The Heartland Canines for Veterans graduation and Tactical Paws event at Cup O’ Joe on Saturday morning recognized the lifesaving relationship provided by the bond between veteran and service dog.
This bond between graduates Larry Mills and Archie, a large black poodle, was one of several the program has created for local veterans.
“We’re giving them a second chance at life,” Jimmy Burgess, executive director of Heartland Canines for Veterans, said. “That’s basically our role and responsibility.”
Many breeds of service dogs were in attendance with their veterans, occasionally wagging their tails. The large doors to the drive-thru, military-themed coffee shop were closed to allow for seating the crowd. Coffee on the cold Saturday morning at Cup O’ Joe was paid for by VFW Post 5293 and Compass Quest.
During the ceremony, Missouri state Sen. Jill Carter presented Mills and Archie with a Missouri state flag that was flown over the state Capitol in their honor.
“I hope there is not a veteran in earshot that wonders about the impact of what they have done,” Carter said during the ceremony. “You are our country’s angels. It’s such a pleasure to know you.”
Burgess said Heartland Canines has been around since 2015. They provide and train service dogs for veterans, for either emotional or mental help, or physical ailments.
Burgess describes their services as providing an opportunity for a dog and veteran to form a bond through training. They make veteran assessments through a lengthy application process to make sure the veteran can provide a good home and is a good match. While working with local breeders to provide the dogs free of charge, they also raise funds to make all of this possible.
Veterans pay no cost for the service. Heartland Canines also provides for food, veterinarian services, harness and collars.
The type of training depends on the veteran’s needs, Burgess said. If the veteran has physical issues, the service dog can help with mobility, things like balance, or assistance standing from a seated position.
The dogs also help with issues like PTSD, making veterans feel more comfortable in public. Service dogs use blocking techniques to make sure people don’t get too close to the veteran, face backward and notify if someone is approaching, and use a lean technique to relieve anxiety through pressure therapy.
“The changes in veterans in the program are night and day,” Burgess said. “If you think of medication, or someone who lost an arm and received a prosthetic, it’s very similar to that. Seeing veterans be able to get back out in public, seeing them live day to day, knowing they have a service dog who has their six, is wonderful.”
Mills is a 22 year Army veteran from Granby, serving as an E5 sergeant. He suffered a traumatic brain injury that causes debilitating migraine headaches. Archie is able to sense when one of these migraine headaches is coming on.
“When I have the migraine, it shuts the whole left side of my body down,” Mills said. “So, it’s kind of like I’m having a stroke, but I’m not. Archie alerts me so I can take my medicine to head it off.”
Mills said he formed a strong bond with Archie through the training process, which lasted about 51/2 months. Archie gets along well with Mills’ three young children as well.
“Archie’s pretty easy to get along with,” he said. “He gets on my lap if I’m having a hard day. If I need him, he’s right there. He helps me through some pretty rough times.”
Along with the graduation certificate, state flag, plaque and silver medal for Archie, the most important thing Mills received during the graduation was Archie’s official service dog tag with a QR code. The code, designated specifically for Archie, points to information about the services he provides Mills. If people have questions about these services, or emergency services need information, the code will quickly provide it.
Burgess said, unlike emotional support animals, service dogs are the only type of animal protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If anyone has questions about allowing a service animal into a business, they may ask what services an animal provides.
Burgess acknowledges these conversations can be tough because people don’t want to offend, but dog owners are trained to answer appropriately. Events like Saturday’s Tactical Paws are important to help people become more familiar with the services dogs provide and let the public become comfortable with them.
“To me, public education is as important as training the dog itself,” Burgess said.
If anyone has questions about service dogs in public or knows of a veteran who could benefit from a dog, Burgess recommends they visit their website at heartlandk9s.org.
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