa Pandolf, Smithtown Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, America’s VetDogs Board Chair Don Dea, and VetDogs Board Member and HIA-LI Board Chairman Joe Campolo.

 “To increase our capacity to train service dogs, America’s VetDogs embarked on an ambitious renovation of our training center to create additional spaces where more instructors will be able to train their dogs at the same time. Among these improvements is a mock apartment, which includes a kitchen, living room, and bedroom areas that will allow instructors to train their dogs in “real-world” scenarios,” said President & CEO John Miller of America’s VetDogs.

 It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog; however, all of VetDogs’ services are provided at no charge to the individual.  Funding comes from the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, businesses, and service and fraternal clubs. To learn more, visit www.VetDogs.org.

by -
0 1860
Sully sits by former President George H.W. Bush. Photo from Instagram @sullyhwbush

A service dog raised in Smithtown won the hearts of thousands across the nation by demonstrating, perhaps, why dogs may truly be man’s best friend till the very end.

An Instagram photo of Sully, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, laying besides the flag-draped coffin of the late President George H.W. Bush posted by his spokesman Jim McGraff with a simple caption of “Mission complete” from Houston Dec. 2 went viral, quickly receiving more than 270,000 likes. The dog’s trainers at America’s VetDogs in Smithtown could only watch from a distance with mixed feelings.

“It hit us all very emotionally,” Brad Hibbard, chief program officer for America’s VetDogs said. “It was very sad for him, for George H.W. Bush’s family and Sully. Sully had quite a bond with the president, he slept in his room every night. It was so emotional, very sad but also with pride.”

President George H.W. Bush with President Bill Clinton and Bush’s guide dog Sully

Sully, named after the former airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III who safely landed a damaged jet on the Hudson River in 2009, was trained by America’s VetDogs earlier this year for Bush. The sister nonprofit organization to the Guide Dog Foundation trains and places guide dogs for veterans and first responders who are blind, have impaired vision or have lost their hearing. In addition, they train service dogs for those who suffer physical disabilities or have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hibbard said starting with Bush’s very first phone call to VetDogs about receiving a service dog, the 41st president expressed his concerns what would happen to the dog should something happen to him. After a lengthy discussion, the former president expressed that he wanted Sully to serve at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he had first learned about the nonprofit organization.

“There was no doubt in our minds what the president’s wishes were,” Hibbard said.

Sully will go to work alongside two fellow VetDogs graduate canines, Sgt. Dillon and Sgt. Truman, at Walter Reed medical center next year, according to Hibbard, to help assist thousands of servicemen and women who pass through the facility while undergoing physical and occupational therapy.

“Sully will be able to have a huge impact there,” Hibbard said.

Sully lies at the foot of President George H.W. Bush’s coffin.

After the late president’s funeral, the 2-year-old service dog was brought back to the VetDogs’ Smithtown campus, located on East Jericho Turnpike, for some well-deserved rest and decompression during the holidays before making his next transition. Hibbard said the nonprofit is currently in communication with Walter Reed about the facility’s needs, and Sully will undergo any necessary additional training, possibly in the area of assisting with occupational training, before heading back to work early in 2019.

Once in Maryland, Sully will officially join the U.S. Navy — the same branch George H.W. Bush served in — and be given an honorary military rank as per tradition according to Hibbard. Sully’s fans may be happy to know his trainers are seeing if it’s possible to keep his Instagram account, @sullyhwbush, running.

To learn more about America’s VetDogs, donate or volunteer, visit www.vetdogs.org or call 631-930-9000.

by -
0 1741
Former President George H.W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton and Sully together at the Bush family estate in Maine. Photo from Evan Sisley

A Smithtown-based nonprofit has given a former United States president a new best friend to help him through his golden years.

America’s VetDogs delivered a specially trained service dog to former President George H.W. Bush at his family’s Maine estate June 25. Two staff members were on hand as Sully, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, met the president for the first time.

“Sully is a very compassionate dog, skilled at the tasks of retrieval and opening and closing doors,” said John Miller, president and CEO of America’s VetDogs. “Between his temperament and his skills, we knew he would be the right fit for the president.”

Sully sits by former President George H.W. Bush. Photo from Instagram @sullyhwbush

America’s VetDogs, a sister 501(c)(3) organization to the Guide Dog Foundation, trains and places guide dogs for veterans and first responders who are blind or have impaired vision or have lost their hearing. The organization also trains service dogs for those who suffer from physical disabilities or have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bush first learned and made contact with America’s VetDogs to request a service dog through their program at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, according to Miller. He said the organization has three service dogs in the hospital who assist veterans who are currently inpatients for operations or in recovery.

“They work all day long going room-to-room to cheer up veterans to assist them, retrieve items as small as a credit card or cane, and open or close doors,” Miller said. “Most importantly, they bring smiles to all the veterans.”

Sully, who was hand selected for Bush, is named after the former airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, who became famous after he safely landed a damaged passenger jet on the Hudson River in 2009. The Labrador was raised and trained through the VetDogs prison puppy program, in which inmates raise future service dogs until they are 15 months old. The inmates work with the puppies on housebreaking, obedience, standardized commands and three basic service dog tasks: retrieve, push and pull.

America’s VetDogs trained a service dog, Sully, to accompany former President George H.W. Bush. Photo from Instagram @sullyhwbush

Once America’s VetDogs staff selected a service dog for the president, Miller said they created a video that demonstrated Sully’s skills and took a number of photographs to send to Bush and his staff. Two staff members made the flight to the Bush’s family compound, Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport, Maine, to introduce the president to his new canine companion.

“Sully has been getting rave reviews from the president,” Miller said. Bush’s staff members have already set up an Instagram account, @sullyhwbush, to share photos of the dog meeting with the president and exploring his new home. The account had more than 33,000 followers as of the date of this publication.

Bush’s staff member could not be reached for comment on Sully.

America’s VetDogs has previously trained a service dog for former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Arizona) who was shot while at a campaign stop in 2011, according to Miller, but never before a president. Each dog costs more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train and place, but is provided at no cost by VetDogs to the individual receiver thanks to donations from corporations, foundations and businesses.

“Sully will be the highest profile service dog in the history of the country,” Miller said.

To learn more about the Smithtown-based nonprofit, visit its website at www.VetDogs.org.

TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©